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10 Ways to Be More Sustainable in your Daily Life
- Sus Living Soc
- Nov 13, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 26, 2020
What is Sustainable Living?
Sustainable living is a lifestyle that attempts to reduce an individual's or society's use of the Earth's natural resources and personal resources. Practitioners of sustainable living often attempt to reduce their carbon footprint by altering methods of consumption, diet, and transportation. Instead of adding to the excess waste problem, we prioritize the use of natural and renewable resources.
To live sustainably, we humans must use the earth's resources at a rate that leaves enough for generations to come. This is easier said than done, but the effects of living beyond our means are beginning to be seen in our everyday lives.
How to Live More Sustainably?
The choices we make every day have a significant impact on the environment and since our planet has a finite supply of resources, it is important we make smart choices to preserve the resources that make our Earth so beautiful.
We listed the 10 easiest changes you can make to your everyday life. Trust us, anyone can make these small changes with a little extra self-awareness and willpower. No change is too small!
1. Compost
Composting is a natural way to reuse organic material such as food and kitchen scraps or garden waste. Bacteria and fungi, feed on the food and garden waste and breaking it down into a dark crumbly mass called compost. Compost is rich in plant nutrients! You can then use it to mix into the soil in your garden!
2. Reusable water bottle
Did you know, one plastic water bottle takes 450 years to decompose? The huge amount of plastic waste living in our oceans and piling up on land is so harmful to our plants and wildlife. Swap out single-use plastic water for glass bottles and reusable thermoses. Our earth will thank us for making this simple change!
3. Repurpose empty jars and containers
Another really simple but effective way to reduce waste is repurposing jars, containers, and old packaging. If you've reached the end of your jam, peanut butter, or mayo, why not clean it out a utilize it for other solutions. Refill it with nuts or homemade marmalade, use it to make chia seed pudding or overnight oats, or fill it with flowers! The possibilities are endless!
4. Buy local produce
Buying local produce is not only great for supporting your community and saving the environment but it also has great health benefits as well. Locally grown produce often retains more nutrients as it is allowed to ripen naturally without the use of chemicals. Food grown locally often uses less (or no) pesticides which is better for you, but also much better for the earth. Buying locally will help support Irish farmers, reduce CO2 emissions, and give you tastier more nutritious fruits and veg!
5. Opt-out of paper billing
This one doesn't need much of an explanation. If you haven't already, make sure you go paperless with all your bills! We are all so used to doing everything online, we end up binning paper bills right away. No need to waste the paper!
6. Time your showers
Are you ready to start cutting down your water waste? On average we spend about 8 minutes in the shower...that's 62 litres of water down the drain! This is a waste of water and the energy that is needed to heat the shower. Can you start timing yourself and see how quickly you can make it? Create a 5 min shower playlist or use a phone timer and start cutting down on water waste.
7. Get rid of plastic straws
Another really simple fix to our environmental problem. Stop using plastic straws! SAVE THE TURTLES. A study from National Geographic shows that nearly 8.5 BILLION straws litter the world's beaches. Either invest in reusable glass, metal, or bamboo straws or go strawless! While you're at why not participate in a beach clean up, the Sus Living Soc participates in one every spring!! Sign Up HERE!
8. Grow your own herbs
This is one of Sus Living's favourite tips. If you like to cook or use herbs often, why not start your own herb garden. Instead of buying a pack of basil or rosemary each time you need it, using a small bit for your recipe and then wasting the rest...why not buy the full plant. Not only will it smell great in your home and be great in your meals, but it's a much more sustainable option.
9. Cycle instead of Driving
You may not have your own bike, but Dublin has a lot of great Bike Share options to aid in your sustainable travel. Try DublinBikes, Bleeper Bike, or Moby (Electric Bikes). All great affordable and sustainable alternatives to driving!
10. Donate unused clothes
Our last sustainable tip is to donate old or unused clothes. We all have pieces in our wardrobe that are in perfect condition but never get worn. Recycle these clothes by donating them to your local charity shops...Oxfam and Enable Ireland are great options. Make sure the pieces you're donating are in usable condition and clean before you make your donation.
Thanks for reading! We are here to unite and elicit positive change in the world. Together we can learn a thing or two about environmentally friendly living and strive to make an impact with smart sustainable choices. If you enjoy what you read or have suggestions on topics you’d like to discuss next, leave us a comment! If you haven’t joined already, sign up to the Sustainable Living Society HERE. We look forward to creating a community of like-minded eco-warriors together! If you enjoyed what you learned, why not sign up for our Weekly Newsletter?
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