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Some random brainstorming for my resolution #7: leading a low waste lifestyle, sparked by a new podcast I'm listening to called Green Dreams. It's a rare positive prespective on sustainability (part of the tagline is "thriving in every sense of the word"), which I desperately need cause I feel super apathetic about us ending a mostly livable planet in 30 years :D

Back on topic:

So far I've decided to stop buying body wash and use soap instead.
Now this is super low effort, and also super low impact because I don't use much body wash...so it's a cute starting point but that's about it.

The next step, also small, is to reduce my sheet mask usage. This resolution has been brought up many times on /r/asianbeauty and it decently adopted by the community. I'll phase it in 3 parts:

1. Stop buying new sheet mask until I've used up my stash
2. Only buy masks that I really really like, which at this point is L'herboflore because the fit is perfect, and the essence absorbs nicely
3. Not buy any at all

To be honest...I don't think I want to completely quit sheet masking because it does wonders giving emergency hydration to my skin. I can drastically cut down on its usage (not that I go through them very fast currently), but am unlikely to abstain from them. As the aforementioned podcast says, to live sustainably in the current society is to live inconveniently because on a high level capitalism values selfish actions.

Other ideas for cosmetics:

• Buy the largest size possible (eg. shampoo / conditioner)
• Choose products with refill packs. Honestly I don't get why Muji haven't jumped on offering refills for their skincare items in store when you can bring in an empty product bottle.

and that's about all I can think of. Well there's buying things in recyclable packaging, but my top priority is using effective products, and I'm not willing to compromise that to reduce waste. At this point you may wonder why a low waste lifestyle is even a goal since it doesn't seem that I care / am committing all that much. My answer would be to hit all the low hanging fruits and see how much impact that makes. Most blogs on this topic tends to be quite hardcore, so I'd like to go the mvp route. Maybe I'll get into it (and convince people that I live with also to get into it), or maybe it'll just be these little things.

...

On low waste in other areas of life:

• My food waste...is probably below average but not as low as it can be. Eg. I don't save all my veg scraps to make stock. But I also don't generate much waste to begin with since I buy mostly produce and not too much packaged food items.
• I'm half-heartedly trying to online shop less, although I've read mixed opinions on whether online shopping is more environmentally friendly, but at least I personally have less packing material waste to deal with by reducing online shopping. 
• A big win is all the pads that I no longer use now with the IUD. Saves money & waste :D
• A small win is always bringing a reusable bag to grocery shopping, and using less of the clear plastic bags for individual produce
• Need to be more vocal about declining plastic straws / utensils / bags / other freebies

For the months I'm in Houston, my goal is to empty my main trash bin only once a month.