Not So Easy Being Green: Why Simple Sustainability Hacks Are Hard to Master
We all know the drill—bring your reusable totes to the grocery store, skip the plastic straw, eat more plant-based meals, turn off the water while you brush your teeth. These are the poster children of easy environmentalism. So why do they feel so hard to turn into habits?
The Paradox of Simple Sustainability
Part of the problem is that these actions are so simple they’re easy to forget. We’ve all stood in the checkout line, watching our groceries pile up, only to realize our carefully chosen reusable bags are still in the trunk. Or we’re at a restaurant, sipping from a plastic straw we meant to avoid.
Why We Struggle with Easy Wins for Earth
These micro-habits slip through the cracks because they don’t trigger the same urgency as bigger environmental efforts like reducing fossil fuel consumption or cutting food waste. But small habits can add up fast—especially when you consider that a plastic bag or straw can last hundreds of years in a landfill.
Making Simple Habits Stick
1. Make Them Automatic
Reusable Bags: Keep them in your passenger seat, your purse, or even attach a foldable one to your keychain.
Skip Straws: Set an alert on your phone that pops up whenever you arrive at a restaurant.
Save Water: Stick a reminder on your bathroom mirror to turn off the tap while brushing.
Eat More Plants: Plan at least one plant-based meal a week. Batch-cook veggie soups or try meatless Mondays.
2. Set Reminders That Matter
Use location-based alerts on your phone for store trips.
Put a sticky note on your dashboard that says “Bags?”
3. Make It Rewarding
Keep a mental tally or even a note on your phone of how many plastic items you’ve avoided. Treat yourself to a new plant-based recipe each week when you stick to your habits.
Why These Tiny Changes Matter More Than You May Know
Although they may seem small, these habits can have a significant impact. If everyone skipped a plastic straw just once a week, billions of straws could be kept out of the oceans each year. Plant-based meals have a much smaller carbon footprint than meat, making them a powerful choice for the planet.
Change doesn’t always have to be revolutionary—it can be a series of tiny, conscious decisions that add up. And when those decisions become habits, they become a part of who you are.
