The Big List of Ethical Living Ideas
Reduce waste and resources:
Prioritize items with the least packaging when grocery shopping
Use reusable bags (grocery bags, produce bags, zipper bags)
Eat your leftovers first
Make your meal plan around what needs to be used up first in your fridge (for me that means having a general idea for the week, but checking to rearrange if needed every day or two)
Shop secondhand
When you need something, look to the waste stream first (something you already have and can repurpose, save from the trash, get from freecycle…) I’m pretty sure I got this idea from Food Not Lawns.
Use a bidet
Read Zero Waste Home
Keep a bucket in your shower to collect warmup water (an idea I learned from Brandy at The Prudent Homemaker)
Drive less- ride a bike or use public transit if those are options for you (America is sorely lacking in public transit and safe bike routes). If not, combine errands and stay home more. Consider a job closer to home or a home closer to job.
Use reusable menstrual products (like a cup, disc, or cloth pads)
Line dry (at least some of) your clothes. I use indoor drying racks because clothesline=allergies. 🤧
Get a hairstyle that doesn’t require blow-drying
Let your lawn go to weeds. Learn what they are and how to use them.
Ethical consumption:
Ask yourself first if you actually need the item.
Shop secondhand.
Buy from companies that give back (like Who Gives a Crap)
Buy from small businesses
Buy less, but better
Only consume chocolate or coffee if it is fair trade
Make ethical clothing a priority. All clothing is made by a person somewhere. Machines can’t do it yet. Make sure that person is being taken care of by buying from a small, ethical business, or remove clothes from the waste stream by shopping second hand. Also note that natural fibers are better for the environment (and you!). Look for linen, wool, silk, or organic cotton and avoid anything polyester (it’s just plastic).
Only buy eggs that are Certified Humane Raised and Handled.
Consider reducing your meat intake and only eating local, grass-fed, free-range meat.
Shop local.
Misc.:
Leave every place better than you found it.
Be kind or be quiet.
Talk (humbly) about the way you live, so others can learn from it.
Make your charitable donations come out every month automatically. They count on recurring donations, and you don’t want to forget!
Research ethical banking and investments. Move your money to climate-friendly banks and socially responsible investments. At the very least, use a local credit union rather than a big bank.
Talk to your children about why you make the decisions you make.
VOTE! And do your research.
Turn off the news- trying to change the world is hard. Don’t burn yourself out. Only worry about the things you can change.
Put your representatives on speed dial. They work for you. If you have anxiety, call on evenings and weekends so you can leave a message and not have to talk to a real person (though usually the real person just takes your message— FYI).
Don’t wear makeup. For so many reasons- the waste, the patriarchy… you can read more about my reasons here.
Recommended books (always try to get at your library first- then if you like them and want them for reference, come back here to purchase them to help support the site!):
Food Not Lawns *you can read the entire book for free here!
Retrosuburbia (not an affliliate link… I just really love it!)
