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0 Sustainable living is a practical philosophy that entails a lifestyle aimed at reducing personal environmental impact by incorporating practices that counter climate change and environmental deterioration. We need to incorporate sustainable living ideas into our daily lives to ensure that our future generations don’t have to live on a rotten Earth.
With our planet being on the verge of climate disaster, even a single step in the right direction could have a significant impact. Our lives don’t necessarily need to change completely, something as simple as saying no to a plastic bag or turning off the extra light in the hall offsets carbon footprint, which in return, reduces GHGs, and slows climate change.
In this post, we’ve shed light on 17 sustainable living ideas that don’t require a lot of effort, and some of them even do wonders for your bank account. Interested yet?! Keep reading to find out more!
1. Turn Extra Appliances Off
We often leave our TV, mobile chargers, and other similar appliances on standby, i.e., we don’t switch them off at the plug. We assume that the device is turned off but in reality, it continues to drain energy.
Approximately, 9-16% of the electricity consumed in our homes is by stand-by devices.
This extra consumption of electricity not only harms the environment but also takes a toll on your electricity bills. Therefore, if you are looking to cut down on your expenses a bit and have some mercy on the environment, then turn off your extra appliances.
All you have to do is switch off your devices at the plug rather than leaving them on standby. Imagine how much positive impact you’ll have by just turning off the standby devices. Don’t forget to teach this sustainability tip to your family as well!
2. Use Eco-friendly Tech
We are producing 54 million tonnes of e-waste every year, which is set to increase by triple the rate of the increase in the global population.
We can counter this by recycling or upcycling our conventional tech. In addition to this, there’s a need to opt for eco-friendly appliances and gadgets for a sustainable future. These are a few tips on how to incorporate sustainability in the electronic devices that we use:
- Recycle or upcycle your existing tech, i.e., don’t throw them away as soon as a new model pops up as they contain precious metals, such as iron, silver, and gold, and toxic elements, such as lithium-ion batteries.
- Donate your used items to charity or give them away on local sites such as Gumtree, eBay, or OLX.
- Check if your tech company provides upcycling programs, such as the Samsung Upgrade Program.
- Purchase refurbished tech.
- Avoid next-day delivery of your tech as it takes a toll on the environment.
- Purchase from eco-friendly tech companies.
3. Switch to Renewables
There are three benefits of switching from conventional energy sources to renewables: you get the latest tech, you help the environment, and your electricity bill goes down. What else can you ask for?!
You can start incorporating renewables in your life by asking your energy provider if they offer any green options. There are over 600 utilities in the US that are currently offering renewable energy services. If your provider doesn’t have a green option, then switch to one that has a renewable energy certificate (REC). RECs show that the energy provider is supplying clean energy that they haven’t generated themselves but have bought from a green power producer.
You can also join the solar gang by becoming a part of a community solar program. In such programs, a company or community develops a solar farm and supplies the generated power to the homes that are a part of that community.
You can also install your own Photovoltaic (PV) cells on rooftops to generate solar power. In the past few years, there has been a 65% drop in solar PV cell prices.
If you want to learn more about solar panels and purchase a portable one, then head over to our post on ‘5 Best Portable Solar Panels of 2023‘.
4. Eat Sustainably
If we want to stop climate change, then we need a radical transformation of our land and food systems. Livestock accounts for 14% of all man-made greenhouse gases, including methane, a gas that is 80 times more harmful than carbon dioxide in its first 20 years in the atmosphere. We aren’t urging you to completely cut down on meat, all we are saying is to diversify your diet so that your meat intake reduces. Here’s how you can eat more sustainably:
- Incorporate plant-based food into your diet.
- Try a vegan diet, you might end up loving it!
- Make your diet more flavorful, nutritious, natural, and exciting by adding more variety to your food than just sticking with meat or chicken.
- Reduce food waste as this not only harms the environment but also empties your bank accounts. What’s the point of making food worth $100, if you’re going to trash 30% of it?!
- If somehow you end up wasting food, then instead of throwing it into the bin, try composting.
- Reduce your white and red meat consumption, and replace it with plant-based protein.
- Check the food labels for information on how they’ve been sourced. Buy items that have the Fairtrade (farmers and workers protection in developing countries), ASC and MSC (seafood standard), Freedom Food (animal welfare standard), and RSPO (palm oil) label on them.
- Cut down on fat, salt, and sugar in your food.
- Try to grow your own vegetables. You can also join a community garden.
If you want to learn about food emissions in detail and how to eat sustainably on a budget, then click here. The Livewell diet is one of our favourites!
5. Ditch Fast Fashion
Landfills are full of fast fashion pieces that have been trashed because they went out of style. Whether you realise it or not, a few of your items are also part of those environmentally deteriorating piles. From now onwards, you can alter this practice by following a few simple tips; they will not only reduce the burden on the environment, but they’ll also save you quite a bit of cash.
Don’t fall under the trap of the fashion industry by going after trendy clothing items. Opt for classy pieces that seldom go out of fashion. In addition to this, shop from environmentally-conscious brands and sustainable clothing outlets, such as Patagonia and Kotn.
Your clothes’ impact on the environment isn’t just limited to their manufacturing, their regular washing accounts for 60% to 80% of their total carbon emissions. Therefore, avoid washing your clothes too often, and when you do, choose a 30º temperature.
Never throw your clothes in the bin. The best way to get rid of them in an environmentally-conscious way is to donate them. In addition to this, if the outfit still has potential, then alter it to give it a new touch. If you are still going for a new item, then try to purchase organic cotton garments.
If you want to learn more about sustainable fashion, then head over to ‘Everything You Need to Know About Sustainable Fashion‘.
6. 5 Rs (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle)
Our favourite among this post of 10 sustainable living ideas is the concept of five Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle.
This formula is pretty straightforward to follow. Start with refuse, which means to refuse and avoid items that aren’t environmentally conscious, for instance, plastic bags.
Next, reduce your usage and wastage. The key term here is wastage because often, we end up buying items that we never use, and they eventually become the fate of a bin. Similarly, we bet, there have been numerous occasions when you filled your plate too much on a buffet or cooked more than what you required at dinner, and the remaining ended up in the bin.
Next comes the idea of reuse. It isn’t as daunting as it seems. All you need to do is reuse the items that are still in pristine condition. Just because TikTok cancelled something, or your friend said that certain home décor is out of fashion, doesn’t mean that you have to throw things away. Even if you can’t stand the sight of something, donate it to a charity shop. Avoid putting things that are usable in the bin!
After reuse comes repurposing, which means upcycling or using a single product for more than one purpose. For instance, using used packaging cardboard boxes for storage purposes.
Last but not least, recycle. You can do this in numerous ways. You can either put recyclable items in the recycle bin or use them for a DIY project of your own. In addition to reducing carbon emissions, recycling can also help in cutting down on your daily expenses and giving a unique twist to many of your household items made from recycled materials.
7. Cycle, Walk, or Use Public Transport
Do you know how many global greenhouse gas emissions your car emits each year?
The answer is, 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide!
You can reduce this by ditching your car for much cheaper options. Approximately 50% of all journeys are under two miles, so if you are going to travel for any such distance, then either cycle, walk or use public transport.
In addition to reducing your environmental footprint, cycling and walking will make your body work and will tone your muscles. Similarly, public transport will save you money, so in all cases, it’s a win-win situation!
8. Reduce Air Travel
By 2050, flying will be responsible for 25% of the carbon emissions.
With the advent of planes, we’ve got into the habit of booking a flight for short distances, the ones that we used to easily cover by either buses or trains. In this section, we’ll share simple tips to cut down on the carbon footprint caused by flying:
- If the place where you’re going is accessible through a bus or train, then ditch flying and choose those options.
- You can live a more sustainable life by avoiding excessive vacations to places far away from your city.
- If you’re going somewhere for business meetings, then compile a few together so you don’t have to fly multiple times.
- If flying is necessary, then reduce global emissions by considering offset programs (you can read more about them here)
- You can save the earth’s resources by taking direct flights instead of connecting ones as they have less global warming potential.
- Choose airlines striving to become eco-friendly by consuming less energy and producing less waste.
- Try to travel during the daytime to reduce extra warming caused by the contrails and cirrus clouds at night.
- Fly economy. First-class passengers have nine times higher carbon footprint than others.
You can learn more about the impacts of flying and how to fly sustainably on ‘Everything You Need to Know About Sustainable Flying‘.
9. Stop Using Plastic
| Plastic Product Type | Decomposition Time |
| Plastic bottle | 500 |
| Plastic bag | 400 |
| Drinking straw | 200 |
| Toothbrush | 500 |
| Plastic cutlery | 400 |
| Plastic cup | 100 |
This is a no-brainer, If you’re looking to incorporate sustainable living ideas in your life, then the first thing that would’ve crossed your mind is to reduce plastic usage. You are on point because plastic is our planet’s enemy.
Look around yourself, most of the items are made of plastic. Even though people are switching to reusable items, there’s still a long way to go. Here’s how you can be a part of the transformation:
- Switch single-use plastic bags with reusable tote bags. Head over to our post on ‘9 Best Reusable Grocery Bags 2022‘ to choose yours. They are on-trend as well!
- Stop using plastic cups and plates. If you are going to buy from a food shop close to your place then take your own containers to get your food or drink.
- Stop using plastic straws and get yourself a reusable metal one. Also, you can just simply ditch straws and drink directly from the cup or bottle. This might not look too sophisticated but at least you won’t be adding another half a gram of plastic.
- Buy products that come with plastic-free packaging.
- Replace plastic Tupperware with glass and metallic containers.
- Increase awareness regarding the impact of plastic on the environment
- Stop using plastic bags in your trash bins. You can find 7 different options in ‘Best Biodegradable Garbage Bags of 2022‘.
- Place your plastic waste in the recycling bin
- Purchase a plastic-free water filter for improved water with minimal environmental impact. You can find 3 different options in ‘3 Best Plastic Free Water Filters 2022‘.
To put in perspective, the extent of damage done by us through plastic, on the oceans alone, head over to ‘18 Pollution Facts About the Ocean‘.
To learn in detail about how to stop using plastic, give ‘Plastic Pollution | 12 Ways on How to Stop Using Plastic‘ a read!
10. Plant Trees
This is also one of those sustainable living ideas that almost all of us know, but, unfortunately, very few follow. It’s quite simple, all you have to do is get a pack of seeds from your local supermarket and plant them according to the instructions on their packet.
If you don’t have a garden in your house, then contribute to a plant conservation charity in your area. You can find tons of them online.
11. Educate and Increase Awareness
Many people in our society are still unaware of the current environmental situation and need awareness. These are a few ways in which you can create awareness:
- Use social media to spread the idea of a sustainable lifestyle.
- Create awareness among your friends and family.
- Set an example by leading an environmentally friendly life.
- Attend rallies and marches in support of sustainability.
- Contact elected officials and share your ideas with them to introduce sustainability in your society.
12. Reduce Your Reliance on Fossil Fuels
One of the easiest sustainable living ideas is to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels as they are the biggest contributors to the speedy reduction of natural resources. In addition to this, they are also one of the biggest reasons behind air pollution.
You can reduce your reliance on fossil fuels by avoiding fuel-powered travel, practising the five Rs, and using renewable electricity. We’ve discussed these aspects in detail above, so in this section, we’ll be looking at other unique ways to reduce fossil fuel usage that are often neglected:
- Look for the Energy Star label on your appliances
- Purchase products that contain some amount of recycled materials
- Use soy ink for printers
- Stay clear from products that use nylon in them
- Use natural cleaners and beeswax for cleaning and waxing purposes
13. Make Your Business Sustainable
One of the key reasons and accelerators behind climate change and environmental deterioration are the industries and businesses. In order to achieve the goal of net zero, we need to ensure that our businesses are environmentally and socially conscious.
There are numerous ways in which you can turn your business green without spending a ton of money. You can start with yourself as leaders are considered to be the biggest influence when it comes to reducing the carbon footprint of a company.
Following are a few ways in which you can turn your business environmentally conscious:
- Have a sustainability team in your office to promote awareness and reduce carbon emissions on-site
- Make your office green by encouraging recycling, using sustainable products, and introducing plants
- Have an ESG strategy in place
- Get certified by environmental organizations
- Rethink your supply chain
If you want to learn more about how to turn your business green, then head over to Sustainable Business Practices | 10 Tips to Make Your Business Sustainable.
14. Try an Earthship
If you want to experience a unique sustainability experience and plan on going all in, then you should give Earthships a shot.
We agree, it sounds completely like some UFO-ish stuff but is actually natural.
Earthships are completely sustainable homes constructed from natural or recycled materials, such as tires or reused bottles. They are self-sustainable and rely on renewable sources, such as wind and solar, for generating electricity.
You can either construct it on your own or you can experience staying in it for a few nights at the Earthship community in Taos, New Mexico.
If you are interested in this unique sustainable construction practice, then head over to ‘Earthships: A Complete Guide‘ to find out more.
15. Switch to Reusable Paper Towels
According to research conducted by MIT, two paper towels account for 15 grams of CO2. This might sound like a small number, however, given that Americans use 13 billion towels annually, this number adds up and is equivalent to 270 million trees.
This study enunciates that even though paper towels seem harmless, they are a major contributor to deforestation, global warming, pollution, and waste.
The best way to get rid of them is to switch to reusable paper towels. The majority of the options available, nowadays, are odor-free and provide far superior cleanliness to conventional paper towels. Therefore, switching to them is not only environmentally friendly, but it also reduces the burden on your pocket and the landfills.
16. Recycle Used Electronic Devices
By the end of 2022, approximately 5.3 billion phones will be thrown away. Unfortunately, most of them will end up in landfills, causing massive damage to land, water, and air through the toxic chemicals that will seep out of them.
You can play your part in cutting away your e-waste from entering landfills in the following ways:
- Hand e-waste to an e-waste recycling facility.
- Avoid upgrading your phone and other electronics with every new edition.
- Give away your used electronics to charity homes so someone can use them.
- Purchase used electronics to extend their life.
To learn more about the atrocities done by the discarded electronics on the environment and how you can play your part in remedying the situation, head over to our post ‘Everything You Need to Know About E-Waste‘.
17. Conserve Water
Water is crucial for the survival of humanity; unfortunately, with the increasing population, it is becoming increasingly difficult to cope with the demand. To put this in perspective, currently, approximately 50% of the world’s population encounters severe water scarcity for at least one month of the year.
The question is, what’s the solution?
The simple answer is to conserve as much water as possible both in commercial and residential scenarios. Since this post is about sustainable living ideas, so following are a few ways in which you can achieve water conservation at your home:
- Check toilets for leaks
- Avoid flushing cigarette butts and tissues
- Place a water bottle in the flush tank to avoid water wastage through flush
- Lower shower time
- Get flow restrictors
- Close the tap while brushing your teeth
- Check for leaks in pipes and faucets
- Try to always run a full load in automatic dishwashers and washing machines
- Avoid over purchasing
To learn about each of these tips in detail head over to ‘Conserve Water Like A Pro: 10 Home Tips For Effective Water Savings‘.
These are our 17 sustainable living ideas to incorporate into daily life. Let us know which ones you follow in your day-to-day life in the comments below. Also, don’t forget to share your eco-living tips. The more, the merrier!
Thank you for such an informative article, you really had got amazing creative writing skills Fauzia.
Thank you for your appreciation!