Go Green

Top Environmentally Destructive Habits You Probably Aren’t Aware Of
Go Green

Why go green? Sustainability seems insignificant until environmental degradation hits us hard in the face. From the deadly Japanese tsunami to the burning Amazon forest, the earth is sending us a message in more ways than one. 

Going green is not just an option. It’s now a necessity. 

But what does “clean and green” really mean? Truth is, it’s easy to give in to the trend you see on social media and adopt a sustainable lifestyle. But if you don’t understand the “whys” of going green, the shift in your lifestyle will be short-lived. 

To make sure you’re getting started on the right foot, let’s first analyze your lifestyle before we dive deep into our whys. By understanding potentially environmentally destructive habits, you can efficiently identify areas you need to improve, sustainability practices.

Top Environmentally Destructive Habits

Why go green when you can just let the day pass doing the same old routine? You don’t have environmentally destructive habits anyway. Or do you? 

First things first, going green should always be intentional. It’s not enough that you “like” the idea of adopting green habits. You need to take a closer look in the mirror and reflect on your own lifestyle choices. When watered with self-awareness, your intentions will breed a proactive, eco-friendly lifestyle. 

Drinking Coffee

If you can’t start your daily hustle and bustle without a cup of coffee, then we’ve got bad news for you. You’re already playing a part in deforestation, contamination, and water pollution, which the coffee industry already answers to. And we’re not talking about the use of to-go cups just yet! 

The billion-dollar coffee industry mostly revolves around manufacturing processes that are considered environmental hazards. For one, sun-grown coffee, which the type of coffee you drink in the morning, is produced by clearing forestry. This reduces biodiversity–an important factor in specie survival.  

The solution: It’s quite simple. Buy shade-grown coffee that doesn’t cause as much environmental destruction as its traditional, sun-dried counterpart.  

Exfoliating Your Face 

Exfoliating your face after a long week of hard work is just heaven here on earth. But it isn’t doing the same for our planet, especially if you’re using microbeads. 

Honestly, you don’t even need to be a conservationist to understand how these tiny plastic beads are polluting our waterways. In not-so-recent years, microbeads created a huge buzz because of its environmental impacts. Since then, many groups have actively encouraged the banning of microbead use in the cosmetics industry. 

Plus, microbeads are harmful to your skin, too. It may seem efficient at first glance, but it’s actually disrupting your skin’s natural barrier. 

The solution: An eco-friendly alternative would be to resort to natural ingredients that offer you better results without harming the environment. You can also look for the “Zero Plastic Inside” logo to make sure that the products you use don’t contain microplastics. 

Buying (and Throwing Away) Your Jeans

Most of us work doubly hard for a good pair of jeans. But did you know that your regular shopping sprees can actually be harming the environment? 

Studies show that the normal production of a pair of jeans consumes nearly 3,000 gallons of water. With water shortage creeping into many remote areas, it might seem selfish to splurge on jeans and (unknowingly) take all these resources away. 

But now that you already know what your jeans are worth, you’re now accountable (aha!). 

The solution: It would be foolish to boycott jeans. But it doesn’t mean we can’t do anything to conserve our natural resources. We can either repurpose our jeans or donate them instead of throwing them away.

Bleaching Your Clothes

Most laundry detergents contain chlorine, which is a harmful ingredient that disrupts marine life. When you wash your clothes with chlorine, this chemical goes straight to our waterways. 

News flash: even chlorine in small concentrations can cause long-term health hazards to both birds and marine life. 

The solution: You can use baking soda and other natural cleaning agents to bleach your clothes. Also, thanks to an increased awareness in businesses, many brands have also added eco-friendly detergents on their rack. 

Leaving the Lights On

Whether it’s leaving the lights on or charging your phone overnight, you are already contributing to power wastage. This may not cause significant changes in your utility bill, but it adds up to your environmental footprint. 

The solution: Don’t let your equipment suck too much power. By simply being mindful of your utility use, you can positively impact the environment. 

Going Out for a Grocery Run

From disposable product packaging to food take-out plastic bags, everything we see on small and big establishments runs on plastic. And this is not good news to our environment. 

As we continue to use plastic, more wastes are being piled up on our landfills and  waterways. If this doesn’t end now, how will our future generations survive? 

The solution: Proactively seek eco-friendly, recyclable packaging, which you can also find in many local brands. Bring your own water bottle. Don’t use straws or chopsticks for Chinese food. Go on with your life as you always do. But this time, do so with precaution. 

By acknowledging your environmentally destructive habits, you can clear the road towards a sustainable lifestyle.  

Why Go Green

So why go green? As the good old adage goes, our planet is just borrowed. It was passed on to us by our ancestors. And soon enough, we will turn it over to our future generations. 

The problem: many of our daily habits are already destructive to the environment. And we weren’t even aware that we are walking eco-hazards. With this in mind, how extensive can the damage major environmental hazards do to our environment? 

A clean and green environment is always our way to the future. If this isn’t a strong reason for you to go green, look around. Or better yet, look in the mirror. 

Don’t you deserve a better and more conducive ecosystem? One free from health and biohazards? If you think you do, it’s time to make that shift now.