Conscious Living
This month I am focussing on how I can live more consciously. Living consciously means actively evaluating our decisions and options, and thus creating a life that we want. I would like to be more conscious of how my decisions affect others. I believe that making small changes every day can have a bigger impact.
So to start with, I am looking at what I consume. Everyone knows that I love chai Friday. If I'm honest when I asked my hubby to buy me a KeepCup for Christmas it was because I liked the cute cup, I wasn't actually considering the environment at all. In my research for this post I've found out that because of the polyethylene plastic lining in paper cups, they can't be recycled in New Zealand. Which means that for someone having 5 coffees a week, 14kg of waste will end up in landfill each year!
March Resolution #1 - Carry my KeepCup with me every day!
More reading - WASTE – What should we do with our disposable coffee cups?
Next up is plastic. I think I'm pretty good with this when I'm out and about. I have a reusable water bottle at work which I fill up from the filter tap and I carry a small S'well bottle in my bag. But I don't enjoy drinking water from the tap at home and we buy 500ml plastic bottles from the supermarket. We also use reusable shopping bags, but I'm prone to forget them at home and end up using the free plastic bags. I've recently seen so many photos of turtles strangled in plastic or beaches covered in it that I'm determined to make a change.
March Resolution #2 - Fit a filter tap at home and keep reusable bags in the car boot.
More reading - Plastic Free New Zealand and The Humble Plastic Bag
The last time I booked flights I noticed that there was an option to donate a small amount of money to offset the carbon footprint. As I often do with the 'extras' when booking I completely ignored it! A carbon offset is a way to compensate for your emissions by funding an equivalent carbon dioxide saving elsewhere. So the small amount I could have donated would have gone a long way to reforestation or a community project. To redeem myself I've been spending less time in the shower, and only filling the kettle with the amount of water I need, but next time I book a flight I'll be sure to carbon offset!
March Resolution #3 - Carbon reduction
More reading - Carbon Footprint
I was really surprised when I scored dismally on the Healthy Eating Quiz put together by the University of Newcastle in Australia. I've always maintained that I eat healthily but it seems that I don't have enough variety in my diet!! I love meat way too much to take on a fully plant based diet but I have been trying to vary the fruit and vegetables I eat (instead of the daily banana). Pinterest is a great resource for recipes and you can check out my healthy eating board to see what I've been trying. Please share your favourite recipes with me too by commenting below or email me at relaxandroam@gmail.com.
March Resolution #4 - Eat a more varied diet
More reading - Food variety and a healthy diet
My final resolution for conscious living this month is meditation. I've previously posted about meditation and I've been a bit slack lately so want to get back into a daily practise.
March Resolution #5 - Meditate daily
More reading - What's on your mind? and meditation vs mindfulness
What great ideas do you have to live more consciously?
So to start with, I am looking at what I consume. Everyone knows that I love chai Friday. If I'm honest when I asked my hubby to buy me a KeepCup for Christmas it was because I liked the cute cup, I wasn't actually considering the environment at all. In my research for this post I've found out that because of the polyethylene plastic lining in paper cups, they can't be recycled in New Zealand. Which means that for someone having 5 coffees a week, 14kg of waste will end up in landfill each year!
March Resolution #1 - Carry my KeepCup with me every day!
More reading - WASTE – What should we do with our disposable coffee cups?
 |
| My KeepCup |
Next up is plastic. I think I'm pretty good with this when I'm out and about. I have a reusable water bottle at work which I fill up from the filter tap and I carry a small S'well bottle in my bag. But I don't enjoy drinking water from the tap at home and we buy 500ml plastic bottles from the supermarket. We also use reusable shopping bags, but I'm prone to forget them at home and end up using the free plastic bags. I've recently seen so many photos of turtles strangled in plastic or beaches covered in it that I'm determined to make a change.
March Resolution #2 - Fit a filter tap at home and keep reusable bags in the car boot.
More reading - Plastic Free New Zealand and The Humble Plastic Bag
 |
| Plastic harms ocean life |
The last time I booked flights I noticed that there was an option to donate a small amount of money to offset the carbon footprint. As I often do with the 'extras' when booking I completely ignored it! A carbon offset is a way to compensate for your emissions by funding an equivalent carbon dioxide saving elsewhere. So the small amount I could have donated would have gone a long way to reforestation or a community project. To redeem myself I've been spending less time in the shower, and only filling the kettle with the amount of water I need, but next time I book a flight I'll be sure to carbon offset!
March Resolution #3 - Carbon reduction
More reading - Carbon Footprint
 |
| Photo credit: Pixabay |
I was really surprised when I scored dismally on the Healthy Eating Quiz put together by the University of Newcastle in Australia. I've always maintained that I eat healthily but it seems that I don't have enough variety in my diet!! I love meat way too much to take on a fully plant based diet but I have been trying to vary the fruit and vegetables I eat (instead of the daily banana). Pinterest is a great resource for recipes and you can check out my healthy eating board to see what I've been trying. Please share your favourite recipes with me too by commenting below or email me at relaxandroam@gmail.com.
March Resolution #4 - Eat a more varied diet
More reading - Food variety and a healthy diet
 |
| Variety is the spice of life! |
My final resolution for conscious living this month is meditation. I've previously posted about meditation and I've been a bit slack lately so want to get back into a daily practise.
March Resolution #5 - Meditate daily
More reading - What's on your mind? and meditation vs mindfulness
What great ideas do you have to live more consciously?
Comments
Keep up the good work :)