Sustainable living is about embracing a lifestyle that can be continued without harming the planet and all its inhabitants, plants and animals. It’s about incorporating sustainability into every part of your life, from the food you eat to the way you live, work and travel. It’s about ensuring that you can live the rest of your life on this amazing planet in a way that doesn’t contribute to climate change and other environmental problems. It’s also about recognizing that sustainable living isn’t just for hippies and tree-huggers, but is available to anyone who cares about our planet.
Living sustainably can be as simple as reducing single-use plastics, choosing eco-friendly products and adopting a plant-based diet, if you’re not already eating one. But it can also be as complicated as reducing your electricity use or investing in green technology like solar panels. Fortunately, no matter what your skillset or budget is, there are plenty of ways to incorporate sustainable practices into your daily life, from simple changes like turning off the lights when leaving a room or using cold water settings when washing clothes to more involved initiatives like investing in sustainable energy or carpooling to work.
Whether you choose to invest in green energy or simply opt for more eco-friendly products, the most important aspect of sustainable living is conserving energy. By switching to LED bulbs, insulating your home and turning off appliances when you’re not using them, you can significantly reduce your energy consumption. If you’re a homeowner, you can even go as far as installing solar panels and becoming completely self-sufficient in your energy needs.
Another important factor of sustainability is avoiding waste. One of the easiest ways to do this is by embracing a “need over want” mentality and buying second hand items whenever possible. Thrift stores, garage sales and Facebook marketplace are all great places to find unique pieces while reducing your consumer footprint. Using cloth diapers, reusable water bottles, sponges instead of paper towels and coffee mugs all reduce waste on the consumer end while also cutting down on industry emissions.
Other ways to live sustainably include supporting fair-trade products. This helps ensure that farmers receive a reasonable price for their crops and provides them with financial security in an unstable environment. Buying locally also cuts down on the amount of fossil fuels used in transporting produce from other parts of the world.
Other simple things you can do to help the environment are shopping at local shops and donating or selling unwanted items. This not only cuts down on waste but also supports the community. It’s also a good idea to walk or bike rather than drive when possible, which reduces pollution and cuts down on the demand for natural resources like oil. And if you do need to use your car, you can make sure it’s an electric or hybrid vehicle.