7 Actions to Take To Be More Sustainable
Green living is growing in popularity in the world. People see the changes happening in the environment, so they want to do their part to make smart changes that help lessen the strain on the world. Reports show that 78% of consumers now say that a sustainable lifestyle is important to them.
But with all the options for green living available, it isn’t always easy to know where to start with adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Are you looking for actions to take to be more green? Keep reading to learn how you can be more sustainable in your life.
1. Stop Using Plastic
One of the most wasteful things people do today is use plastic. Instead of purchasing reusable items, people purchase disposable plastic products like water bottles and throw them away after use.
Plastic is hard to eliminate, so it sits around long after it hits the recycling center or garbage dump. If you want to stop letting waste sit, cut your plastic use.
The good news is that this isn’t hard to do. Replace plastic items with reusable items in your home. For instance, instead of buying a pack of plastic water bottles, get a water container with a filter if you want to drink filtered water.
You’ll spend a little money upfront on the water bottle. But you won’t need to buy bottled water anymore, eventually saving you money and cutting your plastic usage.
2. Reduce Your Meat Consumption
Factory farming makes up a hung chunk of the carbon footprint emitted by countries. It takes a lot of energy to raise animals, produce feed for them, and handle other tasks. All of that contributes to the overall problem of global warming.
Luckily, people don’t need to eat a ton of meat to stay healthy. The primary reason people do so is to get protein. There are many plant-based alternatives that are good protein sources you can swap for meat.
You don’t have to eliminate meat from your diet entirely. Think of swapping a few weekly meals for plant-based options to reduce your overall meat consumption.
3. Buy Sustainable Products
Not every company takes sustainability seriously. They use manufacturing methods and materials that don’t align with an eco-friendly future. Because of that, they produce much more carbon emissions than their competitors.
But not every company acts this way. Many companies take sustainability seriously, sourcing quality materials, and investing in clean manufacturing methods.
If this is important to you, research each company carefully before purchasing their products. Send your money to companies willing to do their part for the environment. The more consumers show they are willing to pay for these types of products, the more willing companies are to invest in them.
4. Buy Local
Moving products long distances is a big cause of pollution. Companies ship products using trucks, planes, and ships. All of those create pollution that hurts the environment.
You can reduce the demand for products shipped long-distance when you shop locally. Look for local companies that create and sell products in your area in their local storefronts.
Doing this means you aren’t relying on companies that spend energy shipping products globally. The more demand created for local products, the less companies will rely on the tactic.
5. Watch Your Water Usage
There have been extended droughts in many parts of the world. That’s led to many lakes and aquifers drying up and running the risk of going dry.
Because of that, it makes sense to reduce your water use as much as possible. Look at your current plumbing fixtures and toilets to see how much water they use. If they are due for an upgrade, invest in water-saving products.
Many people also now invest in rain capture barrels. You can use these barriers to water your garden and perform other tasks outside the house. They will greatly reduce your water usage if you use it for those purposes.
6. Upgrade Your Appliances
Appliances a few decades ago weren’t energy efficient. There weren’t energy standards for manufacturers to follow, so they did things their own ways.
That isn’t the case today. There is now the Energy Star certification appliance manufacturers can get that tells consumers that a product meets current energy standards.
Look for this certification whenever you need to upgrade appliances. When you do, you’ll know that your next appliance is energy efficient and doesn’t use more power than needed.
7. Invest in Solar Power
If you have money to invest, solar power is a great option. You can install solar panels on your roof, hook them to your home and the power grid, and take advantage of the sun to power your home.
You aren’t just less reliant on the grid, either. You’re creating less strain on the grid during bad weather and can avoid power outages that occur because of it.
Solar power installations aren’t just good for the environment, either. Once you get past the payoff period, you have a lower power bill and will continue saving money in the future. And if the cost of electricity goes up, you’ve already paid for your solar panels and don’t need to worry about the price increases.
Follow These Actions to Take to Help Save the Environment
In a world where the climate is changing more than ever, people must do their part to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle that reduces carbon emissions. And the good news is that you have many options to do so. You can use small lifestyle hacks that are free or invest more money into green solutions like solar panels.
Now that you’ve read the guide above, you have more information about the actions to take to be more sustainable. Put as many of them into place today to do your part for the world.
Are you interested in more insights that will help you live a smarter life? Check out the latest articles on the blog to learn more.