The planet is in danger, but in order to save it, we don’t need to be like Super Mario. All it takes is 15 simple habits and small changes in your day-to-day life that can have a big impact on reducing your carbon footprint.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| By adopting eco-friendly habits in our daily lives, we can help save the planet and make a positive impact on the environment. |
| Incorporating simple habits such as reducing waste, conserving energy, and supporting sustainable practices can make a big difference. |
| Sustainable living involves being intentional about our choices and focusing on the things that matter most to us. |
| Zero waste living, sustainable travel, eco-friendly fashion, minimalist lifestyle, and tiny houses are all ways to live more sustainably and reduce our environmental impact. |
| By educating ourselves and taking action, we can all do our part to create a more sustainable future for ourselves and future generations. |
Buy Reusable Items
When you buy reusable items, you’re not only reducing the amount of trash you produce, but also helping the planet in a variety of ways.
For example:
Buy a reusable water bottle instead of buying bottled water. This will keep up to 18 million plastic bottles out of landfills each year! It’s also great for your wallet because you won’t have to spend money on expensive single-use water bottles anymore!
Buy reusable shopping bags instead of using plastic bags. This is an important step toward reducing waste that goes into landfills where it can take hundreds or even thousands of years to decompose (if ever).
Not only does this help prevent pollution from leaching into our soil and waterways, it saves trees too—did you know that more than 8 million trees are cut down just so people can get their groceries home?
By practicing zero waste living, we not only help the environment but also enjoy various personal benefits. Learn more about the benefits of zero waste living and start making a positive impact today.
Use Your Own Produce Bag
If you’re one of those people who takes your own produce bag to the grocery store, good for you! You’re already doing something to improve the environment and reduce waste.
But did you know it can actually improve the quality of your produce? When we transport fruits and vegetables in their original packaging, they tend to get squished, which leads to bruising and damage from their journey from farm field to shelf at your local supermarket.
By transferring them into a reusable bag (or even just a cloth sleeve), you’ll keep them looking fresher for longer—and trust us when we say this is important when it comes to avocados!
Bring Your Own Coffee Mug
Bring your own coffee mug. If you don’t have one, buy one and start using it immediately. This way, you can avoid buying a plastic or paper cup every time you want to get some coffee (or tea). You’ll save money in the long run and do your part for the environment at the same time!
If possible, bring your own reusable travel mug to work and school each day as well. If this isn’t possible, remember that many places will happily let customers fill up whatever they brought instead of buying another disposable product again even if they don’t sell them themselves!
Order A To-Go Kit From EzCater
If you’re looking to order food to-go, use a service like EzCater. When you use EzCater, you can rest easy knowing that the packaging is eco-friendly and that it’s being recycled or composted where appropriate.
The food is also delivered to your door in an environmentally friendly way—no need for gas-guzzling vehicles!
EzCater offers takeout from restaurants that are meant specifically for delivery and pickup orders (the chef doesn’t want their kitchen getting busy).
This means you can order from hundreds of local businesses without having to travel anywhere physically! You just need access to the web or mobile app.
Plus, once your meal arrives at its destination, there’s no worry about leaving dishes behind or throwing away plates full of half-eaten food—just enjoy yourself without worrying about waste!
Traveling sustainably not only helps protect the planet but also supports local communities. Discover how you can become a more responsible traveler with our ultimate guide to sustainable travel and make your next adventure an eco-friendly one.
Eat Less Meat
There are many reasons to reduce the amount of meat you eat. Eating less meat is good for your health, saves money, and helps save the planet.
Meat production is a major contributor to climate change, according to a report from Chatham House (the Royal Institute of International Affairs). In 2014 alone, animal agriculture emitted more greenhouse gases than all cars and trucks combined!
The World Health Organization warns that eating too much red meat can increase your risk of heart disease and cancer—and it’s probably not worth the trade-off just to have some extra protein on your plate.
Also: as TIME Magazine points out, “As health costs rise due to obesity-related illnesses like diabetes or even just plain old heart issues, taxpayers may be picking up more medical bills than they need if everyone just cut back on their burger intake.”
Reducing the amount of meat in your diet can also help lower food costs: according to NPR’s Planet Money podcast episode “The Cost Of Beef,” beef prices have doubled since 2009 while chicken prices have dropped by 50%.
Benefits Tips Reduces carbon footprint Choose plant-based protein sources Saves water Participate in Meatless Mondays Lowers risk of chronic diseases Incorporate more vegetables and fruits Helps protect the environment Explore international cuisine Supports animal welfare Find meat alternatives
Use A Reusable Water Bottle
Using a reusable water bottle is one of the most important habits you can adopt.
Reusable water bottles are better for the environment than disposable ones because they can be used over and over again, which means less plastic in our landfills.
They are also cheaper than buying bottled water, as reusable bottles cost less than $1 per gallon (the amount usually sold by retailers). Bottled waters can cost anywhere from $0.50 up to $3 for each gallon!
That’s a lot of money compared to what it costs when you buy your own filter-equipped reusable bottle.
Switching to eco-friendly fashion isn’t just a trend, it’s a necessity for the planet. Learn more about the future of fashion and how you can make a difference with our guide on eco-friendly fashion and make a positive impact on the fashion industry.
Eat At The Farmers Market
Buy local. If you’re not already, start shopping at your local farmers market and supporting local farmers. Not only does this help support the local economy, but it also means fresher produce for you!
Eat more fruits and veggies! We all know that we should be eating more fruits and vegetables, but it can be hard to make them a regular part of your diet. Try adding them into your meals in new ways to increase their appeal.
For example:
- Add chopped raw carrots or bell peppers to an egg white omelet for breakfast
- Top grilled chicken breast with sautéed mushrooms, onions and tomatoes for lunch
- Make kale chips instead of potato chips as a snack
| Benefits | Tips |
|---|---|
| Fresh and nutritious produce | Bring reusable bags and containers |
| Supports local farmers | Shop in-season for best prices |
| Reduces environmental impact | Get to know the farmers and ask questions |
| Promotes biodiversity | Try new varieties of fruits and vegetables |
| Supports the community | Meal plan and make a shopping list |
Cut Down On Paper Towels
Paper towels are not recyclable, so it’s important that you consider the impact of using them. If you have a lot of paper towel usage in your home, consider switching to reusable cloths for cleaning up messes.
If you can’t live without disposable wipes and don’t want to use an eco-friendly alternative (like these from EzCater), try this trick: place a piece of wax paper over the top sheet on your roll so it peels off when needed and then flips back into place when finished with cleaning up.
This way, you’re only removing one sheet at a time rather than multiple sheets at once!
Living a minimalist lifestyle can help you find more joy in the things that matter and live a more fulfilling life. Check out our list of the top 10 benefits of a minimalist lifestyle to discover how minimalism can simplify your life and boost your happiness.
Try A Low-Flow Shower Head
A low-flow shower head is a simple solution to reducing your water usage, and it can reduce your energy use as well.
These days, most people have hot water heaters that are powered by electricity or gas. The more you use the shower, the more energy it takes to heat up all that water.
The average person uses about 40 gallons of water per day in their home; that’s an enormous amount! Conserving our natural resources means taking care not just of our planet’s environment but also its inhabitants including human beings!
Compost Food Scraps
Composting food scraps is a great way to reduce waste and add nutrients to your garden. You can compost at home, or if you’re lucky enough to have access to a community garden, you can use their compost pile.
Composting is the natural process of breaking down organic waste into an earthy fertilizer for plants and soil.
The ingredients for compost are basically anything that was once alive including fruits, vegetables and leaves and it’s as easy as throwing them in an open container (like a heap) with some hay or straw on top so they don’t get wet.
If you want more information about how to start composting at home or in your community garden check out these handy links:
Tiny houses aren’t just a trend, they are a solution to the housing crisis and a way to live more sustainably. Learn more about how tiny houses can help combat the housing crisis with our guide on tiny houses and see how you can downsize to live a more intentional life.
Recycle Everything You Can
Recycling is one of the best ways to reduce your carbon footprint and save the planet. It’s also an easy habit to adopt, since many local governments provide recycling bins for you to use.
There are even programs that collect items such as cardboard, paper and plastic at your home or place of work.
To recycle as much as possible:
- Donate or sell excess clothing, furniture and other household items. You can make money doing this online through websites like Craigslist or eBay (or donate them to charity).
Buy fewer things in general, especially those made from plastic or that come packaged with wasteful materials (such as individually wrapped apples).
If you do buy something new, purchase it from a store with an easy return policy so that if you don’t need it anymore or discover later on that it breaks easily you can return it for a refund rather than throwing away more stuff.
| Items to Recycle | Items to Avoid Recycling |
|---|---|
| Paper and cardboard | Plastic bags |
| Glass bottles and jars | Styrofoam |
| Aluminum cans and foil | Electronics |
| Steel and tin cans | Batteries |
| Plastic bottles and containers | Food waste |
| Empty aerosol cans | Medical waste |
| Empty paint cans | Hazardous waste |
| CDs and DVDs | Clothing |
| Ink and toner cartridges | Yard waste |
Turn Off Lights When You Leave The Room
Turning off the lights when you leave a room is a simple habit that can make a big difference. In fact, using LED bulbs instead of incandescent or halogen light bulbs will help save energy as well.
LED lights use up to 80% less power than traditional bulbs, which means you’ll be able to save money on your electricity bill by only turning on the lights when needed.
Trade In Your Disposable Razors For Recyclable Ones
Some people use their razor for a month or two, but others use theirs for many years. No matter how long you’re planning to keep your reusable razor, it is important that you care for it properly. This means cleaning and drying it after every use. It also means replacing the blades often so that they stay sharp and effective.
You can find reusable razors made from many different materials: plastic, metal (stainless steel), bamboo, rubber, and even wood!
You can buy a handle separately if yours breaks or gets lost or if you just want to change things up with a new color scheme but most handles are interchangeable between brands of blades as well as brands of replacement heads (the part on top where the blade is held).
Conclusion
These 15 habits are just the beginning of what you can do to help save the planet. For example, there are many other ways to reduce your carbon footprint by lowering your energy and water usage at home, taking public transportation instead of driving a car, recycling more and making sure that all packaging materials are recyclable before purchasing anything new.
We hope that this blog post has inspired you to start doing some things differently in order to make our world a better place!
Further Reading
Here are some additional resources to help you adopt eco-friendly habits and live a more sustainable life:
Eco-Friendly Habits You Can Adopt at Home – Learn simple yet effective eco-friendly habits you can adopt at home to reduce your carbon footprint and help the environment.
10 Easy Habits to Adopt in Your Daily Routine That Can Save the Planet – Discover 10 easy habits you can incorporate into your daily routine to help reduce your environmental impact and contribute to a sustainable future.
10 Green Habits That Will Save the Planet – Check out this comprehensive list of 10 green habits you can adopt to live a more sustainable lifestyle and help protect the planet.
FAQs
What is zero waste living?
Zero waste living is a lifestyle that aims to reduce waste and minimize the use of resources. It involves reducing consumption, reusing items, and recycling to create as little waste as possible.
What are some benefits of sustainable travel?
Sustainable travel helps protect the environment, support local communities, and promote cultural awareness. It also encourages responsible travel practices and helps preserve natural and cultural resources.
How can I start living a minimalist lifestyle?
To start living a minimalist lifestyle, you can begin by decluttering your home, simplifying your possessions, and focusing on the things that matter most to you. It also involves being intentional about your choices and living with less.
Why is eco-friendly fashion important?
Eco-friendly fashion is important because it helps reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry. It promotes sustainable practices such as using organic and natural materials, reducing waste, and supporting fair labor practices.
How can tiny houses help combat the housing crisis?
Tiny houses provide an affordable and sustainable housing option that can help combat the housing crisis. They offer a smaller, more affordable living space that can be built on a smaller budget and provide a more minimalist lifestyle.
I am Hellen, I’ve been passionate about sustainability for as long as I can remember. It’s something that my mom taught me from a young age, and it’s something that has shaped my life in so many ways.