Living a sustainable lifestyle is much more than spreading the propaganda and recycling waste. Adopting a change as big as this may seem to sacrifice when you begin, but it soon transforms into a transcending feeling. There are many tiny steps that take you towards becoming a more environmentally concerned individual and here are some of the crucial ones that you can follow on this journey.
Save energy
Turn off all your appliances at night and avoid the unnecessary drainage of electricity. Switch off all the lights, laptop, and kitchen and bathroom appliances when they are not in use. Switch to LED lights and skylight if possible to conserve electricity spent in lighting your home.
You can conserve electric energy by installing solar panels to heat or cool your home and drape the windows in summers to avoid air conditioner usage. A great method to prevent excess usage of electricity is to use Energy Star appliances.
Prefer vegetarian
You can try to go vegetarian for most parts of the week to save money and also resources. Meat is produced from an environmentally inefficient method, where about 2,500 gallons of water is required to produce a single pound of beef. Animals raised on rainforest land feed on about 55 square feet of the forest area to produce a single hamburger.
Additionally, most of the meat is processed in a bath of chemicals that are toxic to the environment. Try going vegetarian for at least a few days of the week. If you absolutely have to eat meat, opt for chicken over pork or beef and use eggs and nuts for proteins instead of fish.
Say no to plastic
By all means, ditch the plastic bags and other items that can lead to piles of plastic accumulating in your trash. Try to buy containers that are made of high-quality plastic which can be used over longer durations and avoid using plastic bags while shopping for groceries by buying some tote reusable bag. Keep these foldable reusable bags with you when you go out so you can avoid unnecessary plastic waste collection. If you have any plastic waste, try to recycle it in a responsible way by contacting your local recycling station or by reusing the same in creative ways.
Cook yourself
In a survey conducted in 2015, Americans spent more money eating food outside than buying groceries. The idea of cooked food is a tempting one, but the amount of waste it creates from cooking to packaging is not something to be ignored. The gas your burn to go out, the money you spend in ordering the food, and the toxic chemicals that this food potentially contains are all reasons to give up eating outside and start cooking instead. Take help from online recipe websites and buy fresh food from the local farmerโs market to cook some delicious fresh and healthy food.
Compost your edible waste
Compost might seem like a smelly way of disposing of your edible waste but with many modern technologies, you can now keep a composting bin within your home, with no foul odor. Outdoor compost piles can also be used if you have a big yard. This compost will naturally fertilize your soil to serve as an ideal bed for growing your vegetables.
Reuse your old products or donate
Instead of buying tissues, napkins, and kitchen and bathroom washcloths, you can cut your old worn out clothes to use as rags. You can toss these into the laundry and reuse, thus preventing waste of money and products.ย Try to repair your old appliances instead of replacing them with new ones. You can use a range of products in your home to create decorative and creative items for reuse. Donating to a local charity is a holistic approach in handling things you do not need anymore.
Becoming an eco-friendly individual requires more than the basic โreduce, recycle and reuseโ. Alterations in myriad lifestyle choices have to be made with a constant reminder of the positive impact that you are making on the environment.
