7 Tips and Tricks to Living a More Sustainable Lifestyle
Wednesday, August 26, 2020 12:02:00 PM America/Los_Angeles
Adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle has never been more critical. Not only will changing up your usual routine help the planet, but it’s healthier for you, too! We’ve come up with a few sustainable lifestyle tips to incorporate into your everyday life while decreasing your own carbon footprint. If we weren’t social distancing in the age of Covid, we might suggest carpooling or taking public transportation, but the risk of transmission is far too high. Instead, we’ll suggest things you can do from the safety of your own home.
Use either/or all-natural, locally sourced, and eco-friendly products and produce.
Farmer’s Markets mean locally grown produce, even if its a little pricey. When you go into regular retail stores, keep your eyes peeled for 100% recycled or glass packaging, free-range and grass-fed meats, products made with organic ingredients devoid of harmful chemicals, etc. If you have a dog and want an eco-friendly, reusable, and biodegradable indoor potty option that you can use up to sixty times and throw away with a clean conscience afterward, Bark Potty is a great option for you. Bark Potty also has a ton of great sustainability initiatives. Another great item for pet owners who are learning how to live sustainably is the Greenwell Pet subscription box which comes with a number of all-natural, eco-friendly toys and treats.
When using the recycling bin, ensure that you’re following all recycling guidelines when you dispose of recyclables.
If they aren’t recycled properly, they go straight to the landfill, so when you use the blue bin, make sure it counts.
Reuse things like glass jars, plastic containers, and worn clothing instead of buying new products.
Turn glass sauce jars into storage containers or drinking glasses. Use plastic take out containers to
Photo by Victoria Palacios
save money on Tupperware. Cut up clothing that is
falling apart and turn it into cleaning rags.
Buy and consign gently used items instead of buying new ones.
This goes the other way, too. Don’t throw away lightly worn clothes or products when they go out of style or when you simply don’t want them anymore. Donate or resell them instead by using a platform like eBay or Poshmark. These are particularly great because they have mobile apps that you can use to shop and sell your gently used items with ease. The best part is you don’t even have to leave your house.
Plant vegetables and fruit.
If going to farmer’s markets isn’t your speed and you have the space for it, try planting a little garden of your own in your backyard. Just make sure you do your research about which vegetables and fruits can grow where you live. Not only does this take you out of a carbon-emitting supply chain, but you’ll save a lot of money year over year.
Compost food waste.
Why throw away your banana peels and coffee grinds when you can use them to fertilize your yard? This will cut down on the amount of food waste in landfills while enriching soil for your grass and maybe even for that groovy little vegetable garden we mentioned before. You can even compost the used bark from your Bark Potty!
Conserve energy and water.
Turn off lights when you leave rooms, unplug appliances that aren’t in use. Take short showers, and don’t leave the water running if you don’t absolutely need to. Install water-efficient and energy-saving appliances. Fix any leaky pipes. If you have a garden or fresh grass in your yard, installing an energy-efficient irrigation system will go a long way to helping you reduce your footprint.