Are you looking for ways to live more sustainably? Are you ready to reduce your environmental footprint to create a sustainable future for generations to come? If so, I’m here to share 4 ways you can easily achieve that. Living a lifestyle that encourages you to be mindful of your consumption starts with a few simple changes. With some practice, you’ll begin to get into the habit of reducing your consumption and find it much easier to make better choices for you, your family, and the environment.
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1) Invest in Reusable Items The amount of waste we accumulate just from single use plastics is astounding. The Yale Ledger states that each plastic bag is used for a mere 12 minutes on average before it becomes waste. Rather than contributing to our global waste problem, let’s invest in reusable items that we can use for years to come. Some simple swaps include tote bags for shopping and groceries, a stainless-steel tumbler for hot or cold beverages, and reusable containers for lunch and snacks.
A straw with our iced coffee, a plastic bag to carry our takeout, a wrapper on a candy bar: taken individually, each seems harmless. These modern conveniences are so ubiquitous—and so quickly thrown out—that they hardly register in our minds. Our plastic addiction is having a devastating impact on our oceans, our wildlife, and our health.
nrdc, Single-use plastics 101.
2) Fix What You Have We all love convenience, but it comes at a cost. It’s becoming easier to replace our belongings rather than reusing or repairing what we already have. This can be a piece of furniture, clothing, or appliance. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “making a new product emits greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change and requires a lot of materials and energy – raw materials must be extracted from the earth, and the product must be fabricated then transported to wherever it will be sold.” As a result, the most effective way to save natural resources and to protect our environment is by reducing our waste consumption and reusing what you already have whenever possible.
3) Show Your Support Advocate for ocean-friendly legislation and support organizations by donating your time, money, or supplies to raise awareness. One of my favorite organizations is . 4ocean is a global ocean cleanup operation that has recovered millions of pounds of trash from the oceans, rivers, and coastlines. With any purchase from their , you can easily show your support from anywhere in the world. You can choose from beautiful jewelry that’s made from recovered plastics, show your support with their apparel, or get yourself some reusable items such as tote bags, water bottles, and more. Get 20% off your order with promo code HDC20. To learn more about 4ocean’s mission to end the ocean plastic crisis, visit my post here.
The most effective way to reduce waste is not to create it in the first place.
Environmental protection agency.
4) Think Before Buying If you spend a lot of time on social media, you’ll agree that there are product placements everywhere, so it’s no surprise that so many of us are guilty of impulse buys. To prevent impulse purchases, which often end up in the landfill, I’ve started to keep a mental note and bookmark the product that I want and come back to it several days later. By this time, I’ve already lost interest in the product. The next time you feel an impulse to purchase something, I highly recommend the bookmarking method. You’ll not only save a ton of money, but you won’t have products lying around that end up in the landfill.
There are so many ways to live more sustainably that doesn’t require you to spend a ton of money to show your support. Simple tips such as repairing what you have, buying with intention, and supporting organizations are all great ways to get started. Have you tried any of these methods to live a more sustainable lifestyle? Are there any tips you’d like to share? If so, I’d love to hear your thoughts. For more eco-friendly posts, visit my tag here.
These are great suggestions and I defintiely agree it’s good to invest in reusable items and fixing items we have instead of replacing them. I also vouch for bookmarking items you want instead of buying them right away because most of the time I go back to the bookmark, I don’t want it anymore.
I’m so glad to hear the bookmarking method has been helpful for you too! I can’t count the number of times I’ve felt relief because I didn’t end up spending money on something that I wanted a week ago. Thank you for reading Karalee!
Your smart and timely tips for investing in reusable items and fixing old items also give us the added benefit of saving money!
Thank you Heidi! It’s really a win for everyone!
Ooo, love these ideas! I’m trying so hard to be a lot more sustainable, especially the past couple of years. Things like shampoo bars and such to cut down on plastic and reusable straws, make up pads, reusable swabs and more are such an easy swap to make as well. I also tend to upcycle things now instead of throwing away, so many things you can do.
Those are great swaps! You never realize how much plastic we use in the bathroom until you start replacing them with shampoo/conditioning bars, makeup pads, etc! Thank you for reading Jordanne!
Thank you for so many great tips to becomes more sustainable. I’m really trying to eliminate plastics in my household – we’re slowly getting there.
That’s great to hear Jodie! Small changes make a big difference. Thank you for reading!
“Fix what you have” has to be my favorite tip off this wonderful list! So much can be fixed or repurposed with just a little creativity, and it definitely pays to think before buying as well. 🙂
100%! It’s always fun getting in touch with your creative side for repairs and DIYs. Thank you for reading Jaya!
I love these tips. I have a ways to go to get better at this.
Thank you Wendy! You’ll get there!
Thinking before spending is a must for us now. Before we buy anything we ask, are we going to use this? We’ve done it with groceries as well, asking ourselves if we can guarantee using it before the expiration date. Our best advice for people who buy something and don’t use it is always donate.
Yes, food waste is a huge one! Asking yourself if you’re able to use it before the expiration date is a great idea. Thank you for reading and great advice for donating!
Thanks for all the great ideas! We’ve been reusing bags at the grocery story this year instead of using plastic. We’ve also been thinking more about what we purchase and if we could get something second hand.
That’s wonderful to hear! It’s crazy just how quickly plastic bags can add up, which is why reusable bags are a must. I’m glad that you also consider second hand when buying! Thank you for reading!
These are great reminders and show that there are many things we can do to make sustainability a part of our lives. I have to make sure I fix things before I get rid of them or look to replace them; it’s all too convenient nowadays to throw things away, etc.
I agree, it’s become much easier to throw something away and replace it than it is to repair it. I’m glad there are more resources available now, such as YouTube, which encourages us to get creative and try some DIYs. Thank you for reading Molly!
Great tips for loving more sustainably! I have started thinking before buying, I would rather buy stuff I really need rather than stuff I just want x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
Absolutely! Giving yourself a few days or weeks to think about buying something new has been so helpful. Thank you for reading Lucy!
My bf is really handy so I’m getting more and more used to being able to fix things myself in the house. It’s such a moneysaver as well!
It truly is! There are so many steps we can take, such as DIY repair, before sending our belongings into the landfill and replacing it. Thank you for reading Lisa!
Great tips, I like the idea of reusable and fixing what I have. Because these are what I’m working on right now.
That’s great to hear Fransic! Thank you for reading!
Great post! I grew up in a country where nothing broken went to the bin before an attempt to fix it. There were in fact more repair shops than actual stores so it was a shock for me to see the amount of near-new appliances with minor issues people chuck out in the UK because the shop refused to repair them. Luckily we are starting to see more repair shops emerging and people are also learning new skills through YouTube etc so they can DIY their own repairs.
Thank you Ibti! Convenience plays a huge factor in today’s society but I’m so glad that more repair shops are emerging. DIY videos on YouTube have been super helpful, it gives you the opportunity to fix things on a budget! Thank you for reading!