One of the main causes of climate change is our disregard for the environment. It’s time to take a step toward a sustainable lifestyle. While you’re setting goals for personal development and career advancements, why not take a stand for mother earth, too?
We urge you to make this year your greenest. For the remaining months of the year, challenge yourself to achieve a zero-waste lifestyle. You could get started by trying to do these simple hacks for a sustainable lifestyle.
1. Avoid Plastic
Refueling and hydration are essential, but trying to avoid using a plastic bottle and preserving food in plastic packaging will be a step forward in reducing waste. Single-use plastic may be a common thing in your daily life. However, it harms the environment and is not beneficial for your health and the collective health of the community.
2. Give New Use to Unwanted Gear
The unused possessions stay in the house, collecting dust. To make matters worse when they are sent to the dump, they just continue the unsustainable consumption cycle. For instance, you can reuse old sheets and towels as cleaning rags and for wiping up outdoor messes. Reusing will help keep most non-biodegradable things out of landfills.
Source: Shutterstock3. Bring Your Bag
You can bring your bag to more places than in the gym. You can also recycle the grocery bags as they will save the environment and save you the cost of another bag. You can also have a backpack in your car or a reusable bag so that whenever you stop to shop, you can find it handy.
4. Save Energy Using LED Bulbs
Switching from the incandescent to LED light bulbs will save you a substantial amount of energy. The LED bulbs utilize 80 percent less power than the incandescent bulbs.
5. Use Stainless Steel Straws
You can save on money and space when you purchase a stainless steel straw. Plastic straws are not sustainable and harm the environment.
6. Save Water
You can save on water by practicing to turn off the water while brushing your teeth. As a custom, you should wet your brush then switch off the water when brushing. Turn the water on again when rinsing your teeth.
7. Unplug Electronics When Not in Use
Unplugging electronics, when not in use, will help in reducing your energy bill. You can also plug your appliance, especially computers, on a surge protector bar when in use and switch the bar off when not in use.
8. Practice Natural Cleaning
Using natural cleaning products such as lemon and vinegar for cleaning at home. These cleaning products are locally available at home. To make an all-purpose cleaning reagent, you need vinegar, water, essential oils, and lemon. Practicing natural cleaning will add to your zero waste efforts.
9. Convert from Plastic Water Bottles to Filtration Systems
Plastics are a no-go for your zero waste objectives. You can use a filtered pitcher, or you can use a charcoal stick attachment for your faucet. Also, you can install a refrigerator water filter for water purification in your water dispenser and ice maker.
10. Ride A Bike or Carpool
Source: ShutterstockLimit the use of your car to help reduce emissions. You can take occasional walks or bike ride when going to a nearby place. You can also arrange with friends or colleagues to carpool by getting a lift and split the gas cost.
11. Eat What’s in Season
Fruits and veggies tend to test better when in season. You will also get a better value when you buy foods while in season. Eating foods in season will also be beneficial to the planet. You always keep up with what’s in season in your region.
12. Reuse Water for Plants
You can use leftover water from washing hands or cooking to water plants in the house or the garden. You can collect leaking water, rainwater, or water from the shower to recycle.
13. You Can Buy Fresh Food Without Packaging
When at the grocery store, always try to buy food without packaging, but if it a must try to buy food with little packaging as possible. You should choose vegetables and fruits without packaging whenever you can. You should also take advantage of the bulk sections where you can get nuts, seeds, and other items that are free of excessive packaging.
14. Plant Something
Gardening is right for you as it’s refreshing. It’s also suitable for the environment and improves the aesthetics of your home. If not sure you can always start with a window herb and avoid buying a pre-packed herb.
15. Take Products Back
Always take your worn-out or unwanted shoes or pieces of clothing to the take-back station around you. These stations receive items from all manufacturers. They will be given a second life through recycling.
16. Buy Quality Items That Can Stay for A Lifetime
When choosing quality over quantity, you may feel the pinch at first. In the long run, however, it will be beneficial as it will save you from replacing an item over and over. When you go cheap, you will be throwing money and creating waste.
17. Start A Backyard Compost
Composting diverts organic waste from landfills, improves soil and plant health, conserves water, saves money, and decreases the use of garden chemicals.
Source: Shutterstock18. Fashion
Buy less, buy better by focusing on quality products, especially clothing, by avoiding polyester. You can buy second-hand clothes and brands that use sustainable material.
19. Less Is More
When organizing an event or in the house, keep it simple as less is more. We tend to buy things that are unnecessary and end up increasing clutter in the home. You should abide by the “Reduce, reuse, recycle!” model when organizing.
20. Layer with Wool Before Turning Up the Heat
Wool is capable of regulating your body temperature. You will be surprised how warm you will feel just by wrapping yourself in a wool blanket or putting on a pair of wool socks. So before turning the heater, try wool first.
21. Avoid Junk Mail
To enhance your zero waste goals, you can avoid physical coupons and pamphlets. You can switch to online shopping and free your mailbox from junk.
22. Go Thrift Shopping
You will be surprised how you can get beautiful items from clothing to furniture at low cost by just scanning thrift stores for items that are relevant to you. You can also donate or sell unwanted items in your closet or home.
Source: Shutterstock23. Change to Silicone Baking Mats
You can drop the aluminum foil or paper parchment that is a one-use item by selecting an environmentally friendly option such as silicone baking mats. The silicone mats protect the baking sheets and are reusable.
24. Switch to Digital Downloading and Streaming
You can keep plastic from your home, such as DVDs, CDs, books, and vinyl used to wrap these items by switching to digital downloads.
25. Avoid Freebies
If your house is full of company logo pens and real estate notepad, then you should avoid freebies. The more you say no, you will reduce the demand to make more of these items.
26. Recycle Gift Boxes and Accessories
Gift wrapping comes with a lot of wastes such as the tissue, wrapping paper, and ribbon. Thus, next time when you receive a gift, save the wrapping and the accessories and reuse to wrap for someone else.
27. Go Paperless for Your Bills
Source: ShutterstockPaper bills are one of the top contributors to junk mails, leading to wastage of paper. You can opt for online billing for your phone bill to credit card bills.
28. Try the Bidet Attachment
To cut on toilet paper is a scary thought, but when you think of its replacement, then it becomes practical. You can cut on the use of toilet paper by installing a bidet attachment.
29. Use Plant Décor
Plants never go out of style; thus, going green has numerous advantages as plants add a touch of style and warmth to your living space. Plants purify the air.
30. Use Mason Jar
Once you ditch plastic, you can use glass jars to organize your pantry stand, keep your dry items and spices fresh. The jars will increase the aesthetic appeal of your home.
This list might seem exhaustive, but I would wish to encourage you to pursue other options that may seem easier and sustainable for you. To attain zero waste goals, you need to stay on course and refrain from backing out.
