6 Simple Ways to Live a More Sustainable Life
How often do you spare a thought to reduce your carbon footprint? We often tend to forget that our actions impact our beautiful planet and that Mother Earth does not just belong to us humans. That begs the question, “How to live more sustainably?”
Living a sustainable life is not as challenging as you would imagine… To ensure that we make deliberate, earth-friendly choices, we need to seek out fresh ways to go green, helping to unfold a new human consciousness and to create a positive and sustainable future. To help you get started, here are 6 simple ways to live a more sustainable life.
- Nifty Thrifty
Do you find yourself wearing the latest clothing trends, using the newest version of Apple’s popular phone, or driving a late model car ~ all to keep up with ever-increasing lifestyle standards? Intelligent advertisements are adept at targeting our insecurities… which translates to having a premium company’s brand value elevate our social status. It’s about time we lose these silly notions, don’t you think?
Thrift is at the heart of understanding how to live more sustainably. I.e. a thrifty lifestyle, with frugality running as a theme across all its dimensions is the need of the hour. It can start now. Repair things instead of having them replaced, look at expanding a product’s usable life in a creative way, switch to renewable energy, ensure food and water are not wasted… you get the idea. It’s time to understand, appreciate and integrate thrift into your life.
- Personal Grooming
I know what you are thinking… Learning how to live more sustainably should not come at the cost of sacrificing your personal hygiene, right? But guess what, these eco-friendly alternatives to your hygiene products are just as good as your plastic counterparts.
- Toothbrush: Billions of plastic toothbrushes are disposed of every year ~ imagine its adverse impact on the environment. Time to grab a bamboo toothbrush! It will deliver the same quality of cleaning and once it reaches the end of its life, its biodegradable handle can be composted thereby reducing the environmental pollution.
- Razor: Like toothbrushes, razors too come with bamboo handles making them recyclable and sustainable. Another alternative would be to use razors where the heads or blades can be replaced.
- Makeup wipes/cotton pads: It is estimated that more than 20 million single-use cleaning wipes are trashed every day. That’s a lot! Thankfully, many makeup brands offer reusable makeup remover cotton pads for an eco-friendly beauty routine. A flannel would suffice for most uses, though.
- Stay Aloof from Toxins
News of an oil spill or a toxic gas leakage causes an intense feeling of fear. But little do we realise that we are subjected to toxic exposure daily. Our household cleaning products, air purifiers, furniture polish and stains etc. are all stipulated under government regulations ~ however, prolonged exposure to such common indoor pollutants can feed on our good health.
Learning about the contents of these products and knowing their detrimental effects is an excellent place to turn things around. Also, consider the {safer} natural substitutes. Did you know that vinegar, baking soda, and lemon can combine to make a great cleaning solution? Why don’t you discover more such alternatives and stay out of harm’s way?
- Beans for Burgers
Our food habits are a significant contributor to global GHG emissions which negatively impact the environment. If you compare eating meat-based meals to its plant counterparts, the former puts a real strain on the environment in multiple ways. The chemicals needed for long term preservation, land use, eutrophication, etc., makes it undesirable for both human beings and the environment. However, suggesting the world turns to veganism is impractical and unfair to those who actually enjoy a diverse diet that includes meat. So, how to live more sustainably with the right food culture?
Well, you can start with replacing one meat-based meal in a weak with a plant-based one. If the collective consciousness of society follows this lead, there would be a significant reduction in the amount of carbon our food is producing, for a more sustainable 2021.
- Reduce Food Miles
Many of the food items you buy at grocery stores have travelled a long way to reach you ~ via inter-state trucks or railway trips, ocean-liners or flights ~ leaving some carbon footprint. When you make a conscious choice to buy locally grown products, you are reducing these food miles, and thus saving gaseous emissions.
Add to it, the fact that local products often come devoid of preservation chemicals, since they are not expected to be stored for an extended period. Many of them are organic, pesticide-free, farm-fresh, and hence more nutritious. It’s a win-win-win situation. You, the local producer, and the environment have only things to gain from this symbiotic relationship.
- Burn Calories, Not Fuel
Observe personal transportation on the roads. I dare say a good share is filled to 20 per cent of its capacity; in other words, it’s the driver alone!
Since transportation is a significant contributor to GHG emissions, make an environmentally-friendly decision to change your commutation habits. If your destination {office, shopping mall, etc.} is located not too far from your residence, consider walking or cycling. Why spent extra time at the gym when you can integrate exercises as a part of your transport to get from point A to point B? Let’s burn some calories and not gasoline. Fancy buying a four-wheeler? How about checking out electric options? And if either doesn’t work for you, and your destination is considerably far, consider opting for public transportation. Forty people in one bus is a lot greener than 40 people in 40 cars.
To conclude: How to live more sustainably is not about abandoning the conveniences, but it’s more about being conscious about the consumption of resources. You might question the effectiveness of small individual contributions, but it is these baby steps that lead up to significant change. Whether a bus ride here or a vegetarian dish there, a conscientious effort towards changing habits and becoming more environmentally aware, is a positive step towards preserving our planet.
What other ways can we enact change? Please share your thoughts with me in the comments below.