Reducing waste, one office at a time
This year, The Ontarion staff have been trying to stay conscious of their environmental impact in different ways. In addition to a compost bin that we’ve added to the office, many of our staff members have made personal changes to stay sustainable.
Tiffany Agliani
I have been doing a better job at remembering to bring my reusable grocery bags with me when I shop and I try to buy products that have less packaging to begin with. Recently I have been trying to eat less meat, and when I do buy meat I try to buy ethically-sourced and hormone-free. In the future I want to move away from traditional feminine hygiene products and use something like a menstrual cup! Mirali said it was a game changer.
Mirali Almaula
I try to use reusable travel mugs and glasses whenever possible and reuse old containers to store leftovers or lunches. I use reusable bags for my grocery shopping and use any plastic grocery bags in the house for the garbage bins. My mom fixes clothing of mine that has torn slightly or lost a button (thanks, mom!). I have gotten a bunch of great clothes through friends, clothing swaps, and local thrift stores. I switched to using a menstrual cup this past year — game changer! And most recently I’ve been learning how to make my own bread at home to eliminate another plastic bag from the equation. Google “no-knead bread” — it was easier to bake than cookies and tastes better than a standard store bought loaf!
Karen K. Tran
I’ve been buying less new clothes, and when I do, I buy from thrift stores or from stores that use sustainable fabrics like tencel or recycled polyester. I also try to fix worn-out clothing by sewing them, or repurpose them as cleaning rags. I never go anywhere without bringing a reusable mug, cutlery, and straws, and try to keep some extra cutlery with me in case whoever’s with me could also use them.
Matteo Cimellaro
I’ve been trying to compost more and purchase products that use compostable packaging. It’s also a priority for me to bring reusable bags to shop. I also try to lull myself to sleep knowing conscious consumerism has limitations and it’s up to mandated policy from governments to make any sustainable and impactful change.
Patrick Sutherland
I save up all my plastic bags and Styrofoam and bring them back home where they are recycled by the city. My wife and I are able to keep four kilograms of film plastic (that is, bread bags, shopping bags, etc.) out of landfills every year by doing this. Where I would like to improve is purchasing products that contain less packaging to begin with while still being able to buy in bulk — I’m looking at you, Costco!
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Feature photo by Alora Griffiths/The Ontarion.