10 Ideas For Sustainable Living ~ My Life Your Way

We are living in a time of unprecedented environmental change. The global warming crisis is real, and the consequences of that could ripple out through the next million years. It's up to us now to make changes in our everyday lives that will help the world live on for generations to come. There are lots of small changes we can make to our lives that are easy to do and will make a big impact. Living a more sustainable lifestyle with a constant view of our impact on the world is a great approach for this and here are 10 ideas for sustainable living that you could make a start on today.

A pink bicycle with baskets carrying flowers and bags, including one that says "Dream Big," is parked on a street near a decorated building entrance—an inspiring symbol of ideas for sustainable living.

1. Cut back on animal products

This doesn’t mean you need to become a vegan (unless you want to) but cutting back on the amount of meat that you eat is one of the most easy and effective things that you can do to help you live a more sustainable life. That’s because it takes a lot of resources to produce those animal products – one gallon of milk uses 2000 gallons of water due to the amount of feed that the cow needs. Also, the impact on the environment of all the methane produced as a by-product is huge. The added benefit of eating a more balanced diet means that you will be healthier too. Take a look at my vegan lifestyle blog for some great recipes and ideas.

2. Filter your tap water

If you can filter your tap water instead of buying bottled water then please do. It will save you money in the long term and cuts back on the single use plastic and all those water bottles going to landfill. For now we use a water filter jug, this one is particularly eco friendly, but ultimately I plan to invest in a Berkey Water Filter.

3. Unplug unused appliances

Many appliances still use electricity when they are plugged in, even if they aren’t doing anything, or even if they are on standby. By unplugging them when not in use, you not only save a little money on your electricity bill but help cut back on the demand for fossil fuel created power resources. With energy bills rising it is more important now than ever to get a handle on not wasting energy. According to Energy Saving Trust research, between 9-16% of the electricity consumed in homes is used to power appliances when they are in this standby mode, read more about this here.

4. Car Share

A car-sharing pool in your area can be a great way to cut down on costs on travel. Now that Covid restrictions have eased why not get together with your colleagues who live locally and arrange a car share rota. You will save money on fuel and mileage on your car and be able to have a good chat with your friends on your way to work. The same can be done for school runs too - is there another parent on your street or in your area with a child at the same school? Share the drop offs and pick ups!

5. Use Public Transport

If you are lucky enough to have a good public transport network around you, definitely make the most of it. Usually the cost of public transport is cheaper than driving and parking. What I like about using public transport is that I can multi-task while I'm travelling and use the opportunity to read a book or take my laptop and get some work done. Obviously public transport use cuts back on car use and all the pollution and fossil fuel use associated with it.

6. Take the stairs

Using the stairs has multiple benefits. Not only does it get that extra little bit of exercise into your routine, but it also saves on the energy needed to run the escalator or lift. These take a lot of power to run and if people used them only when they needed to, this could save on electricity and therefore fossil fuel use. Plus if you use the stairs a lot, you could save on a gym membership!

7. Turn of the tap when brushing your teeth

Water waste is a huge problem and one of the top causes of wasted water happens when we brush our teeth. We all have a tendency to leave the tap running while we brush our teeth and considering we are brushing for 2 minutes, this is a fair amount of wasted water, twice a day, every day. So when you have wet your brush and are brushing, turn off the tap, then turn it back on to rinse the brush and the sink.

8. Switch to LED light bulbs

Conventional light bulbs waste around 95% of the power that they use. New LED light bulbs are more expensive to buy but they are also far more energy efficient and they also last much longer. This means that in the long run they often work out cheaper, even though they are more expensive to buy initially. Some LED lights can last up to 25 years depending upon how much you use them.

9. Buy pre-loved

There are some things we need to buy new but there are others where a good second-hand option is cheaper and just as good. This helps with living a sustainable life because you are saving something from going to the landfill site. Do the same when you are clearing out things – offer them to people on swap sites or Facebook groups rather than send them to the tip. One man's junk is another man's treasure and all that!

10. Try a reel lawnmower

No, that's not a spelling mistake, a reel lawnmower is one that doesn’t use any electricity or battery and is very simple to use. In fact it is what people used to use before electric lawnmowers. They may need a little more effort than electric mowers so might not work for everyone but if you can, it can be worth considering it. They do a great job of cutting the lawn and it will help to keep you fit too!

Conclusion

These are just 10 ideas for sustainable living which are easy to do and will help to cut back on the resources that you use. If everyone put two into action, the difference on the planet would be huge. So which two could you start with?

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