lowering your impact, not your waste.

photo by Marc Wieland

Author: Laura Yurincich

Want to lower your impact on the environment, but not quite ready to give up your favourite fast-food burger and packaged products? bare market blogger Laura walks you through some easy alternatives. 

Switching to a low-waste lifestyle is great. It can help you save money, save the environment and simplify your life. But if you’re not ready find an alternative to your favourite packaged snacks or products, there are still steps you can take to reduce your environmental impact. 

photo by Ella Olson

eat less meat

Growing animals for food is inefficient. It takes five to seven kilograms of grain to produce one kilogram of beef, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up meat completely. Reducing your meat consumption without going vegetarian or vegan can still make a big difference. It can also save you money. I’ve found that it’s easier, and cheaper to cook beans and lentils as opposed to chicken and beef, and trying new vegetable-based recipes is a great way to expand your palate and cooking skills.  I’ve found that it’s easier to cook beans and lentils are cheaper, and trying new vegetable-based recipes is a great way to expand your palate. I’ve drastically reduced my meat consumption in the past year, but you can’t stop me from devouring a juicy steak every now and then. 

eat local

Your average meal travels 1,200 kilometres from the farm to your plate. Food grown closer to home produces fewer transport emissions, is fresher and supports local farmers. As summer approaches, you can dive into eating local by visiting farmers’ markets to get your produce. Make sure to do your research to find out what foods are local and in season. 

photo by Franck 

cancel your junk mail

Weirdly enough, canceling my junk mail was one of the easiest things I did when I transitioned to a low-waste lifestyle. It saved me time: I no longer had to bring in the junk mail, sort it into the recycling, and carry it back out to the kerb. While paper advertising is still recyclable, it takes energy to produce, transport and process – all for something you didn’t want, need or use in the first place. 

You can cancel your junk mail in two easy steps: 

1. Put a note on your mailbox that states: “I no longer wish to receive Canada Post Neighbourhood Mail.” 
2. Join the Canadian Marketing Association’s Do Not Mail List.

Cutting down on waste doesn’t have to be hard. There are so many simple ways to reduce your impact on the environment. If everyone was waste-conscious and took a few small steps, our world would be a greener place.