5 easy things you can do for a more sustainable living
Photo by Cherie Birkner
The days of ignoring and overusing the resources our planet so graciously provides are over. With climate change and the increasing destruction of Mother Earth, we no longer have a choice— the only way to salvage our future is for each of us to do our part. Even a little will go a long way.
Some of us can do more than others. Your journey towards sustainability is a process. Sometimes, just changing up a few habits is where you can start. Here’s some of our own (tried and tested), out-of-the-box suggestions, that you could easily start utilizing today:
1. Get creative with your house decor!
If you’re tired of being surrounded by the same decor, you don’t need to make any grand new purchases to jazz things up .There are easy and sustainable ways to do up your space without spending or purchasing much at all!
Getting crafty can do the trick– you can change up your furniture by adding mirror work and different trinkets and knobs, too.
Adding more plants to your space, including herbs, make for great (and useful) decor!
Empty oil drums can be turned into many items such as shelves, two seater couches, stools, a set of drawers and even a barbeque! If you invest in the right equipment this could turn into a passion project, or some help from a carpenter will do, too.
If you’re tired of your old chest, just use the drawers to create a book stand or a toy chest. Want a new side table? Use the old skateboard!
There are many different ways of turning any old furniture and decor into something new. Use your imagination and think before you toss!
2. Wear your clothes multiple times before you wash!
Whether it’s your jeans, tees or shorts, try getting multiple uses in before tossing them into your laundry basket.
Washing your clothes too often not only wears them out quickly, but the repeated unnecessary clean adds to your clothes’ overall carbon footprint.
Plus, saving your laundry days for the funky and actually dirty clothes (and underwear, please) could end up saving a lot of water!
3. Carry your own (reusable) water bottles.
Stay hydrated the sustainable way by reducing your plastic purchases. Plan ahead when you know you’re going to have a long day and invest in a good reusable water bottle that’s portable! The next time you step out, make a mental checklist— wallet, keys, phone…and water!
4. Skip printing your receipts
This one is probably the one you never thought about but is super simple to do. Ofcourse, there are some receipts worth saving, but most of us discard these prints moments after our purchases. Infact, with automated bank balances appearing directly on our phones, even your ATM receipt will most likely go in the trash. Make it a habit to opt out of printing receipts (if you don’t need them) — an easy way to save paper and reduce waste!
5. Take more bucket showers!
We all love a long hot shower, don’t we? But running the tap for your lengthy wash could be wasting a lot of water. Opt for bucket showers on your busy days for a quick and efficient bath. This way, at least on most days, you’ll only use the amount of water you really need, while benefiting off an equally effective cleanse!
There’s so many creative ways to do better each day. When it comes to sustainability and saving our planet and resources, we really believe everyone can and should do their part. Start small and take it from there.
Think about it, without the land that we live on, air that we breathe and water that we drink, life makes no sense.
I like to think of the earth as an extension of myself. Isn’t it my responsibility to defend, nourish and uplift her then?