Living sustainably isn’t as difficult as some people think! If you’re looking for directions on how to go about it, here are just nine simple steps you can take that will help your life become much more sustainable.
1. Wool dryer balls.
Dry your clothes without electricity by making wool dryer balls. These are easily made with some wool yarn and some pantyhose, which you form into balls by knotting the ends of the yarn after cutting it to size. You can also add a few drops of essential oil for scent—try lavender! Wash your laundry as usual but throw in half a dozen or so dryer balls before drying, instead of using fabric softener sheets. By using wool laundry balls you will help fluff the fabric, reduce static cling, and shorten drying time significantly. You’ll save quite a bit on energy cost this way too!
2. Grow some veggies at home.
It is easy and economical to grow your own vegetables at home. Even if you live in a small apartment, all you need is some space on the balcony or even on your windowsill! You can container-plant whatever veggies you like such as tomatoes (best for balconies), beans, carrots, lettuce, strawberries, and onions. Tomatoes do particularly well because they require very little ground area compared to other veggies. Simply add some compost into the containers before planting, and they’ll thrive without issues!
3. Reuse plastic bags.
Did you know that plastic bags can be reused at home? If you’re sick of always having to use new ones, simply wash them out and reuse them again. Alternatively, buy some reusable shopping bags instead of using plastic bags. This way, you’ll significantly reduce the number of plastic bags that end up in the environment, where they do serious harm to animals that mistake them for food or get tangled up by them. Recycle any too tattered or ripped ones, so they don’t have to go to landfill.
4. Driving less.
If you drive a lot during the day, why not consider leaving your car at home and walking or biking instead? This is great for exercise and can be much more economical than driving everywhere, too. If you live close enough to work, even better — it means you can always leave your car behind and walk or bike to work (if weather permits). You might even find that you like it! The fresh air and time spent in nature will do wonders for your stress levels, not to mention relieving traffic congestion too.
5. Use natural lighting as much as possible.
Natural light is free and abundant throughout daylight hours (unless it’s raining!), so make use of it every chance you get. If you need to use artificial lighting at some point, consider using energy-efficient LED bulbs instead of incandescent ones. These are up to 90% more energy efficient than regular old lightbulbs and last much longer too.
6. Turn appliances off at the powerpoint.
Even if you’re not using a particular appliance, it still uses up energy from your household electricity supply as long as it’s plugged into an electrical socket. To combat this, try to turn things off at the powerpoint when they’re not being used — remember that even chargers still use some power! If turning them off is impractical, try using a smart power strip instead — these automatically cut out power to all devices once one of them has been switched off (e.g., your computer). This way, you don’t have to worry about which electronic gadgets and appliances are drawing down your battery or mains electricity and which ones aren’t, and can simply concentrate on switching them all off when you go to bed.
7. Use less hot water.
Hot showers feel great, but they’re not very sustainable. If possible, install energy-efficient insulation for your hot water system to make the most of the heat produced; that’ll help you save up to half on your energy bill each month if done properly (not forgetting that it’ll also reduce greenhouse gas emissions too!) To minimize your shower’s environmental impact further, use an environmentally friendly shower cleaner instead of regular soap and shampoo. It can be tough to remember sometimes, but try incentivizing yourself by rewarding any efforts made with something like a relaxing herbal tea or even a massage if desired!
8. Have a more eco-friendly beauty routine.
Rather than using chemical-heavy beauty products that rely on petroleum for their ingredients, switch to natural products instead. They’re just as effective or even better in some cases, and they don’t have any negative impact on the environment when being produced, either. This way, you can have a gorgeous appearance without adding to environmental stress levels at the same time! You can easily find them online with a quick web search or in eco-conscious stores.
9. Make your own household cleaners.
You can make your own inexpensive green household cleaners by mixing up simple ingredients like vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, and lemon juice in old empty spray bottles or other containers. The good news is that they’re equally effective (if not more so) than their chemical-laden counterparts, plus they’re safe for pets and humans alike to use. They’ll even help unclog drains effectively, too! It’s the best of both worlds — ease of use on one hand and eco-friendliness on the other. Remember: if you don’t want to go through the hassle of making them yourself, there are some great online resources available where you can buy green cleaning products conveniently instead.
Why is being sustainable important?
Being sustainable is important because it allows us not to exhaust our resources for future generations. We must protect the environment and fight global warming, without compromising the quality of life that we enjoy today. There are thousands of simple ways to improve our lifestyle, but it all starts with awareness. Being more environmentally friendly and sustainable does not mean we have to give up everything we like, but it’s a matter of taking little steps in the right direction.
Sustainability is about living responsibly in order to protect money, resources, and the environment. We must fight against global warming and not deplete our resources for future generations. There are many ways to improve our lifestyle, but it all starts with awareness. We hope you consider some tips listed above.
