Sustainable - But Is It Actually?

Happy Earth Day, Spitzsy Fam!

All this talk about sustainability has us wondering how it quickly became such a buzzword. We're seeing it a lot more these days and it has us wondering exactly what people hope to mean when they use it, specifically in regards to products. Ideally it would mean that something was just more sustainable, right? Unfortunately we don't live in an ideal world so now we're filtering through all of the distracting labels to find the truly sustainable items.

Another piece of the puzzle here that we really need to address is the logistics of creating a fully sustainable lifestyle. Actually trying to apply every sustainable swap and tip feels next to impossible, but that doesn't mean we're going to give up trying to get there! For our company, we are willing to admit our fallbacks for full disclosure. Because, like we've alluded to, this journey is a long one and we're going to stumble along the way.

The number one thing we have to offer is a majority of previously owned items. We love the feeling of new clothes as much as the next shopaholic, but that lifestyle just doesn't fit us anymore. The amount of resources it takes to make just one pair of jeans might blow your mind.

By reading the cold hard facts, we've promised to assess our want to get the next best thing. Over years of rewiring, we've found a love for gently used clothing. There is this spark of joy that happens when we come across an item that no one else has. There is an excitement akin to finding treasure.

Outside of our shopping habits, there are our day to day habits. We have found such clever new ways to avoid using grocery bags. Here in Connecticut, you have to buy plastic or paper bags if you choose to use them! When this tax went through, it encouraged many consumers to buy reusable bags to help lower the waste. Take it one step further and get yourself a bin. The Spitzsy Crew is a big fan of Clever Crates. They sell them at places like Bed, Bath, & Beyond, Walmart & the like. By using a bin to hold all your groceries, you skip the step of bagging completely since you no longer have to worry about gravity causing items to shift and possibly smush or break! Bonus - the bins are collapsible so you can break them down easily and store them somewhere when you aren't using them.

For food and storage in your home, we've found that glass is best. The problem with this one is often the price point. A fun tip we've tried out with major success is that whenever you use up a salsa or condiment, remove the sticker or label and wash the jar. These are great for tossing odds and ends from dinner. Over time, you will have a large collection but you didn't have to pay anything for it. This is also a great habit to get into if you often find yourself baking for people and always asking for your Tupperware back!

Small changes like these can lead to even bigger changes like omitting single use items completely. We know it's tricky right now with a lot of restaurants still only doing takeout, but limit where you can.

Link to article explaining how many resources it takes to make a single pair of jeans:

 https://www.thefashionlaw.com/how-many-gallons-of-water-does-it-take-to-make-a-single-pair-of-jeans/