Become more sustainable. Become more green.

Coming into the New Year it's easy to get caught up in resolutions to aspire to for the coming year ahead. Often the goals you set are usually out the door by February (guilty) and they then become the next years problem.

This year for myself I didn’t want it to be ambitious I wanted to actually for once accomplish a 2019 resolution, I had set how many years aside promising myself to hit the gym 5 times a week, improve my diet or save all my money so that I would never  have to work again (so unachievable).

As I started to brainstorm what I cared about, what I wanted and what was achievable, it all highlighted some common ground.

Become more sustainable. Become more green.

Media outlets are flooded with articles about the direction of where our environment is going and I quickly got stuck in a youtube wormhole of documentaries and clips showing horrifying visuals of climate change and the consequences of overfishing, pollution, not recycling, plastic products, landfill and so much more.  

This didn’t have to mean saving the planet and ending global warming in a day on my own, it meant more to make a difference to world we are living in and everyday life, to be sustainable, functional and green. It's exciting that we can be apart of a generation that can have a greener global community and take the steps forward to living sustainable lives however there is a huge notion that makes it seem that becoming this way is expensive and difficult so I have put together 12 ideas or simple steps that not only promote a positive mindset to sustainability but will start making little differences that are cost effective and achievable.

1. Stop using single use take away coffee cups and plastic drink bottles. (Pick up your SoL Cup and Bottle ASAP!).
2. Donate or resell your clothes instead of throwing them out.
3. On nights out say no to plastic straws in your drink
4. Start an urban garden - by purchasing a herb plant from woolworths instead of herbs wrapped in plastics.
5. Buying the “mishaped” fruit and vegetables from the grocery store.
6. Purchase reusable containers for lunches (eliminate cling wrap and single use forks/spoons/knives!)
7. Turn off appliances and lights that I am not using them or heading away!
8. Have a look at replacing any appliances that have low/bad energy star ratings and replace them with ones that have better Energy Star certification.
9. Pour old water into plants or outside on the grass instead of down the sink.
10. Have a canvas tote bag accessible for shopping at a bookstore, markets or shopping centres!
11. Research more into sustainable and ethical beauty brands for makeup.
12. Leave enough time to walk or take public transport to work/ the beach/ or if you are meeting a friend for lunch.

Your #SoLmate and Marketing Guru at #SoL Cups HQ

Athena.