Over the past few months of quarantine, it seems like the Earth has gotten a well-deserved break from man-made pollution, animals have enjoyed free reign in national parks, and some people have taken an interest in conservation and sustainable living, partially due to necessity! I believe the Bible calls us to be good stewards of everything that God has entrusted to us, and to me, creating as little waste as possible definitely falls into this category. If you’re interested in going green in some fairly easy ways, try one (or more) of these eco-friendly swaps below and be sure to check out my full list of sustainable living suggestions for more.
Install A Bidet
The lack of toilet paper during quarantine has certainly made everyone search for effective alternatives, and the popularity of the bidet has been my favorite find from the shortage. For less than $100, you can get an easy to install bidet that will greatly reduce your need for toilet paper and leave you feeling much cleaner as well! Check out our how-to video for our Tushy bidet below and see why it’s not just for Europeans anymore!
Beeswax Wraps For Food Storage
These reusable wraps are a good replacement for saran wrap or aluminum foil. You can wrap individual pieces of fruit or vegetables or cover dishes in the fridge. They wash fairly easily and I like not having to worry about any harmful things leaching into my food (like with foil). They come in a variety of sizes depending on your needs, and so many cute design options too.
Cloth Napkins
Invest in an affordable set or two of cloth napkins, and avoid having to throw away huge amounts of paper napkins (huge for me at least, I’m a messy eater!!!) Granted, I’m a fan of restaurants like Chipotle that use recycled materials in their napkins, but I’d still rather use cloth napkins as much as I can when I’m eating at home. I also like using these Unpaper reusables while on the go or for kitchen cleanup instead of paper towels.
Compost Your Scraps
There are so many things that you can compost instead of just tossing them in the trash can, but be sure not to add any dairy or meat products to your compost bin, as they can attract pests and carry pathogens. Either buy a compost container like you see here, or make your own with some ventilation – you can use nylon at the top to keep bugs from going in/out and charcoal filters help with the smell if you’re keeping the small container in the house before taking it to your outdoor compost container. We’ve been composting for about a year now, and we are looking forward to using it to fertilize our garden! Here are some great things to compost:
Fruit and vegetable scraps
Pet hair and fur
Eggshells
Small pieces of cardboard
Coffee grounds and filters
Tea bags
Leaves
Shredded newspaper
Yard trimmings
Opt for Reusable Shopping Bags
Some stores like Aldi give you no choice but to bring your own bags (unless you want to awkwardly try to carry all your groceries in your arms), but other larger grocery stores are now starting to provide a small credit toward your purchase for those who bring their own bags. I have amassed a lot of random reusable bags over the years from all the conventions and fairs I have attended, and they ended up lonely and unused in my pantry for a long time until I finally made the effort to store them in my car! Now, every time I go to the store I have them available to bring in with me instead of having to use the store’s paper or plastic bags. If you don’t have enough bags for your groceries, these are a neat option! For those that do have a large amount of plastic grocery bags leftover, you can use them as small garbage can liners, dog poop bags, or recycle them (receptables are located at the entrance of most grocery stores). Heck, you could even stuff a bunch in your purse or pocket and just use those to bag your things at checkout.
The Planking Traveler 
Great ideas with a long term benefit to our planet!
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