The word “sustainability” means something different for each of us. For some, sustainability evokes images of no-waste households that are run completely on solar power and inhabited by people who wear only burlap and secondhand clothing. Your relationship with sustainability need not be so rigid and prohibitory; rather, it should reflect practical personal changes you can commit to. Sustainability has to be, well… sustainable. Put plainly, sustainability is “the ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level.” Therefore, your journey to living more sustainably relies completely on what works for you and your household, rather than being encumbered by grandiose and unattainable principles. I’ve found that sustainable living occurs most organically somewhere between comfort and compromise. You may find that you hate paper straws, but can live happily using silicone or metal straws in lieu of those made of plastic. Or, you may find that while you cannot give up eating meat altogether, you can decrease your meat consumption to only five days a week. There are countless small and achievable shifts you can make within your daily routines to incorporate sustainability principles. Whether it be in what you eat, where you shop, or how you commute- small changes can create a big impact over time, especially if we work together towards the same goal.

As you begin to examine your lifestyle and assess how to make more conscientious adjustments, keep in mind the acronym C-3PO.
Yes. Like the Star Wars character.

C-Changes. Consider what changes you are most willing to make to your lifestyle and how these changes may better impact you, your household, and the planet. Determine what is most important to you, and start your journey there.

P-Purveyors. Examine where and how you are doing your shopping. Are you shopping online or locally? Are there local vendors and farmers you can support rather than chains and big-box stores? How do your shopping habits impact carbon emissions? Who are you purchasing from, and what are their company practices and values? Are they Fair Trade? Do they use renewable materials? Do they test their products on animals? These questions may have some surprising answers, but they will provide you with valuable insight on the culture you prescribe to as a consumer.

P- Products. Make a list of products you use frequently and consider those you’d like to find substitutions for. What are the products made of? Do they contain unnecessary or harmful ingredients, or use excessive packaging? Could you make this product at home and for less money? Is there an alternative to this product that is more environmentally friendly? (Such as using bamboo toilet paper and towels as opposed to regular toilet tissue and paper towels). Use this information when determining the products that you need, those you can substitute, and those that you can live without.

P-Practices. What practices can you change to lessen your carbon footprint? Consider these questions- Could you reduce your family’s weekly meat consumption? Can you remember to bring a reusable cup to the coffee shop? Do you bring your own shopping bags to the grocery store? Do you leave the water running while you brush your teeth? Do you donate old clothing and housewares, or do you throw them away? How can you reduce or eliminate your household’s food waste?

Once we’ve asked ourselves these questions, we must assess what can be done to attain comfortable compromises within our routines.

O-Objective. Objectively, what is possible for you and your household to accomplish? What Changes can you make to the 3P’s, and will those changes be sustainable? Once you have a practical answer, you can begin to plan your desired changes, or “Sustainability Objectives”.

Make yourself a list of practical objectives and set out to achieve them, being sure to assess your progress at regular intervals. Give yourself grace and be patient- change takes time! If you’re going to be successful, it is best to make gradual changes to your routine. You are not expected to renew your whole life, (or the planet) overnight.

To provide you with a starting point, I’ve listed some product substitutions you can make in your home- and I hope you will find something new to love!