6 Green Things I Do That Keep Me Classy
Was I the only one that didn't get the memo that people aren't going green anymore? It just felt like something people just stopped talking about. I guess I've noticed myself changing the way I do things. While everyone around me sees going green as a sacrifice, I tend to look at it as living a bit classy. Here's what I do:
Order 'For Here'
Especially at coffee shops, including Starbucks. A lot of people forget they have the option of "for here" when they order their favorite latte. If you are like me and like to syphon ever bit of data from the free wifi, you're going to find yourself with your ass firmly planted on (hopefully) a comfy leather chair anyway. Why cheapen your experience by drinking out of a cardboard cup when you could be sipping off pearl-white porcelain? You save a cup from going into the landfill and just upcycled your afternoon photoshopping.
Carpooling
This one is near and dear to my heart. I drive an SUV, not by choice out of necessity. It made for a great college car, but now that I'm traveling in between contracts it's super annoying to fill up at a gas station at least once a week. Whenever I go out with friends on weekend I am more than happy to raise my hand to drive. Though my car may take a lot of gas, it can carry a lot of people comfortably. Keyword: comfortably. Also the gas money I receive in exchange out of courtesy is a nice plus. It's also makes for great conversation, cheaper parking and keeping up good relations.
Thrift Stores
This was my favorite thing to do in the Napa Valley while in college. I had to always stop into a thrift store. Upcycling is in and it has taken the hipster world by storm. It's a great place to find unique and well built items. Find some great kick-knacks for you work table, an old liquor ad, or possibly a good pair of jeans to wear while in a painting studio. It's all stuff that has lived a good life before it met you, so no shame in abusing the things you buy when you own them. To check out "A Declaration of Thrirft" click on the link. While in college I found a dress shirt that was 300 dollars retail price for about 40 bucks. It was about 40 inches too big around the waist but I wasn't about to let this item pass me by. You can always get things tailored right?
Get Stuff Tailored
Let's face it, after college our body changes, sometimes for the better or for the worse. Fortunately since I'm no longer pulling 22 units a quarter with a part time job I've cut down on stress eating significantly. I get attached to things pretty easily. (I have 175 T-shirts after all). The dress shirt I purchased was a bit too big round the middle to begin with. So I took it in for some tailoring, and 25 dollars later I had a 300 dollar shirt that fits me like a glove. That being said, please find a good local tailor. I use this guy.
I highly suggest tailoring for your other clothes if you want to look extra snazzy. I have a fine artsy side that commands a Kurt Cobain kind of aesthetic out of me, but I do have my moments where I want to look my best. Stuff will always look expensive when they fit you just right. Also, if you treat your clothes with tender love and care, you'll shop less.
Learn To Cook
I can't stress this enough. Guys, learn how to cook. I don't know how many takeout boxes I've thrown away just because I decided to be lazy for a week. Ultimately you're going to decrease on the amount of landfill waste, increase your chances of consuming healthier foods and what's classier than cooking your date a fancy dinner? Start off easy with learning how to boil an egg. You'll be serving surf and turf before you know it. For easy recipes I usually check out Everyday Food.
Design/Create Your Own Stuff from Your Own Stuff
You see those people on Etsy with cool stuff? Well guess what. Like you they have two hands. One of the benefits of being a designer is that my birthday invitations are free but look like really, really nice. Like me, you have junk that is laying around doing absolutely nothing but collecting dust. Update it. Throw some glitter on it. Something! You have both a left and right sides of your brain. Time to flex your creative muscles and do something with what you have. Don't care if it looks like crap. Hang it on a white wall and make it an accent piece in your room. Trust me, I've seen this work.