Last updated on March 18th, 2023 at 12:48 am
I wanted to offer a few simple sustainable living ideas that are easy to implement. Climate change is a big issue and it’s only getting bigger.
These days, we’re seeing more natural disasters than ever before and the effects of this phenomenon are becoming more and more evident in our everyday lives.
It can seem like the global crisis is an insurmountable problem that needs to be addressed immediately.
But what if I told you that there are five easy ways to make sustainable living changes where you live?
Sustainable living ideas don’t have to be difficult or expensive; they just need to work with your lifestyle while also helping future generations.
10 Sustainable Living Ideals
- Plant trees
- Ride your bike or walk instead of taking cars
- Unplug electronics when they’re not in use
- Buy organic food and sustainable products
- Recycle and compost as much as possible
- Plant a garden to reduce your reliance on grocery stores
- Reduce your meat intake
- Install
solar panels to generate your electricity - Switch to LED light bulbs for energy efficiency
- Use less water by installing low-flow faucets
Plant Trees
Simply planting trees can have a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Planting trees will result in the absorption of greenhouse gases that are produced. This helps to combat greenhouse gasses.
A recent study done in China showed that planting 30 million trees could offset the greenhouse gasses produced by cars over a single year!
According to another study. By planting more than a half-trillion trees, the authors say, we could capture about 205 gigatons of carbon (a gigaton is 1 billion metric tons), reducing atmospheric carbon by about 25 percent.
That’s enough to cancel out 20 years of human-caused carbon emissions at present rates, or half of all carbon released by humans since 1960.
Ride your bike or walk instead of taking cars
Riding your bike or walking to your destination can not only help the environment, but it can also help your health!
When fossil fuels are burned in cars, they create harmful emissions that pollute the air. Walking or riding your bike instead of taking a car is a great way to jumpstart your sustainable lifestyle and stay healthy.
More cities are recognizing that people want to live a more sustainable life, and are creating bike lanes and walkable neighborhoods. If your city doesn’t have these features yet, why not suggest them to your local government?
Unplug electronics when they’re not in use
There are many phantom loads of electricity being consumed by devices that are plugged in but not actively being used.
According to the U.S Department of Energy, this can account for up to 20% of energy consumption!
So what you want to do is unplug your laptop charger when it’s fully charged and put a power strip with an on/off switch near your entertainment center so that TVs and Blu-ray players can be turned off completely rather than on standby.
Also, look to see if your TVs have special energy savings modes that can be set in the menus that will turn off and reduce energy use.
Consider installing an energy monitor like the popular Sense Energy Monitor. This will help you become more energy-aware and see energy usage.
Buy organic and sustainable products
The next time you go to the grocery store consider looking at the organic labels as part of a sustainable lifestyle.
Buying organic products helps the environment by cutting down on energy usage through the production and transportation of large amounts of produce.
Packaging is another consideration when it comes to zero waste in the environmental sustainability of our world.
Landfills are filling up quickly and many times the packaging from our everyday products is not recyclable.
A great way to combat this is by purchasing sustainable products that come in sustainable packaging.
You can find bamboo toothbrushes, for example, that come without any plastic packaging and are biodegradable.
Recycle food waste and compost as much as possible
One way to achieve less waste start composting food waste. About a third of food in the United States is wasted annually, and composting food waste can divert it from landfills where it creates methane emissions.
Methane is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. Compost also helps to create healthy soil that sequesters carbon emissions.
Reduce food waste by planning your meals and grocery shopping, eating leftovers, and composting your own food scraps.
Plant a garden to reduce your reliance on stores
Part of living a sustainable lifestyle is to become more self-reliant on your food source.
One way to do this is by planting a garden. You can plant vegetables, fruits, and herbs in your backyard or on your balcony.
Not only will you have fresh produce to eat, but you will also be reducing the amount of food that needs to be transported from faraway places.
Growing organically without the need for dangerous pesticides is also better for the environment.
Reduce your meat intake
A diet high in meat consumption has a large carbon footprint.
Livestock farming is responsible for 14.51% of global greenhouse gas emissions, which is more than all transportation combined.
Eating less meat or even becoming a vegetarian or vegan can make a big difference in the fight against global warming.
For some people giving up meat totally might be a big ask but even reducing the amount of meat intake can make a significant difference when it comes to our environmental sustainability.
Install solar panels to generate your electricity
One of the best ways to reduce your reliance on fossil fuels is to install
In addition, installing
Be sure and take advantage of any rebate or tax credits your location may offer. Sometimes those credits can greatly offset the expanse of installing
Switch to LED light bulbs to reduce your carbon footprint
LED light bulbs use 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs. They also emit no heat, making them perfect for bedrooms and nurseries.
LED bulbs are much cheaper now and some can integrate with smart home technology to have more control. This ensures you never leave a light on when not needed, saving money on electricity and reducing waste.
Use less water by installing low-flow faucets
Fresh drinking water is one of the most precious natural resources that must be protected. Installing low-flow faucets and showerheads can help reduce the amount of water you use each day.
You can save up to 700 gallons of water per month by making this simple switch. Take shorter showers and turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth.
Educate yourself and your family about climate change
The best way to combat climate change is by educating yourself and your family about it.
Learn what you can do to reduce your carbon footprint by switching to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Talk to your friends and neighbors about the importance of taking action.
We all have a role to play to practice sustainable living for our future.
Final Thoughts
Sustainable living can be achieved by taking some simple steps. Some of the most important sustainable living ideas to consider are composting to reduce waste, reducing your meat intake (or becoming a vegetarian or vegan), and installing solar panels.
These three actions alone will greatly reduce one’s carbon footprint while also helping save money and protect natural resources.
There are many more ways you can make small changes that lead to big impacts for our future generations; check out these 10 sustainable living tips!
