I love that so many people are starting to look at how their choices impact the environment! The choices we make as consumers have long-lasting effects on our environment, from our toilet paper to our clothes. It is important to understand how we are impacting our planet and sustainable living is I am very passionate about. Tim and I have tried to become more aware of what we buy and understand what changes we can make and understand how to live sustainably.
Sustainable living tips to try
If you know me personally, you know that I love our planet. I feel at home and alive when I am outside in nature. So sustainable living is a big thing for me because I want to protect what I love. But sustainable living can be overwhelming at first and confusing too!
Chances are you might be asking yourself “what does living sustainably actually mean?” So, today we are helping you live more sustainably with 7 easy but impactful ways!
Use a rideshare service
Using the carpool option of a rideshare service is a great way to cut back your environmental footprint. And while it does seem a little counterintuitive to have a rideshare service on our list of tips, companies like Lyft are looking at their footprint too! Looking at Lyft specifically, their carbon offset program is offsetting over a million metric tons of carbon.
Eat less meat
I’m not going to get on a plant-based soapbox because that never works. But I will say that the meat industry isn’t environmentally friendly and those resources, mainly grain and water, could be used in other ways, like helping feed the hungry. Consider doing a “meatless Monday” if going vegetarian or vegan cold turkey seems a little daunting.
Recycle and compost what you can
There are a number of things you can recycle and keep out of the landfills! Aside from your traditional paper, plastic, glass, and cans – you can really look at what your landfill contributions are. There are some items you might not think about recycling like these types of beauty products. Composting is another great way to to be sustainable! Many community gardens or larger cities have composting pick-up or drop off services you can use.
Shop seasonal and local
Shopping seasonal and local helps reduce the industry’s carbon footprint since there is no need to ship or transport goods to other locations. You can take it a step further and even look at a service like Imperfect Produce that helps divert “ugly” produce from landfills. There are so many benefits when you embrace seasonal and local produce that I highly recommend you checking it out.
Ditch single-use plastics
The amount of single-use plastics that end up in our landfills, oceans, and are impacting wildlife is astounding! At our current rate of plastic use, there will be more plastic in the ocean (by weight) than fish by 2050 – though some say even sooner! Skipping the plastic straw and carrying a reusable cutlery kit are two great ways of helping the planet.
Another thing to say no to? Zip bags and plastic wrap! Try using glass jars, stainless steel containers, or beeswax wrap as a plastic alternative! Investing in plastic alternatives are sustainable living musts.
Support sustainable brands
A number of brands and businesses are taking a more active role in sustainable practices. Look at brands that are fair trade, pay fair wages, and have sustainable practices. Companies like Package Free Shop are also great resources for products that help reduce waste! I’ve gotten a number of items from Package Free Shop that helped me ditch single-use plastics and now I can’t live without.
With these tips, it is easy to live more sustainably. Small changes add up! And remember, we all forget and mess up from time to time -you can’t beat yourself up when you forget to tell the server not to bring you a straw. Practice and patience will get you there.