Sustainable Living: 65 Ways You Can Start Living More Sustainably

However, there are an increasing amount of places where you can refill your old bottles (Hunter, 2022). Next time you order a drink, think about whether you need a straw, and if you don’t, just say no! You can also ask your local pub to stop adding straws to drinks as standard and offer paper straws to those who want one (Hunter, 2022). If you have a wood-burning fireplace, save your ashes instead of throwing them away. Once cooled, wood ashes can be mixed into your compost heap Halfway house and provide nutrients to your garden (US EPA, 2022). Maintain and repair items such as clothing, tires, and appliances, so they won’t have to be thrown out and replaced as frequently (US EPA, 2021).

Eat organic and local when possible

Homeowners can dramatically improve their eco-friendly practices by implementing these changes, major and tiny, leading to a more sustainable and greener way of living. We can strive towards a sustainable future where both people and the planet flourish by adopting eco-friendly practices, promoting sustainability, and encouraging others to join the movement. Several actionable steps can significantly reduce your environmental impact and utility bills.

Smart tips to make your home more eco-friendly and cost effective

• Just like you pack lunches for your kids, pack yours for the office as well.
• However, many places around the world are severely struggling with over-tourism.
• You can also ask your local pub to stop adding straws to drinks as standard and offer paper straws to those who want one (Hunter, 2022).
• Donate them to someone in need instead of tossing them in the trash.

To keep a healthy garden without using chemicals, use practices like companion planting, frequent crop rotation, and promoting plant health to boost natural pest resistance. Combating the threat of https://ecosoberhouse.com/ microplastics necessitates a reduction in our reliance on single-use plastics. Make the habit of turning off lights when not needed or before leaving a room can result in significant energy savings. Incandescent bulbs, for instance, mainly emit energy as heat rather than light. Smart thermostats assist homeowners in monitoring and regulating energy usage, allowing them to control their home’s environment via Wifi and a mobile app.

Wash Clothes by Hand

Moving is an exciting time but if too much is left to the last moment, it also has the potential to be a stressful experience. To help you focus on the fun of your next house move, a little organisation can go a long way – and with this checklist to guide you, making… It’s more fashionable to have blinds in your home, and in some rooms, they can simply just be the better choice. However, don’t discount having thicker curtains in certain rooms, particularly the bedroom.

Identify and Repair Leaky Faucets and Toilets

It might seem a bit of a simplistic point to make – but isn’t it better to think locally if your house need work doing to it? Why employ a tradesman who has to travel fifty miles to come and repair your boiler, when there might be someone around the corner who can do it more inexpensively and without traveling miles and miles. Good places to start include the walls of your house and the roof. Another tip is to think about your windows as insolation too – we’ll cover this more further on but think about double glazing any windows that aren’t already. Even when you’re not using them, electronics how to be more environmentally friendly at home that remain plugged in can suck energy, raising your electricity bills and wasting energy in the process.

• Ditch taxis and rentals for local public transportation to move around when you’re in a foreign city.
• If you live in an area that gets a lot of open-sky sunshiny days, then investing in solar panels might be a good option for you.
• They can be combined with your usual heating and hot water system to diversify your supply and utilise the sun’s energy optimally throughout the year.
• Imagine how much plastic waste is accumulated through the use of cotton buds.
• Local foods, meanwhile, don’t have to travel as far to get to you, meaning fewer fossil fuels are produced in their transport.

For example, using wood from trees that have already fallen is a much better choice than cutting new trees down. This is because a tree naturally decaying in the forest releases the same amount of carbon as it does when it burns. And this carbon is the same carbon the tree removed from the environment, which is why wood burning is considered carbon neutral. Today, there are many ways to honour the tradition of using natural roofing and siding products. Clay tiles have been used as a roofing materials for centuries. And while they’re certainly a pricey option in many areas of the world, they are beautiful, sustainable and extremely durable choice.

As a result, using such technology can be both environmentally and economically advantageous. With mounting environmental challenges, adopting eco-conscious habits is crucial, starting within our living spaces. We can inspire others to be responsible stewards of the Earth’s resources if we prioritise sustainability and reduce our ecological footprint. This fosters a collective commitment towards the environment and encourages others to follow suit.

Donate clothes and unused items, or have a garage sale rather than tossing your unwanted goods in the trash. Unsurprisingly, these man made poisons aren’t great for the environment, and many have toxic effects on animal and plant life once they enter our waterways via sewer systems. Household cleaning supplies are jam-packed with the most powerful bacteria killers in existence. During sunny and hot months, it’s almost a shame to not line-dry your clothes outside.

Learn more at EPA’s Sustainability and Pollution Prevention (P2) sites, or in the Greener Living Frequent Questions. LEDs are incorporated into bulbs and fixtures for general lighting applications. Some LED bulb solutions may physically resemble familiar light bulbs and better match the appearance of traditional light bulbs. Some LED light fixtures may have LEDs built in as a permanent light source. There are also hybrid approaches where a non-traditional “bulb” or replaceable light source format is used and specially designed for a unique fixture.