Great minds think alike, but social media users with sustainability on their minds have a few tips, tricks and life hacks up their sleeves.
Just one quick scroll (which is actually two hours minimum) through the #Sustainability and #Ecofriendly trending hashtags on TikTok quickly turns into a cheat sheet for making everyday sustainability easier. Here are the best sustainability tips and tricks according to TikTok.
Don’t let your veggies go to waste!
This is how to make greens, carrots and potatoes last much longer: store greens with a napkin to absorb moisture, keep carrots in a jar of water and tuck potatoes into a cool dry place far away from onions.
What about veggie scraps? Turn them into a delicious veggie broth.
Apparently veggie scraps can also turn into an entirely new vegetable, specifically store-bought lettuce which can continue to grow at home, even after eating it.
Household swaps and hacks
A simple toothpaste swap for zero-waste chewable toothpaste tabs can reduce waste by a lot.
Another life hack: get a soap rack to make your soap bar last longer.
Technically, cold water is just as good for doing laundry as hot water and uses less energy.
Speaking of cold water, don’t let the tap run while waiting for the water to warm up. Collect the water and use it for other things like watering plants.
TikTok is full of great surprises, like natural loofah plants that work great for exfoliating or cleaning and are compostable!
A few other excellent alternatives are to use dryer balls instead of fabric softener, beeswax food wrap in lieu of plastic wrap, glass and metal straws, rags instead of paper towels, and dish-washing block instead of liquid dish soap/detergent.
TikTok users are also discovering that chia shaker tops fit perfectly onto mason jars, which makes bulk shopping and drinking iced coffees much easier.
Upcycle
Make your own terracotta pots out of glass vases with only baking powder and a cup of paint, rather than spending tons on expensive terracotta pots.
Mend clothes like jeans and jackets without any sewing with a simple iron-on patch.