A conscious use of resources – and of course also with fashion – is becoming more and more important. Do you, like many others, ask yourself: What can I do as an individual to support the environment on a daily basis? Here we show you simple measures and provide tips for more sustainability in everyday life, including examples.
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MORE SUSTAINABILITY IN THE KITCHEN AND HOUSEHOLD
Even small changes make a difference and contribute to more sustainability in everyday life. Here are some of the many examples of how you can protect the environment in your kitchen:
1. Only buy food that you really use
For example, make a weekly plan and get the right ingredients. Or go shopping as needed if there is a supermarket near you. In this way you avoid “bad purchases” which ultimately end up in the trash.
2. Do your own cooking instead of ordering or eating out
This means you know what’s in your food and you can keep an eye on the ecological balance. You can also use seasonal vegetables, products from the region or food in organic quality. In the meantime there are also more and more unpackaged shops where you can get everything without packaging.
3. Reduce your garbage
In many cases, for example, you can do without freezer bags, aluminum foil and cling film. For more sustainability in everyday life, it is better to store your food in food storage containers . There are now also reusable alternatives for kitchen rolls and sponges. Good coffee from the French press tastes just as good as from the capsule machine, is cheaper overall and creates a lot less waste.
SUSTAINABILITY IN FASHION: ALSO WORKS IN YOUR WARDROBE
As much as possible, always new if possible, as cheap as possible? No thanks! If you do without fast fashion, you are doing something good for the environment and can enjoy fashion even more. And after all, the numerous plastic bags in shops are already (almost) history. But of course there are other tips for sustainable clothing :
4. Look for seals of approval when buying clothes
Pesticides and chemicals can be used in the clothing manufacturing process. If you want to avoid that, you can look out for certain seals of approval. These include:
- GOTS – at least 70% in the product, strict environmental and social criteria
- Standard 100 by OEKO-TEX® – products checked on the basis of 100 health-related criteria
- Organic Content Standard – controlled organic cultivation of cotton, precise information about the proportion of organic cotton in the product
Tip: At Ulla Popken, sustainable fashion is marked with the “RICHTIG SO – WEITER SO” heart. Also take a look around the PURE collection. It meets at least the 100 standard by OEKO-TEX®, and a large part of this plus size fashion is GOTS-certified.
SHOP FASHION FROM PURE
5. Choose your clothes consciously
It always makes sense to have a selection of basic shirts, tops and sweaters in your wardrobe – also in different colors. They offer you an astonishing fashion variety because you can combine them differently every day: sometimes with a statement shirt, sometimes with a brightly colored bag, sometimes with eye-catching shoes. Rely on quality and sustainable materials such as organic cotton or recycled fabrics so that the clothing lasts for a long time.
6. Take care of your clothes
Sustainability in everyday life also means: cleaning consciously and in an environmentally friendly way. Here‘s how it’s done:
- Ventilate instead of washing: This rule has long been valid for jeans, but you can also use it for other items of clothing. This not only saves you water and detergent. Airing out is also less time consuming than washing laundry every day.
- Wash properly: You should wash your clothes according to the manufacturer’s instructions on the care label. Temperatures that are too hot and spin speeds that are too high, for example, can in the long run cause the garments to wear out more quickly. Also, make sure that the washing machine is full (but not too full) to improve the eco-balance of your clothes. A laundry bag can also prevent microplastics from clothing being released into the environment.
- Drying sensibly: Clothesline and clothes racks are more environmentally friendly than a dryer. Hang wet clothes instead of putting them in the machine. Many items of clothing hang out well on a coat hanger and do not crease as badly.
7. Give away old clothes or recycle them
Your plus size fashion is still in good condition, but you no longer wear it for various reasons? Then don’t let them hide out in the farthest corner of the closet. Bring them to the used clothes bin or donate them elsewhere. Those who like to do handicrafts can also act creatively for more sustainability in everyday life and sew bags out of old pants. Keyword: upcycling !
Incidentally, a tear does not mean that you have to dispose of and replace an item of clothing immediately. Perhaps you still remember the patches that were sewn onto our pants as a child to hide holes? Usually they can be ironed on very easily and the stubborn stain on the beloved denim blouse is history. Incidentally, such patches are not just a stopgap solution, they are currently even modern!
MORE TIPS FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Would you like to act more environmentally friendly? This is also possible in your free time:
8. Think about your digital footprint
Of course, nothing speaks against a cozy movie night or the latest episode of your favorite series. But be aware that it takes server farms to play videos. These consume electricity and have to be cooled. So feel free to pick up your book more often or reduce the video quality. After all, it doesn’t always have to be UHD.
9. Rethink your locomotion
A classic tip for more sustainability in everyday life that is easier to implement than you might think: less driving . For shorter distances, you can jump on a bike. So you simply cycle past the traffic jam and do something positive for your health. You can rent a car on rainy days, in winter or for longer journeys. This is called car sharing and is available in many cities. So you only use the car when you really need it.
CONCLUSION - LIVING MORE SUSTAINABLY IS NOT THAT DIFFICULT
Just try it! On the way to the goal of integrating more sustainability into everyday life, you don’t suddenly have to radically change your life. Start with small, simple things and increase as time goes on. For example, reduce your waste step by step, cook and consume more consciously. Rely on sustainable fashion in large sizes such as from the PURE collection and take care of your clothes so that they last as long as possible. With these and other measures, you will be able to integrate sustainability into your everyday life over the long term.
