The first thing that you need to understand is what sustainable living means. Having a sustainable lifestyle means that you are minimising the use of natural resources by using the goods mindfully. It also means avoiding products that were made unsustainably. The main reason behind a sustainable lifestyle is a healthier planet and a healthier body and mind. Becoming sustainable will ensure that this planet can remain home to our future generations. If you are interested in making a change, here are the 5 most inspiring sustainable lifestyle ideas that anyone can take on.
Embrace Minimalism
Something that everyone can do is embrace minimalism in their lives. Having a clutter-free home means that you are one step closer to living a fully sustainable lifestyle. The fewer things you own, the less pressure you put on the environment. Start by going through all of your things, donating stuff that you don't use anymore and recycling things that are not in shape to be donated. The key to minimalism is starting slow. You can't downsize to minimalism in one day. If you do, you will just accumulate it back up. Start slow and get rid of things that you don't use anymore, and every couple of months reconsider what you are using and what you will get rid of until you reach a satisfactory level of minimalism. The key to embracing minimalism is realising how few things you need to have a fully functional life. But getting rid of everything is not all you should do. When you go shopping, always ask yourself if you need them or can you live without them.
Stop Using Plastic
If you want to take a bigger step, you can try living plastic-free or minimising the use of plastic in your life. We all know that plastic is one of the most dangerous elements that deteriorate the environment. Billions of tons of plastic go onto small water bodies, seas, oceans, and landfills every single year. And what makes it even worse is the fact that it is killing marine life, turtles and birds. The simplest start is to make the switch to reusable straws and bags as well as stop using plastic plates, cups, cutlery, and so on. One of the biggest things that you can do is choose to shop at zero-waste stores. In stores like these, you will be able to come with your containers and fill them up with whatever you might need. They offer the same things that a normal supermarket would, without the abnormal waste of plastic.
Invest in a Solar Home
Even though investing in a solar home is not in everyone's budget, it is one of the best ways to live a sustainable lifestyle. Having a solar home is the best way you can reduce the carbon footprint that you are leaving on the Earth as well as drastically lower your energy bills in the future. Another thing that you can do is invest in a smart gardening hydroponic system. It will not only make it easier for you to grow your produce, but it will also help with energy and water consumption during the process.
Shop Wisely
As we have mentioned above, choosing to go to zero waste shops is the best thing you can do, but sometimes that is impossible. So, before you give up, there are still things that you can do to make a change. Always keep the reduce, reuse, and recycle in your head when you are in a store. Choose products that have minimal or no packaging as well as ones that don't require shipping. Another thing that you can do is reduce the amount of meat in your diet. Even though you don't need to become a vegan or a vegetarian overnight, you can minimise your meat consumption. Instead of going to the store and purchasing some beef, which is horrible for the environment, opt for a substitute just for that one lunch. This small change once a week will make a difference.
Take a Stand
Something that every single person can do is take a stand for what is good for the planet and everyone living on it. You can always raise your voice and stand strong against the people and corporations behind pollution. Everyone can join organisations and sign petitions that will make a difference when it comes to pollution, overconsumption, and waste.
What is important that everyone realises is that even the smallest thing you do will help save the environment. Every effort is to fight climate change and help the world become cleaner.
Written by Alison Pearson
About the Author
Alison Pearson is an interior design student. She is a writer and designer, and her ultimate passion is art and architecture. She is also a bibliophile and her favourite book is "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner. Follow her on Twitter.
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