The concept of sustainable living aims to create an environmentally balanced lifestyle. In simpler terms, it means returning to the Earth everything you take from it (including oxygen and carbon dioxide), while also addressing climate change, protecting biodiversity and promoting fair wages. While this may seem daunting, there are many simple ways to live sustainably. These include choosing a plant based diet, living car free, buying second hand and/or energy efficient appliances, using a search engine like Ecosia (which donates some of its profits to tree planting), avoiding plastic and paper waste, reusing towels and using reusable cloth napkins, shopping at zero waste and bring your own container stores and joining sustainable community gardens or food co-ops.
In the same vein, it is crucial to support companies who promote sustainable practices and products. A lot of the time, big corporations aren’t doing right by the environment – as a result, you may be unknowingly contributing to environmental damage through your wallet. If you don’t know what companies you are supporting, try making a list and eliminating those that don’t do right by the planet. Alternatively, purchase from local businesses and choose brands that do good work for the environment.
We all use a lot of water, so reducing the amount of water we consume is an easy way to go green. Instead of filling up a kettle for one cup of tea or letting the tap run while brushing your teeth, turn off the tap or use the bucket under your shower to save a few litres each time. You can also use a water filter or purifier at home to avoid any chemicals leaching into your water.
Another huge way you can reduce your water footprint is by reducing the amount of laundry you do. Clothes washing machines can produce a lot of wastewater, so try to air dry as much as possible and use less detergents to help the environment. You should also wash your clothes with cold or warm water whenever possible.
If you want to make a bigger impact, you could consider investing your pension funds in companies that do good work for the environment. The majority of UK pension funds are invested in fossil fuels, which is causing environmental damage and threatening the lives of people and wildlife around the world.
Similarly, when celebrating holidays and special occasions, try not to be overly wasteful. It takes a lot of trees, water and fossil fuels to produce decorations, gifts, food and drink for parties. Try giving homemade or secondhand gifts and serving plant-based meals with reusable dinnerware. Try to forage or buy wildflower seeds for your next floral arrangement, and avoid buying new decorations and plastics.
When it comes to travel, try to find more sustainable options than flying. Planes are a huge cause of carbon emissions, especially during take-off and landing. You can do your bit by using reusable luggage, travelling with friends or travelling on trains and buses instead of planes wherever you can.