Sustainable living seems like an ambitious and daunting goal. It can be overwhelming, especially when you make significant changes in your lifestyle at once. But making the shift to a more eco-friendly lifestyle does not have to entail shaking up your life at one go. For changes that stick, taking the slow and steady route may be the best way to go. Here are some of the small changes you can make to lessen your personal carbon footprint.
Make your home more energy efficient. Conserving energy is not just a way to contribute to protecting the environment. At a more personal and practical level, it could translate to more savings on your electric bills. Energy efficient homes do away with power-sucking appliances and lighting. Make an inventory of household items that use electricity. If possible, replace the less efficient ones with appliances or lighting fixtures that meet the environment-friendly standards.
Develop habits that support your green lifestyle. Habits can either support or hinder your goal to live more sustainably. You may want to evaluate current behaviors that may be preventing you from reducing your carbon footprint. Simple things like how you use water when washing your hands or brushing your teeth as well as how you use lighting at home can play a big role in creating a lifestyle that support green living.
Recycle and reuse. Learn how to make recycling work for you. Choose recyclable containers when buying items at the grocery. Or you can look for the nearest recycling centers near you where you can bring the items you want to discard. Reusing items is also one of the pillars of sustainable living. Prepare a compost bin or dig pit where you can put rotten produce, fruit and vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, and other organic wastes so they can become fertilizers for your garden. Making it a family habit can likewise teach children in the family the value of doing their share for the environment.
Find ways to grow your own food source. Maximize any available outdoor space you have to start a garden. Grow your own edible plants in a garden patch. Or you can look into other alternatives if you do not have the space even for a small garden outside your house. Container gardening is a fairly simple way to grow herbs and some edible plants in whatever limited space that you have.
Buy local. Shop local as much and as often as you can. Know the farmers’ markets near you. Buy locally-grown seasonal produce and other ingredients. This not only supports farmers and business owners in your area but can be a simple way of giving a boost to the local economy.
