5 Environmental Mistakes You Should Be on the Lookout For

You’re a nature lover. You want to do what’s right by the planet.

But have you ever gotten so lost in the plethora of information that you just had no idea where to start? Maybe you’ve heard a few things you can do like carpooling, saving water and electricity, getting a hybrid car, going thrifting instead of adding to the cycle of fast fashion. But those are the obvious ones. There are little mistakes people are making every day that harm the environment. Are you making them as well?

Here are five simple mistakes you’re making that affect the environment without even knowing it.

IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF INK AND TONER CARTRIDGES

Can you throw away ink cartridges? No, you can’t. Many people do. Improper disposal of ink and toner cartridges contributes to climate change and destroys environments. These two fall under the category of “E-waste”, which contributes to nearly 70% of toxic waste overall. When they end up in landfills, the ink poisons the soil and the other chemicals within the cartridges accumulate within animals that may accidentally eat them. When they’re incinerated, they release dioxins into the air, which are carcinogenic. That means they’re linked to producing cancer. The plastic also takes at least 1,000 years to break down.

The key here is proper disposal, which means recycling. Recycling the cartridges back to manufacturers reduces the amount of materials they need to produce new cartridges. Usually they’re able to reuse 97% of a cartridge to make a new one. When you don’t do this, new materials are needed. That adds onto the astronomical amount of aluminum, plastic, and oil needed to make them from scratch – which ends up costing 80% more energy than if they were able to recycle already-used ones.

SHOPPING ONLINE

Online shopping is convenient and allows us access to items we may not otherwise have time to pick up, or be able to find in our local stores. But due to our usual habits around online shopping, we add to greenhouse gas emissions.

Many factors go into this one. Often, when we go shopping in person, we contribute lower emissions per item, because we tend to stock up on things all in one trip. When we order online, we may order in short bursts that come in separate packages from different facilities. This frequent purchasing causes more fuel to be used by delivery trucks and produces more plastic packaging waste.

The plastic your orders arrive in is the same material as the plastic grocery bags many states have banned from stores. This plastic usually ends up in oceans or landfills, where they only break into smaller pieces, eventually getting consumed by wildlife. Microplastic is found in 100% of baby sea turtles and has been found in tap water and sea salt.

The problem here is that these bags, called “polybags”, are technically recyclable, but there aren’t any companies that are willing to buy and recycle them because they are so cheap. So they end up getting trashed. Many brands have been trying to find another solution to these bags, because they are so useful in keeping online orders protected during the shipping process. Find brands that have biodegradable alternatives, will go out and remove plastic waste from oceans with each purchase, or recycle their own polybags into things like furniture.

DRINKING DIRECT-SUN-GROWN COFFEE

No doubt you’ve heard of the impacts our disposable coffee cups have on the planet, but coffee itself, depending on how it’s grown, can have a huge negative impact as well. Don’t panic here – we’re not going to tell you to give up your morning coffee! But certain coffees have an important environmental impact that you should be aware of so you can make an informed switch to a more sustainable alternative.

Coffee was produced in shaded plantations for hundreds of years before people figured out that growing them in direct sunlight leads to a bigger yield. So what did they do? They chopped the trees down. This takes away the natural protection for coffee plants, birds, and monkeys.

Now coffee tends to be grown the same way as monoculture crops, like corn. Monocropping is when a single crop is grown in the same soil year after year. When grown like this, the soil becomes depleted of specific nutrients the plant needs. So more chemicals like fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides are needed to grow the plants and keep them safe.

The big culprit is Robusta coffee, the type of coffee typically found in cans in grocery stores or in instant coffee mixes. Arabica coffee tends to be grown in the shade, but more often you’ll find it grown in direct sun or in partial-shade.

So what can we do? Opt for brands of coffee that are shade-grown and sustainable. Look for coffee that has been certified by Rainforest Alliance or Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.

CONSUMING PALM OIL

Palm oil is one of the most efficient vegetable oils, because of how much it can produce in a single area. It is used in practically everything: ice cream, lipstick, cookies, shampoo, detergent...you name it.

The impact of palm oil is so detrimental because it has led to the clearing of rainforests. Rainforests are huge storers of carbon dioxide. Destroying them releases it into the air, which promotes global warming. The orangutan, Borneo elephant, and Sumatran tiger are being pushed to extinction from the deforestation in connection with palm oil.

But that doesn’t mean you have to get rid of all products that have palm oil. The World Wildlife Fund created the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil in 2004. Find products that are certified sustainable by the RSPO.

BUYING MAKEUP

Makeup, just like with online shopping, comes with a lot of packaging. In fact, around 120 billion units of packaging are produced by the cosmetics industry each year. Most of it isn’t recyclable. However, more brands everyday are tackling their packaging problem. Some are getting rid of non-recyclable packaging all together. Check to see if your favorite brand offers a recycling program. Some will offer free makeup as a reward for turning in your old bottles or containers of makeup.

The other problem with makeup is environmental damage that is caused in the production of certain ingredients. Many ingredients are linked to air pollution, deforestation, plastic waste, and child labor.

Mica is a prime example. It’s an ingredient used in many products to add shimmer. A good chunk of the world’s production of it is produced in illegal mines using child labor. Mica, as well as vanilla and cocoa, are all connected to illegal deforestation. Cocoa especially has been linked to nearly 70% of West Africa’s illegal deforestation.

Research your favorite products and make sure that they don’t leave environmental devastation in their wake before they make it into your bag. Reach out to brands and ask what their policies are, encourage them to put ethics and the environment first. Some eco-friendly, ethical makeup brands to check out are: Antonym, Elate, and Aether Beauty.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION STARTS WITH YOU

There are many things that affect the environment that have become so normal in our lives that we don’t even realize it. Becoming more aware of what you’re consuming and how you’re consuming is the first step to learning what can be adjusted.

We can help you take the first step to being a conscious consumer. Book your hotel to make a positive local community impact in the destinations you visit when planning your next trip. Many of our hotels have sustainability in mind with eco-friendly products, recycling programs, tree-planting programs, and energy efficient facilities.

Contributing to a greener, healthier world doesn’t have to be difficult. Let us help you get started on your journey to a lifestyle you can be proud of.

Author Bio: Sarah Jones is a marketing strategist for conservation organizations and eco-friendly businesses. She's a defender of wildlife, tabby cat mom, and a very optimistic New York Islanders fan.