5 convenient eco-friendly habits that actually save you time and money

The fact that I'm writing this means a lot considering my lifestyle as a corporate management consultant who loved nothing more growing up than finding clothes 70% off at a mass retailer in my heyday. (How is eco-friendly living related to super clearance clothes? Follow us on IG @darity.co to learn more…)

I’m now a self-proclaimed corporate hippie that knows that I need to do my part to reduce my environmental footprint and create a better shot at my daughter and future generations being able to live in this beautiful world as we now know it.

SO…. what usually stops us from choosing earth-friendly habits? Convenience. 

The truth of the matter is (especially as moms) – we have got SO MUCH going on. Not only do we have kiddos, sanitary considerations, diapers/wipes, toys, etc. – then we have meals and endless to prepare, clothes to buy, and the list goes on. I’m there 100%. 

I’ve honestly tried certain eco-friendly habits and failed many times or figured out alternatives that I could sustainable keep doing. We all can’t be 100% sustainable – that’s an impossible ask that leads to a slippery slope of expectations we can’t keep up with. So please take a DEEP breath and release. I’ve got 5 convenient eco-friendly habits that work– even for a busy mom. I hope maybe you’ll find these useful or encouraging!

1. Sign up for a composting service. See if you have one in your area! I tried to compost myself and failed (others love it and succeed!). But there are services like Compost Now that will take your food waste each week like recycling and turn it into lovely compost that you can use for yourself (gardening) or donate to others!
2. Shop for bulk/eco-refill products. I love brands like Attitude that have eco-refill options where you use less plastic and can reuse containers over and over again. Yes, ideally, we could just use completely package-free soap for all our personal and kitchen care needs (I do love using body soaps again) – but do what you can.
3. Go paperless and unsubscribe. It’s annoying have to sift through junk mail in our mailboxes and emails. Both take energy! Considering reducing your paper overload by taking a few minutes to go paperless, sign up to get off junk mailing lists.
4. Wear clothes you can layer. This may seem strange, but if when making clothing purchases for you and your family (chief purchasing officer over here) – think about what’s already in your closet and what additions would maximize use of what you already have. What pieces are season-less – can be layered to get you through different points of the year? It takes a little thought and creativity, but this will save you time in burning time and energy to match pieces in your wardrobe or realizing you have too many gray t-shirts (been there).
5. Try air drying + wool dryer balls. I always have a dryer rack up in my laundry room and put any clothes that can air/flat/hang dry on the rack as I sort clothes out of the washer. Dryer balls reduce your dryer time, soften clothes, and can even reduce static cling (getting rid of those fabric softeners and dryer sheets). This makes my clothes pill less and last longer – win/win.

For more on our DARITY looks for ways to integrate eco and social sustainability into our everyday actions, read the latest on Our Commitment.