It’s sustainability week! As a student, you can face many struggles when it comes to wanting to live more sustainably, which might even scare you off from trying it at all. In today’s blog, I will talk about 5 common struggles and give some tips on how to overcome them. Spoiler: living sustainably is not as hard as you think ;).

Struggle #1 There’s just so much you can do; where to start?

There are lots of ways in which you can contribute to the environment, and it seems like everyone is doing all these things at the same time, which can be overwhelming. It’s important to take it one step at a time. You don’t have to do everything. Focusing on implementing one to three new habits is the best way to a more sustainable lifestyle because it takes 66 days on average to build a new habit into your routine. For instance, you might want to focus on eating vegetarian/vegan once a week, buying second-hand, and reducing plastic waste by taking reusable bags with you to the supermarket, at first. Start small and really keep reminding yourself to do it and why you want to do it. Write these things down on your to do list every single day or set reminders on your phone.

Also, a tip I got from a friend, the easiest way to introduce sustainability into your life is by going for sustainable bathroom products. For example, instead of buying shampoo and conditioner in plastic bottles, go for shampoo and conditioner bars. You might also want to look into replacing your disposable razors and cotton make-up pads with reusable ones, or buying a menstrual cup instead of pads and tampons. It might be a little bit expensive to buy it all, but think of it as an investment. In the end, you save a lot of money and do something good for the planet!

Struggle #2 Living sustainably is quite expensive 

One of the main things students, and people in general, struggle with is how expensive living sustainably can be. However, there are ways to make it less expensive. For example, instead of thrifting your clothes at vintage stores, you can organise clothing swaps with friends! Call your friends, pick a date and have an evening full of fun. Afterwards, you’ll have some nice, new (and free) pieces of clothing to add to your wardrobe. Another tip is using apps like Too Good To Go or the AH app for boxes with leftover food. That way, you get food for a relatively cheap price and reduce food waste at the same time! It’s all about thinking creatively.

Struggle #3 Eating vegetarian/vegan can be hard

Especially when you’re not used to it, eating vegetarian or vegan can be hard. You might like the taste of meat a lot, or just don’t know what kind of meals to make. In order to get you going, I would suggest browsing the internet for some quick, easy, and tasty vegetarian/vegan meals. Once you have some you like, you can try to implement eating no meat or eating vegan once or twice a week, and eventually build on that. Obviously, if you don’t want to become completely vegetarian or vegan, that’s totally okay. Every little bit helps.

Struggle #4 You enjoy buying new things

Buying new things is not necessarily bad if you choose sustainable options. For example, instead of buying clothes from fast-fashion companies, shop at more sustainable brands that produce clothes from recycled materials. Or, if you like to buy new things just for the sake of it, buy a reusable water bottle, tote bags, shampoo bars etc. 

If you don’t want to part from your favourite (fast-fashion) brands, you can, for example, go to the store to see which items you’d like to buy and then go on apps, such as Marktplaats or Vinted, to see whether these items are available there. Often, they are, because people do not like their newly-bought clothes after all. That way, you can buy (relatively) new items for a lower price and it’s more sustainable! You can also do this with furniture, or items for your pets, for example.

Last but not least, go through your wardrobe regularly and only keep the things you definitely wear, and repair damaged clothes so they feel like new. If you’re hesitant about certain items, you can put them in a bag or box and, at a later moment, go through them again. That way you shop in your own closet ;).

Struggle #5 Living together with people who don’t (want to) live sustainably

It can be quite difficult, and sometimes even frustrating, to live with people who don’t (want to) live sustainably. In order to navigate this situation, try telling them that you do want to live sustainably and asking them if they want to keep this in mind. You could also ask them if they are willing to contribute to a sustainable lifestyle by, for instance, recycling correctly. Think to yourself: what are your boundaries, and are you willing to make exceptions in some scenarios? For example, I have a friend who prefers to eat vegetarian, but, sometimes, a housemate of hers cooks a dish with meat in it. She is fine with picking out the meat and still eating the dish, but someone else might not. Communication and self-reflection are key here!

So, hopefully, these tips have made you realise that living sustainably is not as difficult as it might seem. What are ways in which you make your life more sustainable? Let us know in the comments below.