You have probably already heard the saying: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Start or continue your journey of sustainable living by keeping these steps in mind.
It may seem quite self-explanatory, but the best way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place. Cut back on the amount of trash you generate by being mindful of what you consume. Do you really need another shirt in your closet? Are you really hungry enough for all that food or are you biting off more than you can chew?
Is “out with the old and in with the new” really necessary? Reusing your belongings is an important step to living a more sustainable life. An easy way of changing your habits is to start with your closet. You can donate the clothes you don’t need in bins all around the city. Find the one nearest your house here. Try shopping at second-hand stores – Madrid is full of them. Stroll around Malasaña and discover a range of cheap to curated thrift stores to personalize your wardrobe in a unique way. Too lazy to get out of bed? No problem! There are infinite choices online on Vinted.
Another easy way to reduce your consumption is to find a new use for an old item. Give your clothes a new life by upcycling them. Here are some easy ways to do so:
· Dye your clothes to hide stains or wear them more.
· Patch your jeans to hide holes in a fashionable way or simply to accessorize.
· Fed up with your jeans? Cut them into shorts! Shirt is too long? Crop it!
· Don’t wear a shirt anymore? Turn it into a scarf, a bandeau or even a dishcloth.
If you are still using plastic water bottles, switch to our reusable ESCP thermos currently sold on campus. As highlighted in our thermos article, one reusable bottle can save 160 single-use plastic bottles per year! On top of that, all profits will go to a local reforestation program in Madrid.
Make recycling a habit in your day-to-day life. Help the planet by allowing used materials to be repurposed. Here is a quick and easy guide on how to recycle your food waste, on campus and at home.
On campus, three coloured bins are at your disposal. As you finish your lunch break, keep in mind where to throw your leftover trash.
At home, the process is the same – Spain has a well-developed system of recycling. The city of Madrid divides bins into gray for mixed trash and brown for organic waste, as well as yellow and blue (like on campus). If in doubt about what you can throw in the brown bin, here is an easy guide.
Enjoyed a nice cerveza after class? Don’t forget to put all your glass containers in the green bin.
It doesn’t take much to implement these habits into your day-to-day life. Act now and thank yourself later!
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