Considering the dilemmas we currently face in the world, there are surely ways to be sustainable in everyday life. There won’t be a world for future generations if we don’t act now.
We are all aware of the reality of climate change, global warming, ozone layer loss, and resource depletion, as well as how disastrously these can affect both human and animal life.
Therefore, we must embrace sustainable living practices that enable us to modify our lifestyle and lessen our environmental impact or carbon footprint.
However, how can we feel the effects of our actions on Earth? Read through to the end of this article for a list of some simple yet effective sustainable strategies to improve the planet Earth.
Table of Contents
Sustainable Living: What Is It?
The goal of sustainable living is to minimize your consumption of natural resources by making every effort to replace the items you use.
This can sometimes mean making the decision not to purchase a product manufactured using methods that are not sustainable, and other times it can involve altering your behavior to start participating more actively in the cycle of life.
“If it can’t be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled, or composted, then it should be restricted, redesigned, or removed from production.”
Pete Seeger
This world can be made clean and safe by taking easy steps like using public transit more frequently, using less energy, and adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle.
“Sustainable living is a lifestyle that attempts to reduce an individual’s or society’s use of the Earth’s natural resources and personal resources. Practitioners of sustainable living often attempt to reduce their carbon footprint by altering methods of transportation, energy consumption, and diet.“
Wikipedia
Ways to be Sustainable in Everyday Life
Do you want to begin living sustainably? You underestimate how easy it is. These are more than quick and simple tips for leading a sustainable life.
- Become paperless
- Bring your reusable coffee mug to the shop
- Think twice before shopping
- Use reusable items instead of plastic ones.
- Get reusable plastic bags
- Store food in reusable containers
- Recycle
- Use a reusable water bottle
- Compost old food
- Opt for no receipts
- Meal plan
- Eliminate extinction from your life
- Keep plants in your home or plant them outside
- Buy better for the Earth products
- Turn the lights off
- Only run the dishwater or laundry when it’s full
- Walk or use public transport
- Reduce the amount you fly
- Focus on “slow” fashion options
- Upcycling is “In”
- Take action. Give a voice
- Give back
1. Become paperless
Reducing the amount of paper you use can help minimize deforestation. Simple methods for achieving that include:
- Replace single-use paper towels with reusable clothes.
- Purchase products made from recycled paper to lessen the need for virgin paper.
- Get letters or invoices via email – Switch to receiving most of your bills by email these days.
- Invest in bamboo or recycled toilet paper. Eco-friendly toilet paper is available from many fantastic firms.
2. Bring your reusable coffee mug to the shop
This is so brilliant, I have no idea why I never thought of it before! Your coffee will stay hotter for a much longer period if you have a chilled Yeti mug, in addition to saving a cup and lid.
3. Think twice before shopping
Everything we buy has an impact on the environment because of the materials it is made of, the pollutants it releases during production, and the packaging that is disposed of in landfills and incinerators.
The harm has already been done upstream, even if a product can be recycled or composted when its useful life is coming to an end. Thus, consider if you need it before making a purchase.
If so, think about purchasing used goods rather than brand-new ones, and search for goods with less packaging and shipping that are constructed of less damaging materials.
4. Use reusable items instead of plastic ones.
Plastic will always exist. material comprises 80% of all marine trash and at least 14 million tons of material that end up in the ocean every year. Thousands of seabirds, seals, sea turtles, and other marine creatures perish each year as a result of ingesting plastic or becoming entangled in it.
In a few easy steps, you can start reducing the amount of plastic waste you produce: When shopping, use reusable bags; throw away single-use straws, bags, and water bottles; and, whenever feasible, steer clear of anything made of or packaged in plastic (e.g., choose unwrapped produce at the grocery store).
Whenever possible, replace single-use items with reusable ones; every plastic piece avoided is a gain for the environment.
5. Get reusable plastic bags
Reusable bags seem to be the ideal solution for certain veggies that need to be in a bag.
6. Store food in reusable containers
Use reusable plastic or glass (even better) containers to store food instead of Ziploc bags. They are easy to clean, seal shut, and can be used for cooking.
7. Recycle
I’ll be the first to acknowledge that we could recycle more, but sometimes it’s just easier to toss everything in one bag when we have to take it down three flights of stairs and out to the alley. Still, make an effort to recycle as much glass, paper, and metal as possible.
8. Use a reusable water bottle
Using a reusable water bottle will encourage you to drink more water, which is better for the environment. About 300 million tons of plastic are produced annually, half of which is for single use, according to Plastic Oceans. Additionally, tons of plastic are thrown into the ocean annually. It’s all depressing and hurts the sea!
9. Compost old food
America has a serious problem with food waste. This website estimates that each person wastes one pound of food per day. Reducing the amount of food you purchase is one approach to prevent waste, but if waste does occur, make more use of it.
10. Opt for no receipts
Nowadays, many stores offer tablets that process credit card transactions and allow you to choose a paperless receipt. Now, anytime you buy something, make sure to always request a receipt by email, or print one if necessary.
11. Meal plan
You may avoid wasting food by making a list and knowing exactly what you’re going to cook before you go grocery shopping. Freeze anything that isn’t used right away so you can use it later. Also, you can get my free meal plans by clicking here if you need inspiration for meal planning!
12. Eliminate extinction from your life
One of the sectors that harm the environment the most on Earth is the meat industry, which uses a lot of water, pollutes the environment, emits greenhouse gases, and destroys habitats.
Choosing to consume less meat and eat a greater amount of plant-based foods will thereby lessen your environmental impact. Moreover, the single biggest category of waste dumped in municipal landfills is food. Make sure to consume the food you buy and shop wisely to avoid food waste.
13. Keep plants in your home or plant them outside
Everyone benefits from having clean, pure air in their house, which is provided by plants. Also, it has been shown that having live plants in your home improves your mood. It helps, in my experience, especially throughout the winter!
If you lack green thumb strength, choose low-maintenance plants that don’t need a lot of watering! Although succulents are wonderful, they can be easily killed by overwatering. My fiddle leaf fig needs a little more attention, but I adore it.
Planting a tree or bush in your outside space can help reduce your carbon impact.
14. Buy better for the earth products
Numerous inquiries have been made concerning the safety and chemical composition of conventional tampons. Thank goodness, there are alternatives!
Some companies, such as Lola, employ organic cotton in their products and provide tampon choices without applicators to save waste. The period cup is another option; I’ve tried it and didn’t love it, but I know a lot of people who swear by it!
15. Turn the lights off
Please remember to turn off the lights when you leave your home and to leave them off while you are not in that room or when you are not using them. Choose energy-efficient lighting when replacing lightbulbs.
Our thermostat can also be adjusted to a different temperature when we’re not home, which will reduce the amount of energy it uses. For this, Nest is a fantastic choice.
It saves energy and money by picking up on your routine and adjusting accordingly! By using less electricity and other natural resources, you can contribute in a tiny way to the reduction of carbon emissions produced by fossil fuels and energy.
16. Only run the dishwater or laundry when it’s full
Although it may seem obvious, I’ve seen individuals use their dishwashers when they are only halfway full.
Fortunately, you may adjust the amount of water needed for each load of laundry by choosing your wash size. However, the dishwasher operates on an all-or-nothing basis, so make sure the load is full before starting it!
17. Walk or use public transport
While it’s not always possible, I enjoy going for walks wherever we go, especially in the warmer months. In addition to being a terrific form of exercise and relaxation, it also saves money on parking and petrol! Walking is also very healthy for you!
Additionally, I’ve observed that a lot of cities are switching to more environmentally friendly technologies, such as solar power for trains and trams in place of electricity.
Make the most of your city’s excellent public transportation if you reside there!
18. Reduce the amount you fly
The volume of air travel worldwide is growing yearly, despite improvements in airplane energy efficiency. There is no worldwide standard for airline-to-airline or even airline-to-airline regulation of emissions. Whenever feasible, opt for train or bus travel instead of short-haul flights. Is it possible for this business travel to simply be an online meeting?
To help offset your carbon impact, look into carbon offsetting programs if you must travel for work, family, or an essential trip.
19. Focus on “slow” fashion options
Clothing ought to be durable enough to last more than a season and should cost more than a candy bar. The increasing fast fashion business, which has serious ethical and environmental ramifications, is directly responsible for the desire for new, stylish, and seasonal apparel goods.
Fortunately, there are up-and-coming “slow” fashion designers and conscious apparel brands that are actively addressing this trend; by emphasizing ethically made clothing and fabrics sourced sustainably, these options directly challenge the status quo and offer a more environmentally and socially responsible option.
20. Upcycling is “In”
Repurposing clothing is an excellent method to extend the life of articles that are never worn, belong to outdated collections, or just don’t fit you the way you want them to. Upcycling is the process of improving objects like clothing, bags, and furniture and using them in a different project.
Look through the Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and neighborhood yard sales to find ideal upcycling materials!
21. Take action. Give a voice
Getting politically involved in your neighborhood and at the federal level is one of the best things you can do for animals and the environment, both now and in the future. Select candidates whose environmental platforms are compelling.
Encourage your legislators to enact more stringent laws to combat climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save public lands and wildlife, and promote access to reproductive health care. Donate to groups battling to stop the extinction problem to cast your financial ballot.
Participate in events, sign and distribute action alerts, and educate your friends about the need to address overconsumption and the growing human population in addition to the protection of endangered animals.
22. Give back
Participating in volunteer work is an excellent method to establish a connection with your community and assist in areas of need. Form a buddy group to clean up litter from busy parks or roadways. To assist local NGOs and shelters have a greater effect, volunteer there.
One simple and cost-free method to give back and live sustainably is to volunteer your time. To locate volunteers
Conclusion
You might experience an overwhelming desire to completely alter your lifestyle as you become more aware of the climate catastrophe and how your actions impact the environment.
But it’s just not possible to completely change your daily routine and way of life in the name of sustainability. Instead, concentrate on traveling this long, twisting road to sustainability one tiny step at a time.
Start investing in reusable things as soon as finances and time permit. Discover how to cultivate your food and recycle properly. You’ll eventually learn to adopt these adjustments as your new normal and wonder how you survived without metal straws and cloth grocery bags.
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A passion-driven environmentalist by heart. Lead content writer at EnvironmentGo.
I strive to educate the public about the environment and its problems.
It has always been about nature, we ought to protect not destroy.