Sustainable Luxury | Build your own sustainability starter kit

In an alternate universe in another life, I’ll own a specialty, specialty store that only sells earth tone zero-waste essentials. I’ll read your palm or your tea leaves and glean exactly what you need for your own personalized sustainability starter kit. Till I step through the appropriate Stargate in order to make that happen I’ll just continue to build my own, and share what I’ve learned.

I’ve scoured the internet and stared longingly at premade bundles of sustainable essentials, but they either cost more than I care to spend, don’t support my color story or they don’t have everything I want. As with all things, the key to building your own sustainability starter kit is purchasing with intention. Making conscious decisions based on the life you live, to exist more gently on Mother Earth.

I like to eat, and I eat ALOT so finding ways to cut down on waste while I’m eating my way around.

reusable snack bag | I recieved these stasher bags as a gift and they are officially the single most attention-grabbing item in my arsenal. People stop me all the time to ask about these bags because

reusable utensils | the “mouth feel” of bamboo is something it takes getting used to but it’s super handy to carry your own utensils in the city.

Silicone cup | I don’t drink coffee, I can’t drink coffee it goes right through me, however, the therapeutic act of making a cup of tea is one I can’t live without most days. During the winter in the city, I can stop into the nearest cafe and get my cup filled up for tea on the go. If I’m in a particularly festive mood I opt for hot chocolate.

Reusable straw | This is self-explanatory, but I’ve found a new use for them, and that’s when used as a deterrent. Whenever we go out to eat, establishments take one look at my toddler and usher out every manner of single-use

Plastic Free Sunglasses | I can write an odyssey on how committing to a color story has changed my life for the better. On occasion, though my commitment to all things natural and Tumeric tinged lead me to things I didn’t know I needed. Case in point these glasses that lack the disposable plastic frame of many others and fit like a dream.

I find that investing in one good pair of sunglasses makes it exponentially less likely that I’ll accumulate 3,000 pairs of inexpensive options. The reason I’ve added sunglasses to my own sustainability starter kit is that in NYC they come in hand year-round. They block the glare from the sky in the summer the glare from the snow in the winter and guard my skin against the blustery winds.

Reusable shopping bag | This is probably the easiest item to get your hands on, and it has a huge impact. I like the net ones because they have multiple applications and the size isn’t constrained as much. If you normally use it for produce or often place it on the floor I’d suggest buying a linen or hemp bag, as they are typically more sustainably produced and have longer life spans.

Cloth Napkin | The single most versatile piece in any sustainability starter kit, a cloth napkin uses knows no bounds. They serve to wipe tears and clean off toys but also to store fruit for. snacks or protect

Preowned designer bag | let’s be honest, I’m normally sans a bag running after a toddler. The point is you can house your starter kit anywhere you please, sustainability is about showing up with the tools to do better when you need them. So stuff your tools into any old thing, extra points if it’s secondhand.

Pouch | My wallet/key pouch may not be a part of your sustainability starter kit but it is because of where I choose to house mine. One of the most helpful ways to reduce the waste we create is to make a conscious effort to take better care of the things we already own. One of the best ways to do that is to put a bit more effort into caring for your cherished things. This pouch houses my keys which protects the delicate lambskin of my preloved handbags.

Metrocard | a Metrocard is the fare card associated with NYC’S Metropolitan Transit Authority or MTA. In a city of over eight and a half million people riding public transportation is one of the most effective ways to cut down on your carbon footprint. No sustainability starter kit would be complete without it

Phone Case | (not pictured) my 100% compostable phone case made out of Flaxstic®, which is comprised of compostable bioplastic elastomer and flax straw materials. With as often as we change phones and loose phones and break phones when you think of how much additional waste you’re adding to Mother Earth. These cases are durable and effective and come in pretty cute color combos.

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