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Last Updated on December 7, 2023
We’re all starting to wake up to the fact that our planet needs some help. But how do we start to implement eco-friendly living practices into our daily lives? Fortunately there are many ways to do so, whether you’re looking for simple life hacks to more comprehensive ways to be sustainable.
This article is going to look at how to embrace eco-friendly living in a number of different ways. Find out how to cover the environmental basics and make large life changes to support the planet.
It’s The Little Things
You don’t have to change your whole lifestyle to be more sustainable. There are a number of different ways you can go green without spending lots of money or time. Read on to find out about the simple little things you can do to make a big difference to our planet.
Get Rid Of The Paper
Going paperless can make a big difference to the world around you. It’s as simple as switching your bills to electronic ones, and reducing the amount you print out. If you own a business, taking these initiatives also means that you can reduce your carbon footprint.
On average, people use about 59 trees worth of paper each year. So going paperless can save nearly 60 trees! Over a lifetime, that’s almost 5,000 trees. That’s a forest’s worth of paper. So this small step can make a huge difference to combating deforestation and reducing the impact of climate change.
Get Energy Saving Bulbs
Energy saving bulbs last longer than regular bulbs. They are about 80% more efficient and last up to six times as long. This means that we are using less energy to run our homes. You’re also reducing the amount of materials that need to be made to create the bulbs. Using too much energy means that more carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is one of the direct contributors to climate change.
Become Self-Sufficient
Growing your own food takes several unsustainable steps out of food production. By creating your own fruits and vegetables, you’re reducing the amount of fuel used to transport food, the amount of packaging created, and the amount of food waste produced. If you don’t have a garden, consider investing in an allotment for an environmentally friendly way to grow your own food. You’ll also save money in the long run when you spend less money on food each time you go shopping.
Support Local
The closer a business is to your home, the less fuel is used to get it from point A to B. Supporting local ultimately helps you to reduce your carbon footprint and also helps smaller and more eco-friendly businesses thrive and grow. Support your local farmers and visit restaurants that also help local produce growers and artisans thrive.
Doing More
If you’re keen to truly embrace eco-friendly living, you can do a few larger steps to support your journey to a more sustainable life. Consider the below to start on your journey to becoming more eco-friendly.
Start Your Own Eco-Friendly Business
Do you want to start an eCommerce business? Why not make it a sustainable one? Source sustainable products or curate content that encourages people to be more environmentally conscious. You might want to sell organic clothing, cosmetics, or foods, or even energy-efficient appliances.
If you are launching an eco-friendly business online, make it a human-friendly one too. You could learn how to add live chat to a website to engage your customers. You could even create a blog on your site that outlines your own journey towards sustainable living. Try to engage with your customers and readers as much as possible to highlight how beneficial an eco-friendly life can be.
Change Your Diet
Changing what you eat can have a huge impact on the world around you. You might want to consider plant-based, or all-natural diets and see where you can take the opportunity to conserve the environment. There is no perfect diet to follow here, as many people follow specific diets for health reasons, and there is no diet that is completely sustainable.
The paleo diet might offer a good solution for people looking to eat more sustainably. The paleo diet focuses on eating foods that in the past could be obtained by hunting and gathering. There are many fun dishes like paleo fried chicken that can be enjoyed while on the paleo diet, so you don’t feel like you’re depriving yourself. The paleo diet is also a good choice for people looking to be more environmentally conscious, as it focuses on foods our ancestors could naturally obtain in the wild.
Support An Eco-Friendly Charity
There are lots of environmental charities out there that need your support to save the planet. Think of Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Rainforest Alliance and the World Wide Fund For Nature. Take the time to support these charities either with your time or money. They run many events and campaigns throughout the year you can get involved in.
Don’t Have Time To Be Eco-Friendly? Do The Basics.
Don’t have the time to review your lifestyle? If you’re struggling to make time for sustainability, consider these basic steps you can take to create a life that protects the planet. As an added incentive, these micro tasks can also help you save money.
Turn Off Lights
It’s as simple as turning off lights when you’re not in the room. You’ll see your energy bill improve too. The less energy you use, the less harmful pollutants are released into the atmosphere. Make sure items like TVs are fully turned off and not left on standby, as this still uses small levels of energy.
Read The Energy Rating When Buying New Products (or Homes)
Do you usually read the energy rating on your new TV, fridge, or electrical items? Look at how energy efficient items are before you buy them. The same goes for buying a new house. Most surveyors or estate agents will include an energy efficiency label with the property pack.
Homes with HERS ratings are a great indicator of how energy efficient a property is. HERS ratings were set up by the charity the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET). 3 million homes in the US now come with a HERS rating. The lower the rating, the more energy efficient the homes.
Manage Your Portions
Managing your portions is a great way to minimize food waste. You can take simple steps to carry out portion control, like using smaller dishes, or plates. The more food produced, the greater the amount of packaging and fuel emissions it takes to transport and preserve food. It also leads to more food and containers going into landfills and increasing carbon dioxide emissions.
Studies show that we waste over 68 million meals a year in the US alone. 66% of the meals that we waste are potentially editable. Managing portion control is a small way to make sure that you’re not contributing to that statistic.
If you’re struggling with portion control, another simple step is to buy less food. Go to the shops more, but buy less. That way you have less food in your cupboards to physically consume.
Bring Bags When You Go Shopping
How often do you get to the checkout to find you are lacking a bag? Plastic bags are produced in non-sustainable ways. They also don’t degrade properly, so can sit in landfill sites for a long time. Even recyclable bags take energy to produce. Save on the amount that goes into landfill by taking your own bags with you when you go shopping.
Basics Sound Complicated? The Ultimate Lazy Guide To Eco-Friendly Living
If you’re reading this and think that even the basics sound hard, try these ultimate lazy tips for sustainable living.
Don’t Wash The Dishes
Washing the dishes and using a dishwasher uses up high volumes of water. Wash your dishes less to be more environmentally friendly without lifting a finger. You can also extend this to showering less to save water waste there too.
Buy Foods You Don’t Have To Chew
Want to be more environmentally friendly? Buy plant-based foods that are easier to chew. Meat production leads to deforestation, so buying less meat can help. It also makes it easier to eat your food.
Mow The Lawn Less
Mowing the lawn removes some of the plant-life that supports nature, like bees. Mowing the lawn less creates a more bee-friendly environment. It also saves you an hour on your weekend. What’s not to love?
Plant Trees Via Your Phone
Some apps plant trees on your behalf, and boost your productivity, too. Forest App plants a tree for every half an hour you spend on your phone. Try to stop being lazy and help the environment at the same time.
Eco-Friendly Living Is Fun
Eco-friendly living goes beyond our duty to help the planet. It can be fun, too. You may also see an improvement in your health, a reduction in your energy bill, and more hours available in your day. Try these simple and engaging tips to embrace eco-friendly living and see your life start to change for the better today.
