Regardless of whether you wish to have a more sustainable lifestyle to save money or to simply make a notable change, considering our daily choices is definitely worth your time and energy. With a larger emphasis on climate change than ever before, the time has come to make a difference to improve our environment before it is too late.
With series like Blue Planet 2 and the recent Seven Worlds, One Planet casting a spotlight on the severe problem of plastic and climate change, vital discussions on the potential solutions that could be done to solve this major issue have begun occurring far more frequently than before.
As a problem that concerns all of us, steps must be taken now to not only help improve our lifestyle and environment but to, more importantly, help the next generation and the future of our planet.
Whether you believe it or not, every day we are making choices that affect our surroundings, climates and other species, so how can we make a simple, yet valuable, difference and live more sustainably?
Conserve energy
Simple to do and one of the most important steps to having a more sustainable lifestyle. Energy conservation will help reduce your carbon footprint. From oil to natural gas, energy is increasingly difficult to produce and becoming more costly.
Install energy-efficient appliances and if you are not using your electrical devices, then ensure that you do not leave them on standby and turn them off. Similarly, make sure that you turn off the lights when you leave the room — not only will you see improvements, but you will also save plenty of money on your energy bills.
Eat locally and in season
An efficient way to live more sustainably is to purchase local foods. Take a stroll with your reusable non-plastic bags, and head to your local farmers market to buy your fresh produce.
Similarly, by buying seasonally produced foods you are supporting your local agricultural economy as well as helping the environment cut down on packaging, transport and high-intensity farming processes which are used for out of season foods.
Reduce your waste
Do your best to not waste your food by buying only what you need. Unfortunately, the amount of waste that we produce creates a tremendous misuse of food and money, as well as adding to the amount of CO2 that is being created in landfills.
If you have allowed some of your food to go past the ‘best by’ date, then begin composting — this will help create a natural fertiliser and keep your garden beautifully green and vibrant, whilst redoing the amount of waste going to the landfill.
Recycle everything
If you want to have a more sustainable lifestyle, then a great way to make a change is by recycling. Remember that you can recycle anything, from paper and plastics to glass and electronics. For top tips on this head over to EWM Dumpsters, a recycling and waste disposal specialist who offer some great advice on how to efficiently recycle essential materials.
Before you think about throwing something away, take a moment to consider how you could recycle the item.
Make your transport green
The most eco-friendly form of transport is cycling, as it doesn’t create any emissions — it always saves you money and will keep you healthy and fit, which is a wonderful bonus.
Using public transport is also an ideal alternative to driving as it will dramatically reduce your carbon footprint. By simply avoiding a drive, you are reducing the number of cars on the road, which means less carbon dioxide is produced.
If you do need to use your car, then drive smarter by removing excess weight from the vehicle to help improve fuel efficiency, have the correct air pressure in your tyres to reduce petrol mileage and slow your speed by 10km/h to improve your car’s fuel consumption by at least 25 per cent.
Invest more
Investing in one well-made expensive item will ultimately have a better effect on the environment rather than if you buy cheaper alternatives. Slow fashion has been proven to be better than fast fashion, and that is something we need to consider if we want to lead a more sustainable lifestyle.
By doing this, you will be stopping the waste of resources in manufacturing, and will also help to cut down the transport and carbon costs of the supply chain.
Choose your personal-care wisely
For a truly eco-friendly lifestyle, you need to be careful with your hygiene products. Many products contain micro-beads, which are extremely damaging to our environment, as well as dangerous to several species by entering the food chain.
These small pieces of solid plastic are not biodegradable and will make their way into pipes and ultimately end up in our oceans. To avoid this, ensure that your body-wash, toothpaste, facial scrubs and other similar products do not contain micro-beads.
Continue to educate yourself
No matter how much you think you know about living sustainably and helping the environment, there is always something new to learn. Research ways to continuously improve your eco-friendly lifestyle and familiarise yourself with the important effects that these changes can make to our planet.
