A single bag floats away as you anxiously load your groceries into your trunk. You think “It’s just one bag, it can’t do much harm.” But this isn’t exactly true, right now there are approximately 5 trillion pieces of plastic trash in our oceans.
Yes, you’re right, this isn’t just caused by one rogue bag floating away. We use more resources than we need, we waste tons of food each year and throw away a lot of things we could reuse or recycle.
Our lack of sustainable living has caused a pollution crisis across the globe. But by making a few changes in our lives we can reduce our impact on the environment. Here are five tips for living a sustainable lifestyle.
1. Reusable Bags
Remember that fly away bag? Well, if you’re using a sturdy reusable bag the wind isn’t going to blow it away. Plus, this helps you keep from using single-use plastics bags that end up in landfills.
Why not take it one step further? Check out these reusable produce bags that are great for the environment. Best of all, these won’t tear every time you try to open one.
2. BYOB
Bring your own water bottle with you everywhere. Reusable water bottles are available nearly anywhere you shop and can really help cut down on the amount of plastic you use. Not to mention it could save you a lot of money down the road.
3. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Reduce the amount of stuff you buy — do you really need 50 rolls of toilet paper at once? You can also reuse a lot of things you have around the house. Plastic milk jugs make great bird feeders, for instance!
Recycling is a big part of living sustainably. You can recycle glass, paper, plastics, and metals. Most cities have some kind of recycling center and a place to recycle old electronics.
4. Grow Your Food
We’re not telling you to become a farmer, but just planting a few of your own vegetables or herbs can really improve your dishes. Not to mention, you know exactly what was used to grow that food.
This really helps reduce your carbon footprint. The amount of resources used to produce store-bought vegetables is enormous. Some of those vegetables and fruits are shipped hundreds of miles to get to your grocery store.
5. Renewable Energy
It’s so easy to switch to natural energy these days. Your local government might even give you a tax break for switching.
You can do this by utilizing the sun, use skylights and windows to light your home to use less electricity. You can even add a solar electric system to your home. Or switch to a company that uses natural resources like solar, water, or wind power.
More About Sustainable Living
Sustainable living is more than just saving on your electric bill and buying less plastic. It’s about preserving our environment for ourselves and future generations. It’s about being a responsible member of the community that we all share.
We hope you enjoyed this article, be sure to share it with your friends on social media. Check out the rest of our blog for more great articles like this.
