Being eco-friendly is a way of life. You cannot say that you are living a green lifestyle if you are vegan but love to race in gas guzzling race cars! The eco lifestyle will be easier and more integrated in your life if your hobbies too are in sync with your green choices. You don’t have to rack your brain trying to discover activities which are naturally eco friendly, we have compiled a list of eco-friendly hobbies for you:
8 – Eco-friendly hobbies
1. Hiking
Hiking is definitely one of the desirable hobbies which will reduce carbon footprint too. Hiking is a wonderful exercise, and many studies have proven that it combats anxiety and stress symptoms and also boosts creativity. Gulping down the fresh air on the trail is great for the brain and mental health. This is one of the eco-friendly hobbies which develop respect and appreciation for nature.
Make it greener by carrying food and water in reusable containers. Find some easy trails near your home to start with. You can hike solo or get a friend to come along. Once you start hiking, you’ll be finding trails all over the world! A great new way to experience nature in different parts of the world.
2. Upcycling
Another environmentally friendly hobby which can turn into a zero waste is upcycling. This hobby is for people who love crafting. In upcycling, you can reuse old objects and convert them into beautiful décor pieces or utility objects. You can turn glass jars into planters/terrariums, or paint rusty old iron chairs and use them in your garden. Convert old cupboards into bathroom vanities, and old doors can be painted and used again. The ideas and crafts are as varied and limitless as your imagination.
We love upcycling as one of the eco-friendly hobbies which keeps garbage away from landfills and gives a new lease of life to old things. You save a lot of raw material in upcycling, and derive a lot of satisfaction and happiness from completed projects. There are websites to help you with upcycling ideas, such Pinterest.
3. Beekeeping
Bee populations are dwindling all over the world. One way to help the bees survive is to keep bees in the backyard. You will be getting all the natural honey you want, which is delicious and tasty. But you will also be helping to grow wild bees’ population. Honey is both anti-microbial and anti-bacterial, so it will be a boost for health in your home. One single bee colony can pollinate 300 million flowers every day!
Keeping bees is one of the most environmentally friendly things you could do, as without bees most of the world’s crops and plants would die out. To begin, you can just buy a bee colony online and get it shipped to your doorstep. It’s easy to buy the supplies online too, but before keeping them it would be best to read up on them. You can join online some online communities to share your concerns and get some hands-on knowledge.
4. Volunteering
There’s a lot to be said about volunteering. The environment, people and animals need all the help they can get. You can help by volunteering at environmental or animal non-profits. Donate some nice gifts which you didn’t like to people who need them. Donate your talent by singing or telling stories to children. Or just sit with some elders who need some time. Walk someone’s
dog or babysit for free, especially for single parents who work and cannot afford a babysitter.
Volunteering is among the eco-friendly hobbies which require just time to be given. When you help the planet/animal/human, you will also feel good about doing something about the issues you feel strongly about.
5. Cycling
Cycling is a hobby which can become an integral part of your daily life. You may get into it so intensely that you will soon be cycling everywhere. Your fossil fuel consumption will be much reduced and thus, you will be able to reduce carbon footprint. Cycling will make you fit, and you’d be getting healthier while commuting to work. Cycles have no emissions, so you will not be adding more emissions to the atmosphere. A win-win situation for all those who have no time to spare to go to a gym!
6. Cooking
Cooking is one of the best eco-friendly hobbies you could have. You can eat healthy and eat what you want. The culinary world is vast for you to explore – learn different cuisines, learn about the benefits of the fruits and vegetables, fish and meat, spices and nuts and create wonderfully balanced meals for you and your family.
Cooking can enhance your zero waste lifestyle, as you will know how to use leftover food and cook delicious meals out of it. You can cook less, just enough, so that you don’t waste food. Cooking at home is healthier because you can use the cooking mediums of your choice, eat less sugary and fatty foods. Choose raw material which is organic, non-GMO and fair-trade.
7. Knitting and/or crocheting
Though this is generally considered to be a hobby for women, but surprisingly quite a few men enjoy knitting too. Make it more eco-friendly by using recycled wool. Unravel old sweaters, stoles and shawls and use the wool to make something absolutely new. Some innovative people are creating yarn out of plastic grocery bags to crochet. You’ll get many free ebooks on knitting/ crocheting online.
8. Gardening
Gardening is again one of the best eco-friendly hobbies you could have. The taste of homegrown organic vegetables and fruits is simply unmatched. It’s good for the environment as the plants will absorb the carbon, so you’d be offsetting your carbon footprint. Besides, spending time outdoors is a great stress-buster. If you like to be surrounded by beauty, plant flowers and ornamental plants. There are so many ways to garden, such as the modern idea of vertical gardens.
Whichever hobby you want to take up, it’s best to start small and take it from there. You would learn more about your pet passion as you go along, and maybe even come up with some innovations of your own to help the environment.
