Eco-Friendly Habits for Living with Chronic Illness

One of the things I hate most about living with chronic illness, including asthma, is the sheer amount of medical waste I produce. As my illnesses have progressed and evolved, the amount of medical supplies has increased significantly. And I hate it. I mean, I hate the illness, but I also hate the waste it produces.

I have always done my best to be eco-conscious, but when I started subcutaneous immune globulins a few months ago, I knew I had to make some more changes. Even small changes can go a long way, so even though the amount of trash I produce is overwhelming at times, I have to remind myself that I am still making a difference.

Creating new eco-friendly habits while caring for my chronic conditions

Less tissues

If you have ever had a cold, upper respiratory infection, or allergies you are keenly aware that the amount of tissues you go through can be astronomical. This past winter my allergies were out of control and my living space was being overrun by tissues—I am pretty sure they covered every square inch of flat surfaces. Not only was my tissue use adding to the burden of trash consumption, the money consumption was also becoming ridiculous.

So I decided to do something novel. Or maybe not so novel since it is what people did for generations. I made reusable tissues! Also known as handkerchiefs. You know, those reusable cloths that you can throw in the laundry and reuse again once they are washed? Yeah, those things. Not only are they better for the environment, but when made out of super soft flannel, they are also better on your skin.

Making something reusable

One of the things I use with my subcutaneous immune globulin is a clean mat to set all of my supplies on for each infusion. The company so kindly provides me with disposable drapes, but I use 12 a month, or 144 a year. That is a lot! So, I did some research and found some fabric that is bacteria-resistant and made my own, reusable mats.

My infusions are not sterile, but "clean," so having a clean space to lay out my supplies is important. I even used the leftover fabric to make reusable pads to use with rubbing alcohol instead of the single-use alcohol swabs that the company also kindly provides. So I just use a pad and some rubbing alcohol from a bottle to achieve the same thing. Again, small changes, but they add up.

Using what I already have

And it is not always about making something that is reusable, but also using things I already have for multiple purposes. Or using materials I already own to make things I need.

Over the winter holiday, I challenged myself to make a medical-travel bag using only things I already had around the house. Mind you, I have a plethora of fabric to work with, but I also had to find zippers, snaps, and hooks to make a finished project. The bag turned out great and it is my new favorite bag to travel with!

I also have a lot of medical supplies to organize, so I do my best to find furniture and organizing containers second-hand in order to keep stuff out of the landfill.

Can eco-friendly habits be practiced when it comes to our asthma supplies?

I enjoy finding ways to help save the environment. Little changes go a long way and the more people who make those changes add up even more.

What are some things you are doing to make a positive impact on the environment?