Here I go again, another blog post with tips for living more slowly, intentionally, and sustainably. Only, I haven’t been so great at said “sustainability” in my own life lately.

In fact, my day to day life has felt rushed, messy, and shamefully, more full of waste than I’d like. We buy frozen pizzas for dinner sometimes, we order takeout and forget our own containers, use too much plastic and, the thing I’ve been most embarrassed to admit: ever since the coffee shop opened, we’ve been using disposable diapers.

Shock. Panic. Rioting in the streets.

I put my life on the internet, endorse ethical brands (like Glowbug Cloth Diapers — who I used with Aria religiously and exclusively until I just….couldn’t), and promote sustainability like it’s my job (because it is). But what about when I mess up? What about when life gets "too crazy” and I opt for convenience over conscience?

Does that ring a bell in your life too? Because I have a sneaking suspicion that I’m not the only one.

Yes, in the chaos that is opening a business (Hi, Simple Coffee Co.!) I gave up on cloth diapering for a bit. We don’t have a washer/dryer in the RV, and I had been hauling our laundry up to my parents at least twice a week to keep up with cloth diapering (read more about that routine here). But now, I just don’t have time. I have one day off from the cafe and those days, I’m focused on cleaning/meal prepping/doing other laundry and playing catch up from the days before.

Do I feel like a failure? Sort of. Do I let guilt override my desire to still live as low-waste as possible? Definitely not.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the pursuit of a slow, sustainable, low waste lifestyle in a culture that values the opposite it’s that grace needs to be at the forefront if it’s going to be truly “sustainable”. Rather, you have to build in realistic expectations for yourself OR YOU WILL GET OVERWHELMED AND GIVE UP.

Here are a few mental tips I’ve given myself over these past few months when, although sustainability is still incredibly important to me, life got BUSY and I didn’t have as much time to dedicate to it than I did in months past. Instead of letting guilt win the day — here’s what I’m focusing on:

Celebrate the good

For example: We used Glowbug Diapers almost exclusively for the first 6 months of Aria’s life. That in itself is a HUGE amount of disposables diverted.

For example: My business is centered around phasing out single-use disposables. We don’t use paper cups or plastic cups. Next up, paper towels.

For example: I’ve continued to avoid fast fashion and (mostly due to lack of time) have drastically reduced the amount of new/secondhand purchases I’ve made.

Find the “next best thing”

For example: can’t do cloth diapers right now? Opt for a biodegradable one and dispose of them correctly.

For example: ordering takeout for dinner? Ask for it to be placed in your own containers and forego the plastic bag.

For example: Can’t afford to shop from ethical brands? Look for affordable ones, or opt for second hand options like Poshmark and ThredUp.

Don’t throw in the (reusable) towel

When you can’t do everything, don’t stop doing anything. Remember that quote about how we need more people doing zero-waste living imperfectly than we need people doing it perfectly? It’s true.

Focus on what you CAN do instead of what you’re doing “wrong”

For example: We avoided plastic bags while grocery shopping the past few months. Yay!

For example: We started composting so our trash has reduced significantly. Win.

Make a plan to do better (slowly)

All good things, especially good habits, take time. Remember last year when I started #InspiringZeroWaste as a way to keep myself accountable? Well, I might not have finished the full year (oops), but I learned so many habits that have stuck with me and have made low-waste living that much more accessible to me. I plan to restart reusable diapers after the winter when, hopefully, our schedule will slow down a bit and (maybe) our living situation might change a bit.

Develop “quick habits”:

Leave your favorite coffee mug or a mason jar in your car or bag, even if it’s dirty. Baristas who value sustainability won’t mind giving it a quick rinse in the name of eco-friendliness
Do the same with your grocery bags. Once I unload my groceries, I leave my bags right in front of the door so I’m forced to pick them up and put them back in the car the next time I leave the house
If you don’t have curbside recycling, set aside a day each week to take your recycling in. It’s much more likely to get done if you plan in advance.
Meal plan. If you struggle with food waste, the simple act of buying just enough for each week will drastically cut down on what you throw out.
Freeze your veggie scraps. We make a “veggie stock” several times a month with veggies ends and stems. It’s delicious, full of nutrients, and easy to toss the used scraps in the compost afterwards
Wash your clothes less and air dry when possible
Tell your waiter that you don’t need a straw first thing when you’re seated
Keep a reusable water bottle with you at all times
Support local farmers when you can
Use what you have before buying something new
Do a trash audit so you know exactly what your “problem areas” are

Lowering our waste HAS to be less about guilt tripping ourselves into doing better and more about being excited to do better because we know our actions add up. Set good habits for yourselves in slower seasons so that when life gets crazy, you have them to fall back on.

Does this resonate? Let me know how you keep “fighting the good fight”, even in extra busy seasons.

*This unconventional post is part of a long-term partnership with Glow Bug Cloth Diapers. You can read my first posts here. Thank you for supporting the brands who genuinely make this world a better place.*

Jan 20 How to be Sustainable when You're Busy, or, Confessions of a Sometimes-Wasteful Sustainability Blogger