9 Things I stopped purchasing — How it benefited my life and helped the environment
Since pledging on living a more eco-conscious life, one of the necessary lifestyle changes is to have a low waste daily routine. Being low on waste is to first reduce, then if impossible to do so, reuse and then lastly recycle. After 3 years of practicing this lifestyle, I still have much to improve and learn. However, I’ve identified some of the items that I previously thought I needed and managed to cut them down by about 80% just by talking and learning with the zero waste community. I have to admit, it was hard at first, but after some time, not only is it good for the planet, I realize these practices benefited my health and also my wallet!
- Clothes
Since practicing a low-waste life, I’ve not been clothes shopping for 3 years unless under absolutely necessary circumstances. Sometimes, if I require an outfit for a specific occasion, I prioritize borrowing from friends and family if I do not foresee wearing them often in the future. In the event where I needed to expand my wardrobe, I usually searched through 2nd hand groups and platforms before finally purchasing a new outfit. This practice has channeled a lot of my salary into savings and investments, instead of contributing unnecessarily to buying low-quality clothes in the fast-fashion industry.
2. Excessive skincare
When I was in my high school years, the Korean 10 step skincare routine was trending. It seemed necessary to buy all the…