Sustainable living is all about making choices that are kinder to the planet, but let’s be honest—it’s easy to get things wrong along the way.
Many of us, myself included, have made mistakes when it comes to sustainability—whether it’s adopting well-intentioned habits that aren’t as eco-friendly as we think or falling for common misconceptions about what truly helps the environment. Let’s explore these 7 common mistakes and learn how to fix them.
1) Relying on Recycling Recycling is an important part of living sustainably, however it’s not a method that you should rely on. Instead, focus on what you can reduce and reuse. Start small by avoiding items with excess packaging and choosing reusable alternatives, like glass jars.
Did you know? Each year, only 9% of plastic waste is recycled in Canada, while in the United States, the figure is even lower at just 5-6%.
RELATED POST: How to Prepare Your Recyclables in 3 Easy Steps
2) Splurging Right Away The journey to a more sustainable lifestyle can be exciting, which is why many rush to replace items with bamboo, glass, or metal alternatives. While these materials are more sustainable, tossing out perfectly usable items just creates more waste and costs more money. Instead, use what you already have and only replace something when needed.
3) Falling for Greenwashing Some brands will market their products as “sustainable,” “natural,” “biodegradable,” and “eco-friendly,” but it can be misleading without clear certifications or transparency. Take your time to research brands and look for third-party certifications like Fair Trade, USDA Organic, or B Corp.
If you see something on a label, visit the company’s website for more information. If the information there seems broad or vague, there’s a good chance there’s some greenwashing at play.
– EcoJustice, Greenwashing 101.
4) Buying Products You Don’t Use Often Investing in sustainable products can be counterproductive if they aren’t used often or replace something you already own. Start with what makes the biggest impact on your daily life. For example, if you frequently get coffee to go, a reusable cup is a good investment.
5) Ignoring the Environmental Impact of Digital Consumption Many don’t realize that online activity, such as streaming, excessive emails, and cloud storage, consumes significant energy. Unsubscribe from unnecessary emails, delete unused files, and consider supporting companies that use renewable energy for their data centers.
On average, the carbon footprint of an email is equivalent to 0.3 g of CO2 emissions. The longer and ‘heavier’ the email is (i.e. it’s a longread, or has pictures and/or attachments), the more carbon emissions it is accountable for.
A typical business user creates 135 kg (298 lbs) CO2e from sending emails every year, which is the equivalent of driving 322 kms (200 miles) in a family car.
– World Clean Up Day, The hidden costs of emails.
6) Thinking Small Efforts Don’t Matter It’s easy to think that small efforts don’t make a big difference, especially when it comes to something as simple as bringing your own reusable mug to a coffee shop or refusing plastic utensils—but it does. Our actions and efforts to live more sustainably will always make a positive impact.
7) Thinking Perfection Is Required We live in a world that’s driven by convenience, which means it can be difficult to make sustainable choices all the time. Feeling guilty for not being sustainable can lead to frustration and giving up altogether. Focus on making small, consistent changes rather than aiming for an unattainable zero-waste lifestyle.
Did you know? Even environmental activist Lauren Singer and author Tara McKenna don’t claim to be perfect in their sustainable journey. They encourage progress over perfection.
Sustainable living is about making mindful choices that align with your values and lifestyle. By recognizing these common mistakes and making small adjustments, you can create a meaningful impact without feeling overwhelmed. Have you made any of these sustainable living mistakes? Share your journey in the comments!
RELATED POST: 5 Ways to Reduce Your Waste Consumption
I completely agree with these points! My city did expand curbside recycling to include plastics, but you should still work on reducing your use of plastics!
Also, it’s terrible that brands can say they’re sustainable or natural but don’t actually make any changes to be more environmentally friendly.
I agree, Karalee! I’m glad more people are becoming aware of what greenwashing is. Thanks for reading!
This is such a great and informative post! I agree with all of these, especially by putting in the effort for small daily changes to be more sustainable. It eventually leads up to make a big impact! Thanks for sharing all of this, I loved reading it!
https://melissakacar.com
Small and actionable steps are the way to go! Thank you for reading Melissa.
It’s great you mentioned greenwashing as it’s something that annoys me so much. I wrote about this issue on my site too a while ago and people still seem to have not heard about the issue. It’s also good that you mentioned we don’t have to be perfect when trying to live more sustainably. We can only do what we can, when we can, and small actions definitely matter. Thanks for this!
It’s disappointing when brands rely on repackaging rather than focusing on real ways to become more sustainable. I’m glad more people are becoming aware of what greenwashing is, but I definitely agree that we need more awareness. Thank you for reading Molly!
Thank you so much for addressing the hypocrisy of brands’ greenwashing campaigns and how they actually do NOTHING for the environment but polluting it further! People who want to reduce their individual negative impact on the planet and approach the matter with pure intentions actually believe that those companies have decided to take a turn for the better, but they didn’t. It’s crucial to raise awareness of their propaganda, so thank you. <3
http://www.couture-case.com/
It’s very frustrating when companies spend more money to rebrand using nature imagery and green packaging to deceive consumers, rather than find actual ways to be more sustainable. I’m glad more people are aware of this and taking time to do their own research. Thank you for reading Jelena!
I always learn so much from your posts Winnie! Glass is likely more a problem in my area since curbside pickup no longer allows these items and plastics are. I never thought of things like digital consumption. I do try and eliminate emails and old files from my devices regularly – if only those scam emails would stop polluting our spaces!
I’m so happy to hear that Jodie! I always find it so fascinating how recycling can vary from place to place. Some areas are great, while others need a lot of work. I hope we can find a way to better eliminate spam emails, they’re always flooding my inbox! Thank you for reading.