Earth Day, Every day

Every straw you take, every (carbon) footprint you make, I'll be watching you.

What a weird way to start a post. Anyway, hello. Let's talk about the planet. Yes, the title of this post is correct, earth day should be every day. Every time you buy a coffee in a to-go cup, every time you pick up a plastic straw or buy a carrier bag, think to yourself, is this worth it? Do I actually, genuinely need this item or do I have a million reusable bags at home?

Nobody is perfect and it does get easy to get into the thought pattern of 'but I am only one person, what difference do I make?', but you do and your decisions add to the overall destruction of our planet. With new documentaries becoming popular on Netflix, like Black Fish (highly recommend), the idea of saving the planet has really come into the public consciousness. But let's talk about what you can do, on your own personal, small scale.

Now, today's post is sponsored by the lovely people at Neon Kactus . My biggest problem when it comes to my plastic consumption is buying coffee in to-go cups. It's so convenient, I can leave the coffee shop when I want, I (most the time) don't have to pay anything extra and it keeps my hot drink warmer a lot longer than normal, ceramic mugs. However, this is a habit I am trying really hard to break. It simply isn't good for the environment and that's where Neon Kactus comes in. This week I was able to try two of their lovely reusable cups, which I desperately needed, as I do drink so much coffee.  

 I am no novice to reusable cups, so here are some of the main problems I have with the ones I usually utilise.

• The coffee is too hot and therefore the cup is too hot.
• I throw the cup into my bag and the lid pops off causing the remaining coffee to spill in my bag.
• Over time (and because of overuse), the coffee cup loses it's colour and becomes drab.
• The useable cup is too big and I end up leaving it at home because it cannot fit in my bag.

So let's talk about Neon Kactus... 

First of all, the cup is glass, meaning it is easy to wash over and use again. Secondly, it comes with this handy band which is perfect when it comes to handling hot drinks. It means my coffee is completely insulated and I can't even feel it! And it's only mini, so there is no problem with fitting it in my bag when I am off to university. Overall, I love this product. I am a little scared as it is glass and I am known for being super clumsy but I will keep you updated!

Read articles, listen to the news, watch documentaries! Netflix is FULL of documentaries about the planet and how you can help. But if you are like me and documentaries are hard to watch (because they are a little too real and it's scary), then watch something like Planet Earth. There is no plan(et) b, so let's look after the one we have. 

Finally, don't fall into the fast fashion cycle. I will be doing a whole other post on fast fashion as I do feel it is one of the largest contributing factors to how much waste we produce. But fast fashion is where inexpensive clothing is produced quickly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends. When the trend is over and done with, most of the clothes are thrown away. Okay, so let me clarify that it is okay to buy from clothing chains like Topshop and H&M, however, please remember that charity or thrift shops are just as good. Buying pre-loved clothes is so much better for the environment and your wallet. Although, if you are going to keep buying from chains, remember to donate your clothes when you are done with them. Don't just bin them or let them die in the back of your wardrobe, give them away and let someone else love them. 

Thank you for reading this post. I hope you are taking steps to be more environmentally friendly and reducing your carbon footprint. 

Also, if you would like to purchase your very own Neon Kactus cup, click here.

*This post is sponsored but all opinions are my own.