How To Make Sure Your Morning Routine Is Good For The Planet

Having a strong morning routine in place can be a real game-changer. 

For example, it can help ensure that you start every day on the right foot by taking active steps toward protecting or promoting your well-being. On the days when you’re heading into work, your morning routine can ensure that you feel as lively as possible when you sit at your desk. 

However, it is becoming increasingly crucial that our daily routines and rituals do not have a negative impact on the planet. Otherwise, we are simply failing to do our part for the planet.

With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can follow to make sure that your morning routine is good for the planet. 

Keep your showers short. There are many reasons why we should all be on the lookout for ways to reduce our water usage. For example, it can help to preserve energy and protect the planet while also lowering your energy bills and water usage. For this reason, you should try to keep your morning and evening routine as short as possible.

If you find it hard to keep your showers short, try setting a timer or alarm on your phone. If you listen to music, queue songs of a similar length.

Check the bottle on your skincare and make-up products. One of the easiest ways in which you can make sure that your morning routine is as green as possible is by purchasing sustainable skincare and beauty products. This means that you should avoid using products with overly harsh, dangerous chemicals, such as octinoxate, siloxanes and more, and even better if they are in glass bottles which are infinitely recyclable.

Try changing your plastic toothbrush to a biodegradble bamboo toothbrush and toothpaste pellets are a great idea too.

Generally speaking, these products are also better for your skin. This means that they could bring you one step closer to achieving the healthy, glowing skin of your dreams. While eco-friendly skincare may be a little more expensive, be mindful of the fact that this is one of the easiest ways in which you can set about doing your bit in protecting the planet. 

On a similar note, you should also be sure to buy eco-friendly deodorant, avoiding aerosols or products containing plastics. There’s plenty of plastic-free deodorant that really works when the heat is on. 

Ditch the takeout coffee. Not only could picking up a take-out cup of coffee on your way to work each morning be setting you back hundreds of dollars each year, but it could also mean that you’re contributing to a great deal of waste. For example, a recent UK gov study found that 2.5 million takeout coffee cups are thrown away each year, many ending up in landfill sites wherein they will take years to decompose.

Fortunately, this does not mean that you have to forgo your morning caffeine boost. For example, you could instead invest in a high-end coffee machine so that you can make barista-quality coffee in the comfort of your own home. 

On the occasions when you choose to visit a coffee store, try to bring your own cup. This can again help you to save a bit of money, as many chains offer discounts to customers helping them to reduce waste in this way.

Take out the recycling. If you have some time free in the morning, try to dedicate this to taking out your recycling or ensuring that all of your waste is properly sorted and disposed of. This, again, will help you to take the right direction in terms of sustainability, especially as it encourages you to be as diligent as possible. This is particularly important when you consider the fact that “83% of UK households are unintentionally contaminating their recycling bins” by adding the wrong items to the bin. 

On a similar note, you should be sure to teach your children the importance of properly disposing of recyclables. This way, you can ensure that your whole family is on top of their game when it comes to sustainability, setting a positive example for them to follow moving forward.

Shop with sustainability in mind. Whether you prefer to start your day with a fresh bowl of fruit and some granola, porridge or a full English, you should try to be as sustainable as possible when grocery shopping. Fortunately, there are many ways in which you can achieve this goal, such as by: 

• Bringing your own reusable string bags as opposed to using the plastic bags provided 
• Avoid buying products with single-use packaging 
• Buying in-season products and goods
• Supporting smaller, local businesses over supermarkets 
• Using platforms such as TooGoodToGo to buy products that would otherwise get thrown away (often for a discounted price) 

You could also try your hand at growing your own fruit and veg, which is a great way to lower your carbon footprint and reduce your dependency on chain stores and businesses. While it may take up a considerable amount of your time and energy, it will also be a great way to save money in the long run.

Final Thoughts. In short, there are many steps that you can take to make sure that your morning routine and ritual will not have a negative impact on the world around you while still ensuring that your needs are met. This includes: 

• Keeping your showers short (less than 10 mins if possible) 
• Purchasing sustainable skincare, make-up and wellness products
• Ditching the takeout coffee and making your own at home
• Taking out the recycling each morning 
• Shopping with sustainability in mind, such as by shopping locally or buying products that are in-season

Remember, you do not necessarily need to transform your entire routine overnight. A small step in the right direction is better than staying where you are right now, and changes are more likely to stick if you introduce them gradually as opposed to all at once. 

This is a collaborative post.