Sustainability is a word we hear a lot nowadays, and it can be related to almost every aspect of our daily lives. A huge emphasis has been made on improving sustainability at an individual level, focusing on your own lifestyle and the changes you personally can make to do your bit on the larger global scale. The good news is that there are loads of wee changes you can start with today that really take very little effort, yet have a huge long-term impact which will benefit the environment. On that note, here are 10 ways you can be more sustainable in your day to day life! These are the tips to be more sustainable.
The number of disposable items we go through naturally in a day is becoming a growing issue for the planet. Cutting down can be really simple, for example: using a reusable kitchen towel instead of paper towels; avoiding disposable cutlery; investing in a Mooncup over disposable sanitary products; using a refillable water bottle; or opting for Tupperware instead of aluminium foil. Each of these will bring you a step forward to a more sustainable lifestyle!
You’d be surprised at the high quality of clothing that can be found in second-hand clothes shops, from Charity Shops to Vintage Clothes specialists. It’s even common to find things in Charity Shops which have never been worn – and the prices are far from expensive! Next time you’re looking for a wardrobe update, pick out some things you don’t wear anymore to donate to Charity and see if you can do a wee exchange!
Avoid driving when it isn’t necessary – if it’s within walking or cycling distance leave the car at home! Not only will you be benefiting the environment but you’ll be gaining a workout too which your physical health will advantage from. If walking or cycling isn’t an option, opt for public transport – it’s a great chance to catch up on things like reading which you can’t do whilst driving.
Asking the whole population to go vegetarian or vegan is a huge ask which no one expects to be achieved anytime soon. However, having days where you actively avoid meat is a great way to be more sustainable! You’ll find too that eating vegetarian can save you money on your food shop, as staple ingredients such as beans, vegetables and cheese are cheaper than meat products. This is another one of the tips to be more sustainable.
LED lighting or CFL bulbs are energy efficient and save tons of greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere. These light bulbs are durable and cost-effective as well as being way more efficient than your standard incandescent light bulb. This is one of the most basic ways to be more sustainable at home!
Save water and energy by reducing the amount of time you spend in the shower, and limiting yourself to one shower a day. Try and limit your shower to a maximum length of 5 minutes, timing it using a timer or equally you could select a 5 minute long song to make the task a bit more exciting! This is such an easy way to improve the sustainability of your lifestyle daily! This is another one of the tips to be more sustainable.
I used to live on the top floor of an 11 story building and the lift was out of service unfortunately frequently. Although I dreaded those days when I had to walk up 11 floors, I realised that it wasn’t really that challenging and only took out an extra few minutes of my day. Take the stairs instead of the lift when you can to save energy and get a cheeky wee work out in!
It’s so easy to be tempted by the low prices of fast fashion brands, but the truth is that buying low quality clothes items isn’t a sustainable option. Invest in higher quality items which last longer – yes, they will be more expensive, but you’ll wear them again and again as opposed to throwing them away as you would with fast fashion purchases! This is another one of the tips to be more sustainable.
With virtually everything being online nowadays, it’s really simple to cut down on paper by requesting electronic bills, receipts and letters. Have a good think about your own paper usage and evaluate where you can opt for an electronic option instead of paper.
Instead of purchasing brand new books why not borrow from your local library – they usually are up to date with new releases as well as stock all the classics. You can also have a hunt in the Charity Shops for second-hand books as cheap as 50p. You could even try and find someone to swap books with once you finish reading to cut down on your paper consumption. This is another one of the tips to be more sustainable.
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