5 Things You Can Do To Live More Sustainably
Image courtesy of unsplash.com
These days, apart from Covid-19, it seems like the environment, sustainability, and climate change are all anyone ever wants to talk about. As Millennials and Gen-Z, demographics which are considerably more concerned about these issues, continue to come of age, more people, governments, and businesses are taking notice. With all this buzz, you might be wondering what you can do to live more sustainably. Here are just a few, of the hundreds of actions you can take to go green in your everyday life.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - In That Order
You’ve likely been hearing this since you were young, but the old saying still holds true today. What you might have forgotten about these three words is that their order has a purpose - you should act on them sequentially. It’s most impactful to reduce your consumption, but if you can’t, then try to reuse. While recycling is such a widely accepted topic, it takes a considerable amount of resources and is not an efficient process.
Because of this, reducing should always be top of mind. Notorious industries like fashion and electronics have us upgrading and replacing as much as possible, so be mindful of this first and foremost. If you simply can’t reduce, aim to make purchases that can be, or already are reused. For anything that won’t fit into these two categories, your last resort should be to recycle, or if you must, the dreaded trash bin.
Eat Locally and Eat Less Meat
The impact of food production on our environment is well known and this effect is only compounded when you consider the time it takes to get food from the producers to a global base of consumers. This means that, along with trying to eat more plant-based foods, which produce significantly less waste and consume a fraction of the resources that animal products do, it’s also important to look at where your food is being produced. Shopping locally, when possible, represents a great way to not only live more sustainably but also expand your cooking repertoire with seasonal ingredients you may not have considered before.
In addition, the amount of waste in the food industry is staggering with one article on CNN reporting, “the UN estimates annual global food waste at 1.3 billion tons, or around a $1 trillion, and says it ends up rotting in homes or on store shelves and can be directly linked to ‘poor transportation and harvesting practices’.” Simply being mindful of how much you buy and throw away can help reduce your footprint.
Commute Greener, Commute Together
Are you still driving your car to work? Why not get out and enjoy the weather throughout the warmer months by walking or biking to work? And if you don’t feel like shoveling off your rollerblades in the winter or biking in the rain, public transportation like streetcars, subways, and busses are the next best way to get around and reduce your carbon footprint.
If you absolutely must drive to work, consider carpooling to save on gas and save the environment at the same time. You might even want to go a step further and make your next vehicle purchase a more sustainable option like a hybrid or electric vehicle.
Avoid Passive Electricity Consumption
Did you know that about 50 devices and appliances in the typical household are constantly drawing power, even when not in use? Did you know that, according to the New York Times, this kind of passive energy use makes up about 25% of all residential energy consumption? That’s a lot of wasted energy and wasted money, and most of it is completely avoidable.
Even if you’re living with your parents and not footing the electrical bill, we all pay the price of using more energy eventually. Be sure to shut off lights throughout your house when not in use. Turn off devices and appliances where possible and even unplug them where possible to save money and cut down on this wasted energy.
Clean Greener
Have you ever wondered where your cleaning products go after you wash them away? What about the bottles they come in, or how much energy your current cleaning habits use? The answers to those questions would be, into our waterways, into our landfills, and a lot.
Common chemicals like nitrogen, ammonia, and phosphorus from cleaning products often make it through water treatment facilities, the bottles they’re sold in are difficult to recycle unless properly cleaned, and hot water has a huge impact on household energy consumption. To live more sustainably it’s important to consider these effects, and learn to clean greener by using eco-friendly cleaners, reusing cleaning containers, and washing cold whenever possible.
Even beyond the chemical issues, packaging and format play a large part in the carbon footprint of cleaners. There are an increasing number of cleaners and laundry detergents that are highly concentrated to reduce having to ship around water, or even pre-set dissolvable concentrates or strips to avoid plastic bottles. With a few Google or Amazon searches, you’ll find plenty of options.
Small Steps You Can Take Right Now To Live More Sustainably
Speak to Amazon’s Customer Service and tell them, from now on, you want all of your products shipped with minimal, sustainable packaging.
Buy a reusable water bottle, reusable grocery bags, and beeswax produce wraps.
Switch up your commute, get a metro card, or carpool with some of your favourite co-workers.
Plug devices and appliances into power bars and shut them off when not in use to avoid passive energy consumption.
Try making your own household cleaning products.