9 minute read
Living an eco-friendly lifestyle might sound daunting when you think of all the options you’ve got and all the ideas you can put in place – and the disruption they’ll bring to your life – but it doesn’t have to be like that, and you don’t have to overhaul everything just to take care of the planet. It only actually takes a few simple changes that you can do one by one if you prefer, and you’ll already be doing good things for the environment (and your life can stay pretty much as it is). Of course, as time goes on and you learn more and more about eco-friendly living, you can (if you want to) make some bigger changes, but if you’re just starting out and want to keep things simple, that’s perfectly possible. With that in mind, here are some ways to enjoy eco-friendly living that will fit with your daily routine quite nicely – read on to find out more.
Start With The Small Stuff
Eco-friendly living can (and probably should) begin with the little things, which could include tiny touches like turning lights off when you leave a room, unplugging devices you’re not using, fixing leaky taps before you waste too much water, and so on. They’re small things, and they’re easy to forget or ignore, but taking care of them and turning them into a habit you and everyone else in your household do regularly not only helps the environment, but can also save you money (which might be a handy extra bit of motivation).
Something else that’s easy to do and that you can start as soon as you’re ready – like today – is to switch to reusable alternatives for a variety of things. So you might use a reusable water bottle, coffee cup, shopping bags, food wraps, and so on – there are loads of options. They’re just simple changes and they won’t cost a lot, and the only thing you’ll need to do is remember to have them with you when you leave the house – that’s something that’ll become automatic over time.
Shop Smarter
Don’t look at what’s in your cupboards and start to panic because nothing (or very little) seems to be eco-friendly. The fact that you’ve noticed that is a good start because it shows you know what you should be using and what’s not actually ideal. It might feel as though you’ve got to immediately empty everything out and do a massive shop for more environmentally friendly options, but that’s not a good idea – not only will that be expensive, but you’ll be wasting a lot of food and products, and that’s not good for the planet either.
Instead, the best thing to do is to use up what you’ve got so nothing goes to waste, and when you do need to replace something, that’s the time to check the labels properly and maybe do some research to ensure that you’re buying the kindest thing for the planet, and not something that’s actually causing a problem. For example, you should look for cleaning products made with natural ingredients rather than chemicals (or make your own when the time comes), and your clothes should be made from organic fabric rather than manmade materials.
It’s also great if you can support local businesses, so when you do your food shopping, going to a local (to reduce your food miles and carbon footprint) farmers’ market can be ideal – you might not be able to get everything there, but it’ll still mean you’re buying less at the supermarket, which is fantastic. When you buy local, it means there’s fewer emissions, and the products are usually really good quality and very fresh, so why wouldn’t you give it a go?
Reduce Energy Without Sacrificing Comfort
One of the easiest ways to live more eco-consciously is to rethink how you use energy in and around your home – make a list of all the things you use most often, perhaps, and then work out how to reduce the energy that goes towards powering them. Take light bulbs, for example; if you’ve got older light bulbs, they’re probably not very energy efficent, and swapping them for LED bulbs will save energy immediately (and you should save money too, not just because you’re using less energy, but because the light bulbs last for much longer so you won’t have to replace them as often). And again, you can just change them when you would have anyway, meaning you don’t need to buy a load of bulbs and swap everything all at once.
Another idea is to adjust your thermostat just a little – even changing it be a degree or two lower than usual can have a massive impact on your energy usage over time. Plus, if you own an electric vehicle or you’re thinking about getting one (ideal for being eco-friendly), it’s a great opportunity to go green with upgrades for EV charging. By installing an energy-efficient home EV charger, you’re not only reducing emissions, but you’re also saving money (which is clearly a theme when it comes to being eco-friendly) when you compare it to public charging stations, so it’s not just practical but it’s fantastic for the future and the planet, and it doesn’t take much of a change in your life once it’s all set up and you’re used to how it works.
Eat With The Planet In Mind
There are a few options when it come to your food and what you do to make what you eat more eco-friendly, and they’re not all going to be right for everyone – but it’s worth knowing the options so you can make a decision. In other words, going completely vegan immediately (or at all) might not be something you’re willing to do, but you can still cut back on meat and dairy products and that’s going to help reduce your carbon footprint, so it’s great. A lot of people like to do things like meatless Mondays, for example, and just that one day a week can make a difference – plus, you can start eating plant-based food on other days as well once you decide whether it’s something you want to pursue or not.
But that’s just one idea, and there are plenty of others that will also help massively. For example, you could make sure you always buy food that’s in season, rather than things that have been shipped from other countries (again, reducing the food miles but also helping more local producers). As a bonus, the in-season food often tastes better and is fresher, so it’s quite possibly better for you in terms of your health, so this idea really is one that ticks all the boxes.
Buy Secondhand
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure… have you ever heard that phrase? It’s definitely one to keep in mind when you want to be more eco-friendly, so it might be time to investigate it a bit more. It basically means that something someone else doesn’t want or need anymore might be exactly the thing you want or need, and where will you find this stuff? Not at landfills as the phrase might suggest, but in secondhand stores, thrift stores, charity shops, flea markets, car boot sales, and so on. There are even local online marketplaces or perhaps a swap event where you don’t actually have to spend any money and you get rid of some of your old stuff at the same time.
These places are all fantastic places to find clothes, toys, furniture, home decor, and pretty much anything else you might want, and you’ll usually find that whatever you’re buying is cheaper than if you were to buy it brand new (antiques are perhaps a different story, of course). On top of that, you’re preventing the things from being thrown out and taken to landfill, plus the demand for new items will – if enough people buy secondhand – reduce, and that means fewer resources are used.
If you want even more reason to go down this route, you can also get rid of the stuff you don’t need anymore by donating it, selling it, or swapping it, so you can declutter your home, do your bit for the planet, and get everything you need all at once.
Get Outside
Sometimes the best way to live eco-consciously is to get out of your house and get into nature. Not only will you not be using the appliances and electricity in your home (and anything else that’s bad for the planet) a lot less, but you’ll also get a chance to familiarize yourself with nature and how wonderful it is, and that can be massively motivating and help you remember just why you’re making these (small) changes in your life.
And it’s such an easy thing to do as well – if you’ve got a backyard, just go out there for a few minutes every day and listen to the sounds, breathe in the fresh air, and look at how lovely it all is. If you’ve not got a garden, go to the local park, go hiking, go for a walk down the road and back, and so on. The fact is that the more you appreciate nature, the more you’ll take care of it.
