Everyday Sustainability
To reduce our environmental impact by finding everyday ways to reduce consumption and waste
Since the 1950s, global plastic production has increased 200-fold to 381 million tons annually, with a cumulative production of 7.8 billion tons. Single use plastics have become a ubiquitous part of our lives, resulting in humans now consuming between 39,000 to 52,000 particles of microplastic every year! Plastic waste is a global issue reaching a breaking point, but who is responsible for the solution?
We believe it is our role and obligation to lead the sustainability cultural mind shift, by making small changes in our personal consumption.
A core component of Sustainable Tallahassee’s mission is to lead by example. We meet people where they are and give them tangible, real-world examples of ways to incorporate sustainable practices into the their everyday life.
It is our goal to use our platform to help everyone become more mindful of their impact on the environment with a hope that the collective community is able to enact long-lasting and far-reaching change.
our priorities
Everything you buy is eventually going to become waste; sometimes shortly after you buy it – like a coffee cup – sometimes many years down the line.
Our goal is to find creative ways to stop the waste cycle at the start, whether it is by reusing things that you already have, finding new utility out of old items, renting or borrowing items that you only need to use occasionally, or buying second hand.
Waste reduction becomes significant when we all work together. That is why Sustainable Tallahassee strives to serve as an educational leader in the community to provide others with the tools they need to be able to effectively move towards a more sustainable lifestyle.
Remember – you don’t need to become zero waste over night. Just start with changing one or two habits and go from there.
Sometimes making sustainable choices can be inconvenient. Trying to remember a reusable mug is tricky when you live a busy life! We share tips and tricks with you to show you how make sustainable choices easier.
Sometimes we need a little nudge to help us move in the right direction! Sustainable Tallahassee periodically hosts challenges to incentivize sustainable choices – like using reusable water bottles and participating in trash clean ups.
our projects
Drink tap, not bottled! We all know the environmental impact that discarded single-use bottles have caused, not to mention the fossil fuels used to create and transport the bottles and the ecosystem degradation that comes from pumping our springs. The Kick Bottled Water Challenge aims to spread the message about this important problem and encourage the community to kick their bottled water habit!
Sustainable Tallahassee is a participant in Keep Tallahassee Beautiful’s Adopt A Street program. We have adopted N. Bronough St. between 4th and Carolina. We host quarterly clean ups of our adopted street and surrounding neighborhoods.
In 2021, Sustainable Tallahassee hosted the first Tally Trash Challenge – an initiative aimed at encouraging individuals to engage in mini-clean ups, anytime and anywhere. Litter poses serious environmental issues and harms wildlife. The Trash Challenge had over 100 participants in its inaugural year from both personal clean up efforts and four ST hosted clean ups across the city. Read More about the 2022 Tally Trash Challenge.
Our Everyday Sustainability team attends community events with real-world demonstrations of how to reduce waste and consumption in your life. Visit us at our next event!
Join the Everyday Sustainability Committee
Meetings on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. Locations vary.
Join our Facebook group for meeting information and upcoming initiatives and events.
Meet the Chair
Kristen Summers is the Chair of the Everyday Sustainability Committee. Kristen has been on the Sustainable Tallahassee Board since 2019. Join Kristen and the Everyday Sustainability Committee to help promote waste and consumption reduction through everyday life changes.
- Kristen Summers, A Case for Collective Action
in other news
Kristen Summers shares about different Earth Day events happening this month.
Sustainable Tallahassee’s Earth Day at LeMoyne Chain of Parks.
Pam McVety shares about sustainable alternatives to “fast fashion.”
Cyndel Brunell shares about Leon County’s recycling efforts.