5 Highly-Attainable Sustainable Living Ideas
However, it does not mean that you have to live an uncomfortable life. It means that you consciously think about the stuff and the energy that you use, and about the choices you make every day.
On the surface, it can be incredibly daunting to reduce your environmental footprint, especially when you see that others around you are not doing their part. But when you break it down into small steps, you realize you have more power than you thought. Fortunately, there’s a growing community of people who are willing to take the next step in living more sustainably. If you’re reading this, then you are a part of that movement.
WANT TO START PRACTICING SUSTAINABLE LIVING?
It is easier than you think. Although there are various ways to live and practice sustainable living, here are 5 quick and easy ideas to live a sustainable life. And remember: Always implement new habits slowly!
Taking on too many changes at once is a surefire way to turn sustainable living from joyous to stressful. Instead, choose one or two items from the list to focus on each month, and remember to celebrate the small victories.
Organic and Regenerative Farming
To a large extent, organic products have grown without the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides. Organic can compete with conventional yields and outperform conventional in adverse weather. Small farmers using organic methods have huge potential to expand global food production. Inorganic farming is one of the leading causes of biodiversity loss (which, by the way, is one of three planetary boundaries considered over the level of safe human/environmental interaction). That’s because agricultural chemicals are killing insects. And over 40% of the world’s insect species are declining, which will only lead to a food chain catastrophe.
Additionally, regenerative agriculture, a method of organic farming that restores carbon and health to the soil is an incredibly exciting movement that could both draw down carbon from the atmosphere while improving productivity.
Action: We as the consumer can choose to purchase from farmers that use organic products and regenerative methods. You can often find these types of farmers at local farmer's markets and many now have online stores. The more of us that are privileged enough to afford the extra cost, the more these methods will become viable and more affordable.
Buy durable, compostable home goods
There’s a reason that Reduce comes first in Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. By buying fewer things, we create less waste. And one of the best ways to own less stuff is to invest in durable and compostable products.
And if you’re looking for products that are durable yet biodegradable, bamboo and plant based products can be a sustainable option. Switching to a bamboo toothbrush helps save the environment, especially the oceans, from being destroyed. Using a bamboo toothbrush is as effective as a manual plastic toothbrush. The difference is that the handle and bristles are made from bamboo which is strong, biodegradable, and has no negative impact on the planet.
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
With so much plastic building up in our environment – from the tops of the mountains to the bottom of the ocean, it is imperative that we find a solution to plastic pollution. By investing in an eco-friendly reusable bag, you’re contributing to less fossil fuel use, saving water, and promoting more sustainable resource distribution.
Using eco bags made of corn starch or reusable bags provide consumers with an equally sturdy and environmentally more conscious solution than the good old plastic bag.
Choose Renewable Energy
So, why choose renewable energy? Not only is renewable energy clean, sustainable, versatile, and can save on waste, but it also produces jobs for the ever-expanding population of the world. The reliability of renewable energy solutions combined with their ability to cut back on greenhouse gases makes them the obvious choice for future generations.
Skip single-use plastic items
We encounter single-use plastic items in our day-to-day life. Single-use items like plastic plates, bowls, trash bags, straws, toilet paper, paper towels, plastic grocery bags, plastic cutlery are a big curse on our environment. You may not be able to remove all the items but can surely cut down the use of some of these items. Make the change towards compostable options such as palm leaf or bagasse based dinnerware or corn starch based trash bags that are free of plastic and BPA is the way to go.
