Every day we make choices in our lives that affect the environment. From what we eat, what we purchase and how we act. There’s a lot we can do to live more sustainably and reduce our environmental footprint to leave a better environment for ourselves and for generations to come.
People are starting to come around to the idea that we need to become more sustainable to protect the Earth. This doesn’t mean you should only eat vegetables and start riding a bike everywhere. Although you could try consuming less meat and only driving when necessary. It’s small changes like these which could help you lessen your environmental impact.
Sustainable living involves reducing the amount of Earth’s resources that you use to help protect it.
There are a number of ways you can do this, including limiting the amount of energy you use, using eco-friendly products and changing your diet – but I’ll talk more about that later!
In a nutshell, to live a sustainable lifestyle you should try to have as little of an impact on the Earth as possible, while also trying to replace the resources you do use.
Why is living sustainably important?
Sustainability improves the quality of our lives, protects our ecosystem and preserves natural resources for future generations. As a whole, sustainable living is important for life itself to continue for us as humans. Individually, the more you live sustainably, the more you realize how much it can actually support your own personal happiness.
TIPS HOW TO:
By using less energy, you can help to reduce carbon emissions. There are a number of ways you can save energy at home, including switching off standby appliances, turning your heating down and hanging clothes to dry instead of using a drier.
The production of meat is one of the biggest contributors to climate change and the pollution of landscapes and waterways. By eating less of it, you can help to reduce the impact the meat industry has on the Earth.
Single-use products, particularly plastic ones, tend to end up in landfill and the ocean, causing harm to wildlife and the environment. Prevent this by choosing to use reusable and eco-friendly alternatives instead.
To avoid wasting paper, choose to receive letters over email and only print off documents if necessary. You could also ask shops to email you your receipt instead of printing it off.
If possible, consider powering your home using renewable energy to reduce the amount of carbon emissions you produce. Replacing your petrol or diesel-fuelled car with an electric one would also help to achieve this!
Make sure you’re recycling by putting your rubbish in the correct bins. Also, try to reuse products and items as many times as possible before binning them to reduce waste.
If you don’t use a product or wear a piece of clothing anymore, give it to a charity shop or someone you know would make use of it to help reduce waste.
Walk or ride a bike to your destination instead of driving if it’s close enough – it’s better for the environment and your health. Using public transport is another good way to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
9. Wear sustainable clothing
The fashion industry is one of the main polluting industries in the world. To lessen the impact this industry has on the planet, you could buy more of your clothes from charity shops and sustainable clothing outlets.
When a product has been Fairtrade certified it means it has been produced by a company committed to sustainable production. Keep an eye out for the Fairtrade mark on the packaging of products you buy.