Staying Sustainable on a Vet Student Budget

#plasticfree #wastefree #sustainablity #ecolife: These buzz words are blowing up our social media . . . and for a good reason!

The world is changing for the better. Humans are (slowly) starting to recognize their wasteful ways and ditch the single-use stuff for good! Is it easy? No. Is it doable? Yes.

We all have a responsibility to our home (Earth) to do our best to keep her healthy and clean. It’s like your room: You may let it get a little messy (especially during finals) but you eventually clean it, right? You don’t keep buying sheets for your bed every time they get dirty and just leave the other ones on the floor. No, you wash them and put them back on . . . unless you’re not into that sort of thing.

It may a take a bit more effort than you’re used to. Remembering your sustainability kit will be difficult at first. Creating a habit takes time and dedication. So, my first word of advice: Don’t be hard on yourself!  Just the fact that you are making the effort puts you leagues above a lot of other people!

Fortunately, a lot of places are embracing that #sustainablelifestyle and encourage you to BYOV (bring your own vessel). For example, Starbucks gives you $0.10 off of your drink when you bring a reusable cup. That doesn’t sound like much but it adds up. After 10 drinks that’s already a whole dollar! I don’t know about you, but A) I drink a lot of coffee as a vet student and B) money is money! Bottom line is, it never hurts to ask. A lot of places let me purchase a soda and just use my reusable bottle at the soda machine. Easy peasy. Worse thing they can say is no then you just say “Ok, cool, won’t buy it then”.

So back to what you really came here for: Sustainability on a budget. You probably already have EVERYTHING you need to help you live a more sustainable life. Without further ado, here are five things you can start your sustainability kit with for Free.99

1) You eat in your house, right? That means you have silverware, don’t you? Boom. Fork, spoon, knife. Throw it in the kit RIGHT NOW.

2) Water bottle – “But Jaky, water bottles are EXPENSIVE! . . .” Don’t get your panties in a bunch, I remember what I said. I now pose the question: “What IS a water bottle?” A vessel that carries liquid? Ah, yes, that’s a very vague definition. I bet you have SOMETHING in your kitchen that seals and carries liquid in a reasonably efficient way. An old glass jar? An old glass iced tea bottle? A lot of people get hung up on what something IS rather than what it CAN be. For example: I use reusable Starbucks mugs for the bulk section to buy cashews in addition to coffee (its “proper” use). A vessel is a vessel, doesn’t matter what you put in it!

3) A to-go container: I’m sure you have some tupper-ware lying around somewhere. Bring it with you! At least keep it in your car. That way if you unexpectantly end up with leftovers, you can use that container rather than accept a disposable one from the restaurant. BONUS: You can use this as your plate for lunch talks put on by clubs too!

4) A bag to put all this in. I have a pile of reusable shopping bags I’ve collected from various conferences, events, and whatnot. I keep a good chunk in my trunk so I never forget one. Bags from grocery stores work just fine too! Don’t have any of those? You can make your own using an old t-shirt or tank top! Flip it inside out, practice your suturing skills by suturing the bottom closed, flip it back to right side out and voila! The tank top already has handles, but you can cut the sleeves of the t-shirt to create handles too! Now you have a bag! Congratulations!

5) Last, but certainly not least: your discipline. It’s easy to cave in and get that coffee even though you forgot that reusable mug at home. Truly ask yourself: Do you really NEED that coffee? There is a palpable difference between want and need. It’s important to recognize it and hold yourself accountable.

Good job! You are well on your way to making this a healthier planet. Thank you for your effort and don’t forget to spread the good word! I guarantee someone will say something about one of your nifty zero waste tools giving you the perfect opportunity to educate. It takes one drop of water to ripple the whole pond. Sustainability is our responsibility.

Jaky is a third year veterinary student at Western University of Health Sciences. She grew up in Michigan and despite being far from any salty body of water, had a passion for marine biology and everything that had to do with the ocean from a young age. She majored in marine biology and worked as a research scientist before pursuing her master’s in aquatic animal health then eventually vet school. While living on the coast she witnessed first-hand the impact pollution had on what she loved most. As a health professional, she finds it to be her responsibility to help inspire, educate, and encourage people to live more sustainable lives for their own health as well as the health of the planet. Sustainability is our responsibility.

Instagram: @thesustainablevet