The world has a lot of big problems, and often we feel like we can’t do much about them. But there are many minor changes we can make to our lives to help do our little bit towards making things better. Living a more sustainable life with a constant view of our impact on the world is an excellent approach for this, and here are ten ideas on how you can start doing this today.
1. Cut back on animal products
Cutting back on animal products doesn’t mean you need to become a vegan (unless you want to). But by cutting back on animal products can help make you live a more sustainable life. That’s because it takes a lot of resources to produce those animal products – one gallon of milk uses 2000 gallons of water due to the amount of feed that the cow needs. Plus, by eating a more balanced diet, you may find yourself generally healthier and less need healthcare resources.
2. Filter your tap water and drink it
This doesn’t apply to all parts of the world but if you live somewhere that you can filter the tap water and drink it, then do this. This saves money on buying bottled water and cuts back on the waste – landfill sites are a massive problem, so every item you don’t send is good.
3. Unplug unused appliances
Many appliances use a dribble of electricity when plugged in, even if they aren’t doing anything. By unplugging them when not in use, you not only save a little money on your electricity bill but help cut back on demand for fossil fuel created power resources.
4. Start car sharing
A car-sharing pool in your area can be a great way to cut down on costs around travel and can be fun as well. Talk to people in your area to see where they work and if you can share cars with them or them with you.
5. Use public transport
Public transport has seen cut back in many places, but there are still many areas with a good network, especially in the cities. So if you can use public transport to get to work, the shops or anywhere else, try to do it. This cuts back on car use and all the pollution and fossil fuel use associated with it.
6. Use those stairs
Using the stairs has a couple of benefits. Not only does it get that extra little bit of exercise into your routine, but it also saves on the energy needed to run the escalator or elevator. These take a lot of power to run, and if people used them only when they needed to, this could save on electricity and, therefore, fossil fuel use. Plus, if you use the stairs a lot, you could save on a gym membership!
7. Turn off the water while brushing teeth
Water waste is a big problem, and one of the top causes of wasted water is when we brush our teeth. So when you have used the water and are doing the brushing, turn off the tap. You can even catch some water in the sink if you need to refresh the brush. Then turn it back on to rinse the brush and the sink.
8. Switch to LED light bulbs
Conventional light bulbs waste around 95% of the power that they use. New LED light bulbs are more expensive to buy and also far more energy-efficient. Depending on how much you use them, they also last much longer – some as much as 25 years.
9. Try to buy second hand
There are some things we need to buy new, but there are others where an excellent second-hand option can be more cost-effective. Plus, this helps live a sustainable life because you are saving something from going to the landfill site. Do the same when clearing out things – offer them to people on swap sites or Facebook groups rather than send them to the landfill.
10. Try a reel lawnmower
A reel lawn mower does not use any electricity or battery and is very simple to use. They may need a little more effort than electric mowers, so it might not work for everyone, but it can be worth considering it if you can. And they do a great job of cutting the lawn!
Conclusion
These are just ten examples of ways you can live a sustainable life and cut back on the resources that you use. If everyone put two into action, the difference on the planet would be huge. So which two could you start with?