Sustainable living might have become the buzzword of the 21st century, and for a very good reason! For too long, we have been treating this planet as if all its resources were infinite. If we want to keep up our luxurious lifestyle, it is about time we realize we have to do more - and consume less. However, living sustainably is easier said than done. ‘Saving the planet’ is often immediately associated with having to give up our comfort, efficiency or simplicity. But we as consumers can change so much with our everyday behavior, without having to drastically change our lifestyle. Below, you can find 3 easy ways to start the process of living more sustainably.
1. Bring Your Own Items
In an effort to reduce the use of single-use items (most famously the plastic or paper cup), invest in a couple of reusable everyday items and carry them with you when you know you’ll need them. The easiest to start with is, of course, a reusable coffee mug, but have you also thought about bringing your own containers when picking up your lunch or your own tote bag when you do groceries? Those are seemingly small lifestyle changes with a big impact.
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2. Rethink Your Eating Habits - Eat Locally and Seasonally
Another major impact we consumers can have is through our food consumption. We have grown accustomed to eating whatever product we feel like in every season of the year. What we often overlook, however, is that this behavior often requires our produce to be shipped from all over the world, which adds heavily to our carbon footprint. Informing us about what food grows locally and during what season and where to get it can counteract this global trend.
3. Use creative transportation options
Owning and driving a car running on fossil fuel is probably still the easiest and most comfortable method of transport. However, it is also a huge problem for our environment. Granted, sometimes it seems impossible to get from A to B otherwise, but if we’re honest, how often do we just use our car because it is the easiest thing to do at the moment? Thanks to technological advancements and the creativity of humankind, there are so many great and sustainable options for us to limit our car use. Starting with the already old-fashioned alternatives of public transports or bikes (great for your fitness as well, by the way), we can drastically reduce our carbon footprint through car-sharing systems or other innovative start-ups, like electric scooter rentals.
The task of doing our fair share for a sustainable society can seem like a huge burden, but breaking it down into simple and small steps you can take as an individual helps to grow awareness of your consumption patterns. If you start with looking into these three steps, you will quickly find yourself realizing the potential of sustainable living may even look for more ways.