Here at Les Filles Mal Gardées we take our resolutions seriously. That’s why we’re posting about this in February, obviously. All sarcasm aside, we were actually on some cool New Year’s trips that got in the way of our posts (follow-ups to come!), but we actually have been hard at work trying to be better people in 2018.
The top resolution on our list is to be waste-free by 2019. If we can finish the transition sooner- great!- but this is a major lifestyle change and we want to make sure that we are doing it responsibly and thoughtfully, so that this becomes a way of life that we follow through with until the end of our day. Morbid, I know. At this point, the author is going to transition awkwardly from speaking in the first person plural to represent the collective group goal to first person singular to represent my own journey on this collective goal. (Just want to make sure you guys are all with me, consider yourselves warned).
I personally was super stoked to get the show on the road, throw out all my yucky plastic bottles, and buy all new reusable, ecologically responsible gear from Amazon, but that would have been antithetical to my end goal. That means that for the first month and change of the new year, my lifestyle didn’t change that much. I still brought my reusable bags to the grocery store, I used my KeepCup and HydroFlask at work, and I still finished the products I had already bought. The last bit was the hardest, thought, because I was now hyper aware of how harmful my choice of shampoo and conditioner and penchant to buy 10 palettes of eyeshadow every year that I’ll never finish was. All I wanted to do was throw it all away and start from scratch, but once again, that would have completely negated all of my efforts. This change in thinking and buying has taken patience, and that patience is now beginning to pay off.
I just finished my shampoo and conditioner. I’ve been using Aussie- my hair loves it, but it’s packaged in plastic, which isn’t the most sustainable option. Today, I finally got to purchase a bar of shampoo. It’s packaged in post-consumer paper and is made entirely of natural oils. I can’t wait to use it and I can’t wait to share my results with all of you!
Goals can take time, and sometimes the most attractive option isn’t the most sustainable option (pun intended) for making it to the finish line. The most important thing is that your resolutions continue to have life beyond January 2nd or 3rd or 23rd. You have to continue making conscious decisions throughout the year. If you’re game, we’d love to have you explore this zero-waste journey with us. It’s certainly an excellent example of the more the merrier. Let’s all think critically about how we consume and provide the moral support we need to create meaningful change in our lives. Cheers to living well by yourself and others.
Les Filles Mal Gardées 