As we head back to work, uni or the kids back to school, we're looking at ways we can do so with less impact on our precious planet. In particular, we're looking at adopting more simple, gentle ways, like those that produce less waste, are less harmful to animals and expose us to fewer toxins. So read on as we share 30 simple ways you can reduce your impact at work, uni and school. Perhaps you could try to commit to a new item on this list every week or month! 
1. Plan a daily and weekly routine and develop low waste, eco friendly habits. 2. Carry enough food to keep you sustained throughout the day and avoid buying processed foods. 3. Go meat and/or dairy free one day a week. Three are some great, easy ideas in this cook book. 4. Take all used up pens and markers to your nearest Biome store to recycle via TerraCycle. You can learn more about our recycling program here. 5. Open the curtains and windows and study with natural light and fresh air. 6. Use a reusable cup for your takeaway coffee. Choose from glass, ceramic, insulated stainless steel and BPA free plastic reusable coffee cups here. 
7. Take your lunch to work or uni instead of buying takeaway. You will save money, use up leftovers, and will probably be consuming healthier food too. 8. Quit plastic cling wrap. Swap to reusable wax wraps, reusable ziplock bags, sandwich pouches or containers. 
9. Take food scraps home to compost them. Once at home, add them to the compost heap or to your bokashi compost system. 10. Keep a reusable bag with you for unplanned purchases. A small, lightweight bag that can be rolled up and stored inside your bag or backpack is a convenient option. 11. Purify and alkalise water without waste using a ceramic water purifier. This is a great option for office lunch rooms. 12. Buy one lunch box for life. A high quality stainless steel lunch box will stand the test of time. 
13. Soothe those 3pm chocolate cravings with ethical chocolate. Raw, vegan, organic, locally made 14. Put together a plastic free lunch box. It is possible. See some ideas in this blog post. 15. Keep a reusable tumbler or jar on hand for a takeaway juice, smoothie, bubble tea or iced latte. 16. Keep food cool or warm with an insulated container. Cool foods like fresh salads, Buddha bowls, fruits, yoghurt will stay cool for up to 6 hours in an insulated food jar. Warm foods like soup, pasta and curry will stay warm until lunch time too. 
17. Use a plastic free, blue goo free ice pack to keep lunch cool. Our Onyx 304 grade stainless steel ice pack is our top pick. 
18. Enjoy a takeaway/tuckshop free month. You will save money, save waste and eat better. 19. Use notebooks made from 100% post-consumer waste paper. We love the Notely range that is designed and made in Brisbane, Australia. 20. Opt for a refillable pen. 21. Carry a pencil case made from upcycled fabric waste. Our Beekeeper Parade range include a range of sizes and designs. 
22. Reuse supplies you have before buying new. How many random pens do you have hidden around the place!? 23. Fill and refill a reusable water bottle. An insulated water bottle will keep your drink cooler or warmer for longer too. 
24. Take the train, bus or carpool. 25. Use a palm oil free sunscreen to protect skin from the sun. Find out more about the problem with palm oil and what the Biome community is doing about it here. 26. Bring your own cutlery and napkin. A bamboo spork is a lightweight, school friendly option, while a stainless steel cutlery set will last a lifetime. See our range here, or bring some cutlery from home. 27. Encourage more eco friendly practices at your workplace, uni or kids' school. You could set up a recycling station, run an eco friendly fundraiser, or start a nude food day (includes waste free, package free lunches). 28. Avoid products containing PVC. PVC is a hard plastic that is made from vinyl chloride, exposure to which may cause cancer and reproductive problems. It is made more flexible and softer with the addition of phthalates, and can contain traces of BPA. Many cheap lunch boxes, containers, insulated lunch bags, pencil cases, school bags and toys are using PVC. Biome's range of products is complete free of PVC. 
29. Pack lunch without anything that can be thrown away (packets, cling wrap, foil, paper). A bento style lunch box, small containers and reusable sandwich wraps and pouches will enable you to do this. 30. Wash office uniforms and school uniforms less if possible and using sustainable, waste free soapberries. Soapberries are hypoallergenic, grey water safe, organic and toxin free. They are great for washing lightly soiled clothing. We recommend using a stronger natural detergent for heavy soiling though.
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