I made these simple sustainable tweaks to my family’s lifestyle—and we’re happier for it

As moms, we have a lofty goal to serve as an example for our children—and then we cross our fingers that our guidance has lasting ripple effects that form their habits for years to come. In reality, establishing better habits for you, your family and the planet can often take a back seat while you’re dashing between doctor visits, meal planning and chauffeur logistics. 

As a mom of three and the CEO of a mission-minded brand, I’m here to remind you that it’s OK when not every goal is being met—perfection can be boring and most often unattainable, so I’m here to tell you to give yourself some grace. 

At Stasher, we’ve created a company ethos built on the belief that we create more impact when we all make small but thoughtful meaningful choices, every single day, that better our planet and our surroundings. As a proudly imperfect mom and the leader of the brand that provides a simple, reusable alternative to plastic bags, here are some simple habits that I’ve incorporated into my daily routine that may help you be more intentional in your choices as well. 

5 sustainable habits to try

1. Shop with intention

There are so many amazing brands out there making sustainability more accessible. I love wearing my Victoria sneakers, a brand which has permanently eliminated the little single use plastic they used. Other brands I support include Grove Collective and Thrive Market, Misfits Market, ThreadUp and Bite. 

And, the way we shop matters too. Bulk buying is a surprisingly simple way to cut down on plastic, and save money. Even buying just one food item from the bulk bins can make a huge difference in reducing the amount of packaging waste that is discarded—especially when we’re all collectively doing it. Easy bulk food items include rice, coffee beans, nuts or other dried goods. Our Stand-Up Mid and Half Gallon Stasher bags have been perfect for helping me to integrate this habit into my lifestyle. I’ll always keep one or two stashed in my reusable shopping bags that stay in my trunk so they’re always on hand when hitting the store.  

2. Prep your snacks

Keeping tasty snacks on hand while out and about is a great way to not only cut down on single-use waste, but eliminates the need to stop for fast food. Some of my favorite easy go-tos include chopped up fruits and veggies, or homemade granola bars or trail mix. I throw them in a Stasher Snack bag, and feel better knowing that I’m not throwing another piece of single-use packaging into the trash. 

As humans, we produce 300 million tons of plastic each year worldwide, half of which is for single-use items. That’s nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population! And the truth is, we’re not really sure how long it really takes for plastic to degrade, but in the meantime our oceans and waterways are filling up with plastic trash that makes its way into our food and ecosystem, with an estimated 5.25 trillion pieces of trash floating in the ocean. That’s clearly an excessive cost for the convenience of single-use habits. 

3. Reduce your travel impact 

I have three children, with two still at home who participate in competitive rowing. I know a lot of moms can relate to the packed schedules and miles that you log just transferring kids to and from sports and school etc.! I purchased a used hybrid-electric vehicle a while back to try and be more mindful of my own carbon emissions. But if switching to an electric or hybrid vehicle isn’t an option right now, there are still plenty of ways to cut down your emissions—from carpooling to all those school and sporting events to consolidating weekend errands into one trip, or using alternate modes of transportation (buses, bikes, etc.). 

4. Apply a reusable mindset 

Even when I wasn’t the CEO of Stasher, I’ve always tried to apply a less-waste mindset to the choices I make. From reusable cups and straws to wool dryer balls and DIY cleaning products and (of course) our Stasher bags and bowls—avoiding single-use items is now easier than ever. I will be the first to admit that I’m not perfect and have shown up to a coffee shop without my refillable cup or, occasionally, forgotten my reusable grocery bags (when I do, I ask for paper bags and then donate them to the local food bank). At Stasher we encourage progress over perfection, and as busy moms, that’s another great lesson for our kids. Just thinking with a reusable mindset is a sure way to make sustainable habits stick. 

5. Listen and stay curious

I’m an avid reader and love to keep up with news and trends, and then talk about them with my team, my friends and my family. I’m convinced that curiosity leads to innovation, and I always push our team at Stasher to think of what else we can be doing to protect our planet and grow our movement and to listen to the people who use our bags the most for great ideas. A healthy dose of curiosity and dialogue within our own networks and friends keeps us open-minded and always learning. And what better example to leave our kids—that by listening to and encouraging each other, we can champion small changes with big impact. Because you know as well as I do, moms can do anything! 

Find some Stasher faves which are on sale for 25% off during Earth Month!

Stasher

Starter Kit

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$70.49

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Stasher

Snack Bag

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$7.49

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Stasher

Sandwich Bag

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$9.74

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