According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), sustainable living is defined as “ways of living, social behaviors, and choices that minimize environmental degradation (use of natural resources, CO2 emissions, waste, and pollution) while supporting equitable socio-economic development and better quality of life for all.”
While living a sustainable life may not be the easiest choice, it’s important for the health of the planet. With just a few simple habits and lifestyle or mindset changes, you can be on your way to a more sustainable lifestyle.
Habits to Encourage Sustainable Living
While there are countless ways to encourage sustainable living in your life, we’ll discuss 10 main ways that you can implement eco-friendly habits into your daily routines:
- Ditch the plastic. According to Plastic Oceans, humans produce over 380 million tons of plastic each year, with 50% of that production being for single-use purposes, like straws, grocery bags, silverware, bottles, and more. To cut down on your plastic usage, skip single-use items and, instead, opt to bring your own reusable options. Bring reusable grocery bags with you to the store, say no to a plastic straw at a restaurant, and bring your own reusable water bottle to work.
- Skip fast fashion. According to Earth.org, 100 billion items of clothing are produced each year, even though the average person only wears 20% of their clothes 80% of the time. Fast fashion encourages individuals to purchase even more clothes by making them exceedingly cheap and producing low-quality clothing. While it may be cheaper up front, fast fashion clothes will quickly fall apart, causing a need to buy more. To opt for a more sustainable lifestyle, skip fast fashion and purchase high-quality, responsibly-made items that will last for years to come. If money is an issue, shopping for clothes second-hand is always a sustainable option.
- Drive less. It’s no surprise that driving is bad for the environment. According to National Geographic, vehicular emissions produce one-third of air pollution in the U.S. When possible, consider switching to a more sustainable form of transportation. For short trips, try walking or biking to your destination. If you need to go further, look into your city’s public transportation options, like a bus or subway, or carpool to your destination with a friend or two. Simple changes like these can help reduce air pollution.
- Reduce, reuse, recycle. While not a new phrase, it’s still important! To reduce, cut back on the amount of food or products that you purchase, especially items that are single-use or come in wasteful packaging. To reuse, find new uses for items you already have before throwing them away. For example, save your glass pasta sauce jar to reuse as a drinking glass. To recycle, search for a recycling center near your home and familiarize yourself with what can be recycled and how it needs to be done.
- Eat less meat. Meat production has significant environmental repercussions. It takes large amounts of land and water to produce meat, and the meat industry contributes to high amounts of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. While you don’t have to forgo meat entirely, consider limiting it in your diet. Switch to plant-based proteins (like beans, nuts, and seeds), try meat substitutions (like tofu or plant-based meats), or implement a “meatless Monday” in your household.
- Try composting. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, composting is “the natural process of recycling organic matter, such as leaves and food scraps, into a valuable fertilizer that can enrich soil and plants.” Composting can improve soil health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and help recycle nutrients. To learn more about how to implement composting at home, head to the NRDC’s website.
- Opt for cold water. According to Energy.gov, water heating accounts for 18% of a home’s energy usage. Decreasing heater usage can lower your family’s heating bill and help your home be more environmentally-friendly. While you may be against taking a cold shower, simple changes, such as washing your clothes in cold water and turning down the thermostat on your water heater, can make a big difference in your way of living.
- Conserve water. While we’re on the topic of water, limiting your water consumption can also encourage a more sustainable way of life. To help conserve water, try to implement these changes into your everyday life: collect rainwater to use for your lawn or plants, shorten your showers by a few minutes, use a dishwasher instead of washing by hand, and only run the washer when you have a full load of clothes.
- Shop second-hand. The easiest way to encourage a sustainable life is to shop second-hand when possible. Creating new products requires additional energy and natural resources, which can be saved when you purchase something that has already been made and used. There are already so many clothes, kitchen appliances, furniture, and other products on the planet, and buying them second-hand can save them from the landfill. Not to mention that shopping cheaper second-hand prices can save your wallet, too!
- Appreciate what you have. At the end of the day, the most sustainable choice is to use the clothes in your closet, the car you already drive, and the furniture already in your house. Take good care of your items to help extend their quality of life. If something breaks, opt to fix it rather than throwing it out or replacing it. A simple mindset shift like this is one of the easiest ways to live a sustainable life.
Eco-friendly Products
While habits like these can help you live a more sustainable life, it’s also important to buy eco-friendly products that will support your way of life. If you’re looking to live your life in a more environmentally-friendly manner, take a look at the products below for your kitchen, bathroom, and other areas of your home.
Kitchen
- Dishwasher Detergent Tablets: Blueland offers plastic-free dishwasher detergent pods that are designed to be “tough on stains, but gentle on the planet.” These eco-friendly pods are made with certified clean ingredients, have no plastic film, and arrive in compostable paper packaging, perfect for supporting sustainable living.
- Reusable Beeswax Food Wraps: For the lovers of leftovers among us, consider wrapping your food in reusable beeswax food wraps instead of wasteful, single-use plastic wrap. These sustainable wraps are all natural, made with organic cotton, beeswax, organic plant oil, and tree resin. These wraps come in packs of three, and can be used for up to a year with proper care. Once their use comes to an end, they can be composted or used as a fire starter, further showing how eco-friendly this product is.
- Bamboo Dish Brush Set: This bamboo brush set is plastic free, plant based, and biodegradable, and it includes a bamboo scrubber, coconut straw brush, sisal bottle brush, and loofah sponge—everything you need to tackle your home’s dirty dishes.
Bathroom
- Betterway Bamboo Toilet Paper: This tree-free toilet paper is made from 100% bamboo, specifically responsibly-sourced bamboo from a FSC certified, panda-free zone. These rolls are dye, scent, and BPA free, and they arrive in plastic-free, biodegradable packaging.
- Toilet Bowl Cleaner Strips: These toilet cleaning strips negate the need for clunky plastic bottles that will end up in the landfill. Simply drop one of the dye and fragrance-free strips into the toilet, and get to cleaning! These strips are septic safe, and they’re designed with a low carbon footprint in mind.
- Soap Bag: These soap bags are made from natural sisal fibers, an environmentally-friendly material. These soap savers feature no plastic, are skin-friendly, and they can help extend the life of your soap bars while also providing exfoliation.
Miscellaneous
- Reusable Gel Lint Roller: Regular lint rollers create waste with their single-use sticky sheets. This gel lint roller, on the other hand, can be used again and again, with no waste to be found. After using the roller, simply wash the lint off with water, making the lint roller look brand new.
- Wool Dryer Balls: These reusable dryer balls are made of 100% New Zealand high-quality wool. Eliminating the use for single-use dryer sheets, these wool dryer balls are reusable for over 1,000 loads, and they may help reduce your drying time by up to 40%.
- Charlie’s Soap Laundry Powder: To avoid plastic bottles of laundry detergent, try this eco-friendly laundry powder. With over 300 loads per bag, this fragrance-free laundry powder can help you save the planet and your wallet. Charlie’s Soap is hypoallergenic and septic safe.
