Wondering how you can live a more sustainable lifestyle and help our planet in the process? Here are some easy tips to get you started.
Going “green” isn’t just a buzzword anymore — it’s a way of life. But finding ways to become more environmentally conscious and live a sustainable lifestyle isn’t always easy, especially if you’re not sure where to start.
The good news is that we’re here to help.
If you’re wondering how you can make small changes in your lifestyle that can help the Earth in a big way, we have some top tips to help you do just that.
Up next, we’ll walk you through four straightforward ways that you can “go green” in your day-to-day life without needing to upend your lifestyle completely. That way, you can live the life you love, all while helping our planet at the same time.
Let’s get started.
How to be more eco-friendly: Top tips for sustainable living
1. Make waste a thing of the past
Let’s face it: We humans produce a lot of trash.
Whether it’s leftover food, excess packaging, or old clothes that we don’t wear anymore, we all create a surprising amount of waste.
In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that each of us produces 4.9 pounds of waste each day! Multiply that by the roughly 330 million of us that live in the United States, and we’ve got a waste issue of epic proportions.
Thankfully, there are ways to minimize the amount of trash you produce each day. Here are some methods to consider:
- Recycling — Never recycled before? No problem. The best place to get information about the recycling options available to you is from your local municipal waste processing service. Every town and city is different, so you’ll need to figure out what types of plastics, metals, paper, and glass are accepted in your area. When you know what you can recycle, get yourself a separate recycling bin and use that to collect all the containers and papers you want to recycle each week.
- Upcycling and reusing — An empty glass jar might seem like garbage right now, but chances are pretty high that you can find some way to reuse it. Upcycling, or the act of giving a disused object a second life, can be a great way to minimize your waste and save money at the same time. So, before you toss out that jar, think about what you can do with it. Perhaps you can turn it into a mini vase or a cup for staying hydrated around the house.
- Donating — If you’re doing a bit of spring cleaning and notice that some of your old clothing or household items aren’t getting much use, consider donating them before chucking them in the bin. A lot of the things that we throw out are still in good condition, so they can get a second life with someone who needs them rather than wasting away in a landfill. So consider donating to a local charity before going straight to the dump.
2. Reconsider your food choices
When it comes to sustainability, many of us think about switching to energy-efficient appliances and recycling more. But what if we told you that you could have a major positive impact on the environment just by mixing up what you eat?
It turns out that going vegetarian could reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by up to 50% while going vegan could lead to a nearly 75% reduction in your carbon footprint. That’s because the meat and dairy industry produces about 15% of the world’s greenhouse gases. So skipping meat and dairy for a few meals a week can make a big difference.
However, regardless of what you eat, finding ways to reduce your food waste can also positively impact the environment.
In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that 30-40% of our food in the U.S. goes to waste. Therefore, ensuring that we only buy what we know we can eat can help keep food waste out of landfills each year.
3. Opt for alternative transportation
Fossil fuel–powered transportation, like cars, trains and planes, all combine to produce about 30% of our total annual greenhouse gas emissions. So finding ways to minimize the amount of time we spend using gas-powered transport in our daily lives can have a big impact on the environment.
This doesn’t mean you have to avoid driving for the rest of your life or that you’re not allowed to take a flight to go on vacation. But being conscious of how your transportation choices can impact the environment is important.
If you’re looking for ways to reduce your impact, consider opting for Earth-friendly transportation options whenever you’re staying close to home. Instead of driving to the store or taking the bus to work, consider walking or riding a bike instead. Doing so is good for the environment and your health!
4. Switch to sustainable styles
Looking good and helping our planet can go hand in hand.
In fact, there are a bunch of companies out there that have started putting environmental consciousness at the forefront of their designs, like Nike, adidas, Reebok and Puma.
There are many sustainable styles out there that will not only make you look and feel good, but are also good for the environment. That means that whether you’re looking for environmentally friendly clothing or new kicks that are made from recycled plastics, there are a lot of ways to be sustainable without compromising your style. What could be better?
Sustainable living is for everyone
Sustainable living is here to stay, but that doesn’t mean you have to revamp your lifestyle completely. The key is to find ways to incorporate eco-friendly practices into your life in a way that works for you.
Whether you’ve found new inspiration to start recycling or you’re considering walking to work, we hope this guide helped you find ways to make sustainability a priority.
Show us snaps of your new sustainable lifestyle by tagging @jdsportsus on social media!
