The stylish babe’s guide to saving the planet from the Trump administration

Despite how many times it’s been stated and restated that the need to be eco-conscious is dire, people continue to treat Earth like trash. With the topic of climate change being politically-weighted and the materialistic tendencies of first world-countries rampant, it is no surprise that the Earth continues to be in danger. Many people claim to care about the future of our planet, but their actions do not correspond.

Slactivism and recycling sporadically only goes so far. The Earth deserves our respect, because it’s the Earth’s world and we are just living in it. So stop being a half-assed environmentalist and actually make a difference starting this year; little changes go a long way. Here are a few ways to help:

Use a reusable water bottle

This is a small change that can go a long way, and can make your life a lot easier. Investing in a quality, reusable water bottle is a great alternative to plastic water bottles that benefits both he planet and you individually. Switching to reusable bottles would save oil, millions of barrels of which we used to produce plastic bottles each year, cut down the amount of plastic that ends up in landfills, and save you money. I recommend the brand Hydro-flask because they are eco-friendly and keep drinks incredibly cold.

Buy eco-conscious clothing

A huge issue with the popularity of consumerism is that as the demand for products increases, often times the quality and ethical means of creating the product decreases. Many clothing is made of cheap material that is inexpensive to manufacture and often times includes too much plastic to properly decompose in landfills. Therefore, it is incredibly important to buy clothing from companies that have sustainable manufacturing practices. An example is H&M’s Conscious line, which includes sustainable clothing made from recycled materials, just look for the green label; bonus, they are super fashionable pieces. Also, if you recycle old clothes at H&M stores, they will give discounts, which is an awesome way to promote eco-friendly practices.

These are men’s jeans I got from Goodwill. Fashionable, affordable, and sustainable. (Faux fur of course)

Go vintage/second-hand

Almost better than buying new eco-conscious clothing, is buying clothing that is already made. Vintage clothing is a great way to keep clothing out of the landfill, and it is incredibly trendy. Buying clothing from a vintage of second-hand shop, such as Goodwill, also can help save money, therefore benefitting your wallet and the world.

Read labels

How many times have you bought a product without reading the label completely through? I personally will admit that I have bought many products based solely on price with just a glance at the label, however this can prove to be hazardous to the environment. There are many ingredients that are often included in products that are terrible for the environment, therefore it’s important to know what they are in order to avoid buying products that include them. One is palm oil products, an ingredient that has lead to mass deforestation. Another is exfoliating microbeads, such as the ones found in facial scrubs; they are plastic, which means they are unable to decompose properly, however these little devils have been banned in the U.S. Other general products to involve are synthetic fragrances and chemical sunscreens; in terms of chemicals, ones to avoid are BHA, BHT, DBP, and Triclosan.

Go vegetarian/vegan

This one is a slightly bigger life choice to make, but it is worth making the change if you really care about making a difference. It requires 2,400 gallons of water to produce just one pound of meat. That’s a lot of water being used on a food product, especially one that so many people consume. Cutting meat out of your diet is one of the most eco-friendly decisions a you can make.

Overall, it is time to stop saying you will change, and actually change your ways. Caring about the environment shouldn’t be an inconvenience, it should be a priority, because at the end of the day we need the Earth, the Earth does not need us.