The Most Effective Steps That Help You Become More Environmentally-Friendly

19.11.2019 GREEN LIVING 0.0 0

sustainable living

Leading a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle is not just popular but also good for our planet. By switching to a more sustainable way of life, you will be changing the world and making it a better place for everyone. Here are the most effective steps you could take.

Technology

First of all, let’s talk about technology. The least you can do is start turning off your devices if you aren’t using them. This will help you conserve energy which will mean that you will be using less of it and that will reduce your carbon footprint. Besides, your energy bills will also seem way more attractive to you now.

Consider buying and switching to eco-friendly technology. This means that you need to find the most energy-efficient tech that will be using less energy during a certain amount of time, for example, LED light bulbs. They last much longer than traditional ones and save energy pretty well. Moreover, they come in a variety of designs that you can choose from.

Another good idea would be to switch to renewables. This will mean that you will be producing zero carbon emissions if you do get a 100% renewable tariff. Changing your energy supplier is quite easy, by the way. In addition to that, start using your microwave more often and try to refrain from using the oven as it requires way more energy to function properly.

Food

Not everyone likes cutting down on food, but if you are willing to make a lot of change, this step will be extremely helpful. You need to start being more careful with what you are eating in order to become more eco-friendly. One of the foods you will need to stop eating or eat less is meat, especially red meat.

If you are not too keen on any kind of environmentally-friendly diet, you can take a bit of a different route. Stop wasting the food you don’t need and try to make the most out of what you buy. Consider composting as it will ensure that none of your food is wasted and you also get fertilizer for your plants.

Similarly, consider getting some pets that would eat the food that you don’t need. For example, guinea pigs love carrot peels. You won’t eat them, but they will. Instead of throwing such leftovers away, feed them to your dog, cat, rabbit, hamster, guinea pig, chinchilla, or anyone else. Even snails and cockroaches are an option now as a pet!

Recycling

You’ve probably heard a lot about the benefits of recycling, but if you haven’t tried it yet, here’s your chance. Search online for different ways you could recycle various things you aren’t going to use anymore. You could even search for information in other languages by using an online translation service like The Word Point to aid you in the process.

Collect your paper, plastic, metal, and batteries. Then, submit it to appropriate places. Reuse old things and find how you could apply them in a new way. Try using less plastic and substitute it with other materials instead (e.g. cloth bags instead of plastic ones). If something breaks, try to fix it first instead of throwing it away. There’s a chance it could still be useful.

Transportation

Transportation of all kinds is one of the reasons why humanity has such a huge carbon footprint. But there are ways you could reduce your own. Instead of driving your car to the grocery store, have your food delivered to you. This will mean that only one car drives around getting food for several houses instead of every family using their cars.

Don’t drive much and try to use public transport more often. If you are the sporty kind, consider cycling or walking to your job. It will not only help the environment, but it will also make you healthier. Try not to fly often and consider staying in your region more. Planes produce a lot of carbon which is not good for our planet.

Cleaning & Hygiene

Start using eco-friendly cleaning products. There are some that you can use to wash your floor and then water your plants with the water you used for cleaning. Such cleaning products are also available for washing dishes and the like. Most of such eco-friendly products use organic and natural components that are just as effective as the harmful chemicals.

At the same time, think of the beauty and hygiene products you use on a daily basis. The most harmful component used in many such products is the microbeads. These are small bits of solid plastic which often contaminate water and, consequently, our environment and even our food chain.

When choosing your hygiene products, make sure that your toothpaste, body wash, and everything else does not contain these microbeads. You should also try looking for products that contain natural and organic components rather than chemicals. This will ensure that neither you nor your environment is getting damaged by them.

Gardening

Lastly, consider going even more environment-friendly by starting your own garden or simply helping grow plants elsewhere. If you know that you could be growing your own fruits and vegetables, go ahead and start doing that. Gardening is said to improve your mood and will make you feel relaxed. Moreover, you will have your own organic food!

If you don’t have any space outside, think of what you could do inside. There are actually some fruit trees that feel perfectly fine in room conditions, while others could be grown on your balcony. Think of new ways you could integrate plants into your home.

Try to plant trees in places where it is allowed. Every tree you plant will be a small, but significant investment into the well-being of our planet. You can think of it as your heritage. Teach your children how to live in harmony with nature and explain to them why it is so important to care about our environment.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, becoming more environmentally-friendly is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. In fact, it only takes some small changes to make a bigger impact on our planet. Follow the advice in this article to make your lifestyle better.

Written by Dominic Beaulieu

About the Author

Dominic Beaulieu is a gaming enthusiast turned tech writer who covers an impressive variety of topics like design, development process, game marketing, and helps developers with spreading the word about their creations. He is a fluent French speaker, who also has mastered Dutch, Norwegian, and Swedish. He has an experience in software translation, tech counseling, project management and digital marketing tailored for startups.