Being environmentally-conscious is a way of life for many people, but how exactly can this be achieved? While it may seem like a huge commitment, there are in fact several small ways to make a positive impact from the comfort of your own home! If you’re a complete beginner wishing to be kinder to our planet, read on to discover the best small lifestyle changes that you can start making today to start practicing sustainability.
Limit Plastic Usage
At some point in your life, you’ve most likely been told about the harmful effects of plastic on our planet. Everyday items we use in the home like plastic straws, plastic snack bags, and plastic grocery bags may seem insignificant at first, but over time, they can present huge problems for our environment when they are continuously being thrown in the trash. Try replacing plastic straws with glass or stainless-steel straws, swapping out plastic snack bags for silicone storage bags, or purchasing a tote bag in replacement for plastic grocery bags. As with household items, try to be mindful of other products that you buy and give to others. For example, wooden watches rather than conventional metal watches can make for a perfect eco-friendly sustainable gift.
Use Leftovers
Alongside plastic waste, food waste is another environmental issue that we collectively need to tackle. When excess amounts of food are left in landfills, it can produce a powerful greenhouse gas called methane which is known as a leading factor for global warming. Instead of throwing away your leftovers such as vegetables or meat, why not keep them refrigerated in a plastic container and cook up a delicious meal from them? If you’ve ever felt guilty about throwing out food, this can be a great idea to shake off this feeling and make use of it for a second time!
Buy Essential Food In Larger Quantities
Buying essential foods in larger quantities, such as dried fruit, meat, oats, quinoa, or any other foods that your household eats frequently will not only allow you to save money on your food shopping but will also help to reduce the amount of waste within your home. The reason being is because many foods are manufactured with more packaging than necessary, so buying in larger quantities will mean less waste. When buying food in larger quantities, it helps to be practical with your weekly food consumption to avoid further wastage of any edibles. You can do this keeping track of how much your household usually eats within this time frame and planning how much you’ll really need to buy.
Reduce Your Home Temperature Adjustments
Who doesn’t love a toasty and cozy home? While this is a necessity on those wintery days, a home that is constantly being raised in temperature, even in the warmer months of the year, can create more harmful emissions. To cut your use of unnecessary fossil fuels and save money, try to keep your home temperature to no higher than 64°F, or consider purchasing a draught excluder to insulate your home.
