Cris
Live More Sustainably
How would you like to live more sustainably? Living sustainably doesn’t have to be hard. We can all do our own part to make the planet a better place. How you ask? It’s in the little things we do every day.
It’s easy to make a few switches to help the planet and still live a comfortable life. This will ensure resources are left for future generations.
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Sustainable Living
What exactly is sustainable living? Sustainable living is recycling, carpooling to conserve fuel, buying items from thrift stores.
Maybe it’s ditching plastic bottles in favor of biodegradable packaging and reusable containers. Or switching to biodegradable and organic products for cleaning.
It’s easy to live more sustainably. you don’t have to go full solar power on your house. You don’t have to completely Go Green. A few easy trades will help you find a good livable balance that you can sustain for the long term.
Ready to Take Sustainability to the Next Level?
Sustainability is a lifestyle. I switched from plastic beverage containers of soda and water to these amazing water bottles years ago. I also stopped accepting plastic grocery store bags in favor of reusable ones. Rarely will you find me shopping in a department store, it’s always thrift stores. Why pay full price for new when you can get barely used for a fraction of the cost. Plus it lessens the impact that manufacturing new products creates.
Ask yourself a few questions to see if you are ready to make a few changes. Are you ready for a change? Are you looking to feel more fulfilled with life? Do you wish to be more engaged and feel the rewards from living a better life?
Living sustainably is a rewarding lifestyle. Some projects are hard and take work, but the payoff is absolutely worth it! Imagine the world as a better place and do what you can to get it there.
8 Easy Ideas for Sustainability
- Composting:
- Compost is natures recycling program. Food scraps naturally will break down over time. Composting them will allow you to use the nutrients stored in them later rather than having them rot in a landfill. Not sure what you can compost? Check out this article to get started.
- Start with a small system first. Collect any food scraps you may have and dump them into your main compost bin as you collect. Don’t have a compost bin? You can build your own. Community gardens often do, see if you can add your scraps to their bin.
- Some states are even requiring you to compost these days. California has implemented a law that mandates food scraps go to a composting center rather than in the regular trash. New collection bins and pick up schedules are available now in some cities.
- Raising Chickens:
- With the Avian flu currently taking its toll on chickens around the globe, egg prices have gone up. Way up! Check your local regulations before you run out and get chickens though. You might not be able to have them in your area.
- Raising chickens is fun and rewarding. Plus, you get the freshest eggs you can, and every day too! Fresh eggs make the best mayonnaise, and the fluffiest cakes too. It could be possible to sell extra eggs at a farmers market to cover the cost of their feed.
- Different breeds of chickens lay different color and size eggs too. Be sure to take that into account when choosing what chicken breed you would like. I of course prefer ducks over chickens, here’s why.
- Embracing Alternative Energy:
- Alternative energy really is a thing. Many homes around have solar panels on their roofs now. Some of this is in regards to new laws mandating that new construction homes have solar power installed.
- Find the option that best fits your budget and offset some of your costs by using solar energy. In some areas, you can even sell extra electricity back to the power company.
- Harvesting Rainwater:
- Harvesting the water that falls on your roof is a great way to lower your cost in this aspect as well. You can use it to water your garden your lawn, wash clothes, and water the animals. You can use it in the kitchen as well, but boil it first.
- Rainwater harvesting is not legal everywhere so be sure to check your local laws before buying a bucket to collect rain in. Using what the sky provides naturally helps take sustainable living to a higher level.
- Join a Community Garden:
- Community involvement is part of living sustainably. You can team up to grow a variety of crops and trade them with other growers. This way each family get a variety, and doesn’t have to do as much work growing all of the different foods.
- If you don’t have time to garden, consider frequenting a farmers market to support local growers. This also gets you fresh produce at a reasonable price. This helps lessen the amount being transported to large stores too. Fresh veggies, less pollution, win!
- Reduce Food Waste:
- The United States wastes over 34 million tons of food each year. This waste generally goes to landfills where it produces greenhouse gasses. Many municipalities do have solutions to this problem. Casinos in Las Vegas send food scraps to local pig farms and California has a new composting law to prevent excess food waste from hitting landfills.
- How do you reduce food waste? Meal planning is one way. Make a list and stick to it to purchase less food. You will save money and help conserve the environment.
- Actually, eat your leftovers. So many times, you save leftovers just to throw them out later. I take mine for lunch at work often. Make that part of your meal planning to save even more.
- Change Your Light bulbs:
- LED light bulbs use less energy. This is a simple switch to save you money. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that $600 million could be saved each year if every house switched just one light bulb.
- They do cost a bit more, but they last so much longer. You can replace incandescent bulbs every six months for a dollar bulb, but one five dollar LED bulb will last 20 years or more making them more cost effective too.
- Learn How to Save More Water:
- With constant droughts in the west and the Colorado River drying up, water is a big issue right now. Cutting back your personal use can help alleviate some of the stresses on our water supply.
- Low flow shower heads and water conserving toilets are a great way to start. Try turning off the tap while brushing your teeth too. Harvest rainwater if you can, and switch over to xeriscaping for your landscaping.
- There are many ways you can conserve water. Check out these 25 easy ways to do it.
Transitioning to a Way to Live More Sustainably
Pick some easy things you can change and make a plan. Don’t take on too much, start small. This will make it seem much less stressful while you transition.
Get set with a few small changes and give yourself time to get used to them. Then maybe change a few more things, then a couple more. You will be living a much more sustainable life before you know it!