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There’s no time like the present to start living a sustainable lifestyle. Here are 10 easy steps to simply your life.
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As anyone living a sustainable lifestyle will tell you, it’s more about conscious small choices than it is about grand gestures. Sometimes that looks like choosing one brand over another, because their packaging is FSC paper versus plastic. Or, it might look like shopping at your local stores or farmers’ markets, biking to work instead of taking your car, or signing a petition to protect your state forests.
Sustainability is about setting mindful intentions, making the most pragmatic choice, and taking simple, yet impactful steps to minimize your environmental impact. These simple changes add up over time. Sustainability is a journey, not overnight perfection. Wherever you are on your journey, this guide shares ten clear steps to help build your sustainable lifestyle.
Practice Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling (The 3 Rs)
Our planet faces big problems when it comes to waste. Plastic waste can take up to 1,000 years to decompose. An estimated 85% of textiles created this year will end up in landfills by the end of the year. Researchers project that globally our waste will increase from 2.1 billion tons to 3.8 billion tons by 2030.
While, the responsibility to reverse this change largely rests on our elected officials and corporations, as consumers can also make changes to our personal lifestyles that will have an impact. One way is to follow the age-old environmental ethos. Reduce. Ruse. Repair. Recycle. Each rethinks waste, to ensure that items used are less likely to become waste. And, each is a great small step to take to live sustainably.
1. Reduce
Overconsumption is a problem. We consume, make, buy, and throw out more than we need (or sometimes want). Reducing what we buy is a powerful first step in living a sustainable lifestyle. Before making a new purchase, ask, “Do I truly need it?” This is one way to avoid impulse buys and buy less stuff overall.
We can also reduce by saying no to single-use items like plastic bags, straws, or coffee cups. Carry a reusable water bottle and shopping bag instead.
2. Reuse
Before tossing an item into the trash, see if you can repurpose it. Can a glass pasta jar become a storage container? What about using old clothes as cleaning rags? Get creative with items you own, but no longer use. Host a clothing swap with friends. Reusing keeps items out of landfills.
3. Repair
Another way to revive an old item is to repair it. Take clothes to your local tailor or dry cleaner to repair loose seams, buttons, and hems. Likewise, cobblers can revive shoes and leather accessories to make them look new. Electronics, like laptops or cellphones, can also be repaired. Investing in repairs ensures your items’ longevity and reduces waste in the long run.
4. Recycle
Recycling isn’t a perfect solution, but when done correctly, it can help to reduce waste. Since not all cities and towns have the same recycling facilities, check your local city’s recycling guidelines to see what can be recycled. Wash, break down, and sort recyclable items like plastics, paper, and metals when you put them into your bin. For hard to recycle items, like shampoo containers, use services like Pact which have drop-off stations at stores like Ulta.
Make Sustainable Food Choices
We waste a lot of food. Currently, food waste in the U.S emits 92 million tons of CO2 and wastes 12 trillion gallons of water yearly. Globally, 1 billion tons of food are wasted yearly, while 1/3 of the population faces food insecurity.
5. Minimize Food Waste
Food waste rotting in landfills creates potent greenhouse gases that are the equivalent to the impact of 50 million gas-powered cars. To reduce your contribution to this, begin by planning your meals each week. This helps you to buy only what you need. Store food properly to keep it fresh longer and turn leftovers into new meals to further reduce waste. For instance, use veggie scraps to make broths.
To keep food out of the landfills, consider composting. If you have a garden, you can set up one in your backyard to compost produce scraps. If you live in a city, research companies that offer pick-up and drop-off services to compost your kitchen scraps for you.
6. Eat More Plant-Based Meals
Over the last century, meat consumption in the U.S has doubled. To date, our meat consumption is three times the global average. This overconsumption is putting our planet at risk. Producing meat uses a lot of land, water, and creates more carbon emissions than plant-based agriculture. Because growing fruits and vegetables uses less land, water, and creates fewer CO2 emissions, eating more plant-based meals can lower your environmental footprint.
Try having a “Meatless Monday” where you explore new recipes with beans, tofu, or vegetables. You do not have to become fully vegan. Even one extra plant-based meal a week makes a difference.
7. Eat Locally
Transportation only contributes to 10% of emissions along the food chain. So, according to recent data, eating locally only mildly reduces CO2 emissions. However, when you shop at and support your local farmers’ markets you’re supporting small local farms that grown in season, rely less on fertilizers and other chemicals, and practice sustainable habits. You’re also supporting your health. Do you know that locally grown produce has more nutrients because it travels a shorter distance and is allowed to ripen naturally?
Shop For Sustainable Home Products
Outside of food, there are other ways to make our home more sustainable.
8. Shop For Refillable or Solid Products
There are a lot of refillable items you can buy that will reduce the amount of plastic packaging that comes into your home. Cleaning brands such as Blueland will ship cleaning tablets in compostable packaging to refill bathroom or kitchen cleaners. L’Occitane sells refillable pouches of their body creams, shampoos, and other personal care items.
Elsewhere in your home, you can look for refillable paper towels and cleaning cloths. Made from cotton, these items can be tossed into the washing machine when soiled and can be reused multiple times.
Solid products are also a good investment. They’re concentrated, water-free formulas and often packaged in paper instead of plastic. Use a bar of soap instead of liquid soap. Try solid shampoo or conditioners. Opt for laundry tablets or sheets instead of liquid containers in unrecyclable plastic bottles. All are great options to reduce water use and plastic packaging.
9. Choose Organic Cotton
Shopping for new sheets or towels? Choose linen or organic cotton. Polyester is one of the most popular textiles. But, sourced from plastic, it is often made from chemicals that are bad for our health and the environment. Organic cotton is grown without pesticides and chemicals which makes it a healthier choice. Look for organic cotton when shopping for bed linens, napkins, towels, and even curtains for your home.
Sustainable Transportation
Many of us are still commuting to work. While driving is convenient, there are benefits to exploring other alternatives that produce fewer emissions and pollution.
10. Try Eco-Friendly Commuting
Before hopping in your car to work, see if there are other options that are more environmentally friendly. Can you walk or bike to nearby places? What about public transport like buses or trains? Consider carpooling with friends or coworkers. Each choice can cut CO2 emissions and pollution. For instance, a full bus can replace 57 cars and a full train 1500.
Living a sustainable lifestyle does not need to be hard. And, remember, you don’t have to try to change everything at once. Pick one or two steps from this guide to begin. Maybe you start with commuting. Once that feels easy, add another habit. Progress matters more than perfection. Consistency builds strong, lasting eco-friendly routines. Every small step builds momentum and has a positive effect.
