In general, Americans don’t usually equate living sustainably (or living a healthy lifestyle) with saving money. Organic vegetables cost more than conventional produce, package-free toiletries are difficult to find in stores, and ordering cheap appliances with next-day delivery has become second-nature for many of us. Nevertheless, there are still countless reasons to strive for a sustainable lifestyle, and in some ways, doing so can actually help us save money and improve our health.
1. Eat more home-cooked meals
Most of us have heard the phrase, “reduce, reuse, recycle.” ‘Reduce’ your consumption, ‘reuse’ the products you have, and ‘recycle’ your waste. As simple as this message sounds, people might feel tempted to disregard it if they view living sustainably as a chore. Fortunately, living by these three words—in order—can help with more than just preventing waste; it can also be a key way to save money and make healthier eating choices.
When it comes to dining, choosing to prepare meals at home is an easy way to get all of these benefits. Even though finding a balanced meal at a restaurant is possible, as is buying a “value meal” for just a few dollars, these qualities often fail to overlap with one another, and healthy meals tend to be more expensive when dining out.
By preparing your morning coffee and/or packing a lunch from home, you can determine exactly which ingredients to include, save on the expense of eating out, and, of course, avoid paper and plastic waste. We’d also like to note that although recycling clean plastic takeout containers is preferable to tossing them in the dumpster, using fewer of these products altogether is ideal for reducing our impact on our planet.
2. Try out more plant-based foods
In order to reduce their environmental footprint, people all over the world are transitioning to plant-based foods, which tend to be much better for the planet. According to Professor Joseph Poore at the University of Oxford, switching to a vegan diet “is probably the single biggest way to reduce your impact on planet Earth” (1).
Even more people are making this same transition for the many health benefits that come with reduced meat and dairy consumption. Eating a plant-based diet is known to help with weight loss and reduce the risk of developing certain diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and various types of cancer (2).
Despite these benefits, some people still feel deterred from eating plant-based because they believe that it’ll break their wallet. Admittedly, veganism can rack up grocery costs when buying lots of expensive meat substitutes. However, centering your diet around whole foods such as tofu, beans, and legumes can be much cheaper (and healthier) than meat!
Purchasing these healthier food alternatives can also save you money down the line by reducing medical bills. As Dr. Mark Hyman puts it, “What you put at the end of your fork is more powerful medicine than anything you will find at the bottom of a pill bottle” (3).
3. Use cold water and/or skip the dryer on laundry day
Washing laundry in cold water and air-drying it are two easy ways to reduce utility bills, make clothes last longer, and reduce environmental impacts.
By using cold water, you can avoid spending additional money (and energy) on water heating, and of course, hang-drying clothing is free! These conditions are also less harsh on clothes, making them last longer.
Luckily, these conditions are ideal for caring for Adidas apparel: clothes come out of the laundry smelling fresh without the need for hot water, and they also air-dry impressively fast, so you can skip the dryer. If you haven’t already adopted these habits into your laundry routine, we definitely recommend trying them out!
4. Buy your sportswear from Stripe 3!
Finally, when purchasing new (non-food) items, the best way to shop economically and pro-environmentally is to buy products that will last a long time. Even if they seem pricier up front, investing in high-quality shoes and activewear can save money in the long run. For one, you will get years of use out of these products, and you won’t have to replace them as often.
Furthermore, choosing high-performance shoes can prevent injury. In the same way that eating healthy saves you from exorbitant medical bills, you can also avoid expensive trips to the doctor and physical therapy by wearing sneakers that provide solid support.
Of course, it’s important to make sure that the products you purchase are also made from materials that are as sustainable as possible. In our commitment to sustainability at Stripe 3, we are currently phasing out the use of virgin polyester, and opting for two ecologically innovative materials instead, Primeblue and Primegreen.
