Earth Day 2025: G&A Team Tips for Sustainable Living Every Day

April 22 is Earth Day, the 55th annual celebration of people around the world taking action to protect the environment of our precious planet.  At G&A Institute, we take environmental protection seriously, not just on Earth Day but every day. We look for ways to incorporate sustainability into our daily lives by using sustainable products and being conscious of how the waste and emissions from our activities can be reduced or eliminated.  To mark Earth Day 2025, here are a few of the ways our team takes action:

Composting: Charlotte cuts down on overall household waste and helps to reduce methane emissions from landfills by recycling food scraps. “So many benefits! Turns waste into something useful.” https://drawdown.org/solutions/composting

Bulk liquid soaps: Kirstie brings glass bottles to her local market and refills them with hand soap and detergent from bulk supplies. “It keeps me from buying new plastic containers and I much prefer the look of the glass bottles that I use.”

Cloth wipes: Faye uses cotton-flannel wipes instead of paper towels, replacing not just the paper towels but also the plastic wrapping, which is generally unrecyclable. “The flannel wipes can be washed and reused hundreds of times.” 

Metal straws: Serina uses metal straws for her iced coffee and bubble tea drinks. “They’re so  easy to wash and reuse!”

Shower bucket: Christina keeps a three-gallon bucket in the shower to collect water that runs while the water is heating up, then uses this to water plants. “I get warm showers, my plants stay healthy, I’m not wasting water, and I save money on my water bill – so many reasons to do this!”

Native plants: Josh enjoys planting native plants, which serve as low-maintenance landscape. “They serve as resilient infrastructure and contribute to cleaner air and cooler temperatures.” https://www.fnps.org/plants

Reusable storage bags: Annie uses Stasher reusable silicone storage bags for meal prep, food storage, dog treats, and many other uses. “I love that you can throw them in the dishwasher, so they are easy to clean and they hold up.” https://www.stasherbag.com/

Windex Dissolve: Amy uses Windex Dissolve Concentrated Pods. “So much less plastic waste, I just add water to a reusable spray bottle and clean away!” https://www.windex.com/en-us/products/multisurface-cleaner-dissolve-pods

Forever eye mask: Ashley uses the Dieux Forever Eye Mask made of silicone. “Traditional one-time use eye masks are wasteful – these masks can be washed, dried, and reused.” https://www.dieuxskin.com/products/forever-eye-mask

Reusable tote bags: Natali carries reusable bags everywhere to reduce single-use plastic waste. “It’s a small shift in your routine that supports cleaner planet.”

Teracycle recycling: Liz has signed up for free recycling programs in New York City with Terracycle. “There are some products that you can’t typically recycle, so Terracycle has programs for those products like toothpaste tubes.” https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/

World of Books: Chloe loves getting books second hand from World of Books. “They are an affordable and sustainable alternative and are officially carbon neutral.” https://www.worldofbooks.com/pages/about-us

Rain barrel: Bernie purchased a Green Systern 55 Gallon Rain Barrel which was easy to install and use. “I love being able to use rainwater to water our garden and flower beds.”

Purchasing secondhand: Gabriella and Neva seek out secondhand furniture, clothes, and other items. “It gives material items a second life and helps keep them out of landfills,” said Neva. “I love finding cost-friendly furniture with character and thrifting clothes is a go-to for my wardrobe,” said Gabriella.

Meal kits: Neil gets weekly shipments of locally sourced produce and other ingredients for meals. “Not only is it more convenient but each kit has just enough food for two people for the week to avoid potential food waste. I recommend doing research to find a service that meets your dietary needs and supports local farmers.”