Happy Veganuary

How to participate in Veganuary, even if you're not going completely vegan.

Happy 2021! As most of us already know, January is the month that we create our resolutions for the new year. While our goal at Out of the Woods is typically the same (to reduce our carbon footprint and create stylishly sustainable and functional bags), we want to take another step forward to share with you on the vegan movement - more specifically, Veganuary.

Veganuary isn’t just about what you eat. It’s about reducing your carbon footprint, taking care of Mother Earth (AND yourself), as well as developing healthy habits that can make a difference and inspire others to do the same. If you’re looking to make shifts toward a more sustainable lifestyle, keep reading for some tips and tricks to get started.

1. Use Eco-Cleaning Products to Clean the House. Many mainstream cleaning products contain ingredients that are harmful to the environment. In fact, a lot of the chemicals used to clean our clothes, dishes, and house end up causing damage to our planet and its biodiversity. Chemicals found in detergents, preservatives, and foaming agents are some of the ones that cause the most harm to nature. Switch to products that contain sustainably grown ingredients that don’t hurt the ecosystem. Check out this list of eco-friendly products!
2. Use a Reusable, Eco-Friendly Water Bottle. Purchasing single consumption bottled water is an unhealthy practice that we’ve normalized - especially in warm weather. However, a lot of plastic water bottles end up in the ocean as many fail to recycle them properly. This results in pollution of our oceans and environment, as one plastic bottle will break down into 10,000 microplastic pieces over time - this microplastic pollution is incredibly challenging to clean up. A solution to this issue is to invest in a water bottle that’s not only reusable but also the right size for you, so you can take it with you wherever and whenever.
3. Use Recyclable Paper for Gifts. 2 billion trees go into the production of paper a year - whether it’s toilet paper, regular printing paper, or wrapping paper. Back in 2017, there were approximately 419 million metric tonnes of cardboard being produced in the world. Based on this data, we’re on a bad trajectory in terms of paper and cardboard pollution if production does not halt. So next time you go to wrap a gift or purchase a card, think of creative ways to reuse the paper you already have in your home! Here are 19 clever ways to reuse your holiday gift wrapping paper from this past holiday season. 
4. Stop Using Single-Use Plastic Straws. There are over 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic in the world, and the majority of it doesn’t enter the recycling process. Straws can take up to 200 years to decompose, hurting the lives of animals and the ecosystem. Consider investing in a metal or bamboo straw that is reusable. Not only is it healthier for the environment, but it's also a cost-effective solution. Next time you are out... try skipping the straw.  
5. Spend in Local Shops. Especially during these challenging times, local businesses are struggling to get by. Next time you are considering dining or shopping out, consider spending some of your money in locally-owned shops and restaurants to help communities overcome financial adversities (you’ll find some really cute stuff, too)!

Looking for even more ways to make a change? Click here.