Happy Earth Day! While we love celebrating this special day every year (and our beautiful planet every day), it feels more important now than ever to discuss the actions we can be taking to support a healthy and thriving Mother Earth. The world looks vastly different since the celebration of Earth Day began in 1970, and while there is lots of work still to be done at the organizational level, there are small, impactful steps we can each take as individuals that can add up to significant change.

Read on for six ways you can begin switching up your habits in support of the earth today, and after you finish, we encourage you to take a moment to step outside and stand in gratitude for all that nature and the world offers us each day.

Switch Up Your Mindset Around Sustainability

Before you set yourself on the mission to making sustainability a priority in your life, know this: While it might seem intimidating at first, a sustainable lifestyle doesn’t have to be overly-complicated or mean that you’re fitting all your year’s trash in a single Mason jar. Our impact on the earth lies so much in the small actions, habits, and decisions we make on a daily basis. If you start out with the intention of addressing just one of those habits, diving into how it can be more sustainable, and committing yourself to living out that change, that single behavior shift can be groundbreaking.

With this in mind, take a little time today to look at areas of your life that could use an eco-friendly touch. Are you in the habit of relying on single-use plastics for most of your meals? Do you jump on every clothing sale you find on Instagram? Could you go meatless for dinner at least one night a week? Pick one and start from there. Our sustainably packaged products can be used for over 20+ uses so it's a great start to swap out some plastic-heavy products in your cabinets!

Research Your Purchases

While your latest Amazon impulse buy may have brought you momentary happiness, you can do a lot more good by purchasing something locally where possible or do a little digging to identify and source sustainably-made products from companies you trust. At Conscious Coconut, we work with farms that implement sustainable and organic farming practices, and we’re transparent about the production of our coconut oil from start to finish. 

When you go to make a purchase, take some time to read up on the company or establish a connection with a local purveyor. Not only will you be buying responsibly-made goods, but you’re building support around the work of individuals in your community.

Buy Second-Hand

How’s this for a wake-up call: Every single thing we purchase, use, and dispose of leaves its mark on the planet. You can become a more conscious consumer by opting to buy clothes, homewares, and many other things you use on a daily basis second-hand. When you purchase something pre-owned, you’re doing your part in prolonging the life cycle of that item and saving it from being tossed in a landfill. 

Wait, there's more: Buying clothes and homewares second-hand isn’t just good for the planet, but your wallet too. Add to that the fun of hunting down an amazing find at your neighborhood thrift store, and you’ll wonder why you ever bought into fast fashion. The EPA estimated in 2018 that landfills received 11.3 million tons of municipal solid waste (discarded clothing, furniture, footwear, and bedding). It’s time to gather up your girlfriends and make a trip of second-hand shopping; it’ll benefit not just your closet, but the planet as well.

Use Up Your Disposables Before Purchasing Reusable

As you’re making sustainable swaps in your life, you might be tempted to throw out all your disposable products and start fresh with a clean slate of low-waste items. Repeat after us: don’t. If you’re throwing out these single-use plastics before using them, you’re just speeding up the waste they’ll create. Instead, slowly and consciously use your little plastic baggies and disposable silverware, trying to extend their use as long as possible. Once your stockpiles have run dry, now’s the time to opt for something more sustainable. We love these reusable food bags and always carry a cloth tote with us to the farmers’ market (and we never go anywhere without a glass water bottle in hand).

Follow Sustainability Advocates On Social Media

Sustainable living is a buzzword in wellness and the world everywhere, and we’re not complaining. The good news about that too, is that more and more people are sharing their tips and tricks in addition to well-researched info to help you along your journey to living a more earth-centric life. Our favorite sustainable social media stars to follow? Jazmine Rogers for everything sustainable fashion, Stevie Van Horn, a sustainability activist sharing all things zero waste living, and Anne-Marie Bonneau for major waste-saving food inspo.

Meal Plan Strategically

When we plan out our meals each week, not only are we setting ourselves up for success in getting a stress-free dinner on the table, but we’re also doing the work to make sure less of that food goes to waste. American households generate about one pound of food per person (roughly 30 to 40% of the food supply) every day. Writing out your recipes, intentionally buying only what you need, and making sure it gets used up before your ingredients go bad helps keep the food on your plate and not in the trash.

Another way you can increase the Earth-friendly factor of your meals is by starting a composting practice. Composting is starting to gain serious traction, and we couldn’t be happier. Composting, in effect, supports our food’s natural decomposing process, returning it to the earth while diverting it from landfills.

You also don’t have to live on a farm to start composting today. This article shares ways you can make composting happen even if you’re living in a tiny apartment. Look into compost pick-up services or stop by the farmers’ market to see if there’s a stall collecting compost. It may take a little more effort than tossing your leftovers in the trash, but trust us, it’s 100% worth the work.

Happy Earth Day Conscious Coconut fam! We can’t wait for you to get started with one of the ideas above, and we hope they inspire you to have a little fun and get creative with how you care for the planet. Shop our sustainably packaged & farmed products here!