What does "living sustainably" mean?
/Living sustainably is a lifestyle that aims to reduce your impact on the environment.
It is not a one-time thing, but rather a way of living and thinking. Living sustainably means not just buying green products, but also reducing your waste and choosing to live with less in order to leave more room for others. It’s about being aware of what you buy and why you buy it, as well as questioning whether or not those things are really necessary for you at this point in time. When a community practices sustainable living, they help the environmental quality.
It’s about recognizing that there are many ways we can change our lives in order to protect our planet—and then taking steps toward making those changes happen!
People who live sustainably often choose to reduce their energy use, reuse items for various purposes or recycle them when they're no longer useful.
You can try to reduce the amount of energy you use by turning off lights when you're not using them, using power strips and surge protectors to turn off electronics when they aren't in use and unplugging chargers after they've finished charging. Many people also choose to compost food waste rather than throw it away. Composting also helps reduce water pollution and provides a healthy alternative to fertilizing lawns with chemicals.
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If you're recycling items that can't be reused or composted, make sure that you recycle everything that's recyclable! Some cities have curbside pickup services where residents put their recyclables on the curb instead of taking them to the city dump or recycling center themselves; others have drop-off locations for donations, such as Salvation Army or Goodwill, where residents can take their recyclables and other household materials like clothing instead of sending them straight into landfills.
Individuals who practice sustainable living also may choose to eat only locally grown foods in order to further reduce their environmental footprint.
Local farms and gardens are able to grow the freshest products, which means less of a carbon footprint when you're eating your veggies. Plus, it's easier on the environment because they aren't shipped across long distances before they get to your plate and into your stomach!
For example, if you live in the United States, most of your food comes from thousands of miles away by way of trucks and planes that use fossil fuels to transport it. However, if you choose to eat local foods, much less energy is used because the food doesn't have to be transported as far. You can buy local foods at Farmers Markets or have them sent to your home via Farm boxes like Farm fresh to you (Save $15 off your first delivery by using Code: JANI9199 ).
With a little bit of commitment, almost everyone can make small changes in their lives that can greatly benefit the environment over time.
Making small changes in your life that benefit the environment doesn't have to be difficult or expensive. In fact, with just a bit of time and commitment, almost anyone can make positive changes to their daily routines without breaking the bank. Here are some examples of small actions you can take:
Try using reusable bags when shopping at the grocery store. This will cut down on waste from plastic bags and help keep them out of landfills and oceans where they may harm wildlife (and us!).
Instead of driving everywhere, walk, bike or use an electric scooter. Calculate how much money you'd save by not having to buy gas or insurance for your car (or bicycle). If it's less than what you'd spend on public transportation, consider getting rid of your car!
Use energy-efficient light bulbs in lamps around your home instead of traditional ones—they'll last longer and save money on utility bills every month!
Use a Refillable Water bottle instead of buying plastic bottles. A reusable water bottle takes less oil to produce, replaces all the plastics that you would have used and thereby reduces both your carbon footprint and helps reduce the plastic burden on landfills, oceans, streams and other places where plastic waste ends up.
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Copyright © 2022 by Janine Morales, Professional Home and Business Organizer and Certified KonMari™ Consultant in San Diego and surrounding areas.