Sustainable living is a practical method that aims at reducing one “carbon footprint”. The goal of it is to reduce one’s environmental impact by making changes that will counteract climate change and other negative environmental problems. Sustainable living means minimizing the overuse of Earth’s resources and limiting further damage to the environment.
Living more sustainably does not need to be very difficult. There are many resources that can be utilized these days. All it takes are a few simple tweaks to things we use every day.
Here are the top ten simple changes that you can make to your every day lifestyle that can put you on the path to a more sustainable life.
- Reusable shopping bags
Whether one is shopping for food, clothes or household products, reusable shopping bags are wonderful! They eliminate the need for plastic shopping bags, which are terrible for the environment. There are so many kinds of reusable shopping bags to choose from; burlap bags, canvas bags, jute bags, and many more. Tailor sustainable shopping to your lifestyle.
2. Reusable produce bags
Reusable produce bags keep food fresher for longer! The mesh helps the fruits and vegetables with air circulation which reduces food rot. Tons of food is thrown out every year because of food rot. When food lasts longer, there is less food waste. Personally, I bring these bags with me to the store or the farmer’s market and place my produce inside. This limits the need for plastic produce bags.
3. Eat Local Food
What better way to reduce one’s carbon footprint than to eat food that is grown locally? Check out local farmer’s markets or grocery stores that sell wares from local farmers. The food will also last longer because it did not need to travel too far to get to you. Local food is not limited to just produce, support local farmers by buying their fresh bread, milk, and cheeses too!
4. Garden: Grow your own food
Even closer than a local farm is your home! Growing herbs, fruits, and vegetables at home is deeply satisfying. Everything tastes fresher. Gardening is also excellent exercise, and the plants can add extra oxygen which is good for everybody!
Need help with seed starting? Use my tips for making your own portable greenhouse.
Don’t have a lot of space? Try a jar garden.
5. Cloth Kitchen Towels
Reduce the amount of paper towels in your household by switching to cloth kitchen towels. Cloth kitchen towels are perfect for drying hands and drying dishes. They can also be used to handle warm food dishes and can be used as pot holders. There are a lot of possibilities!
6. Cloth Napkins
Why should cloth napkins be brought out only for special occasions? Cloth napkins are easy to use and easy to wash. By implementing cloth napkins with your daily meals you eliminate the need for paper napkins.
Want to see more? Read my review of the cloth napkins from tenthousandvillages.com
7. Metal Straws
Make the switch from plastic straws to metal straws! So many plastic straws are disposed of all the time and they are a hazard to the environment, especially animals. I use metal straws at home, and if I am getting fast food I say no to plastic straws and use the metal ones kept in my car.
8. Reusable Water Bottles
We need to drink tons of water during the day to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Bringing a reusable water bottle wherever you go is a great way to drink more water and reduce plastic water bottle usage. There are many styles and materials to choose from. Have fun whether you select a glass, metal, or BPA free plastic water bottle!
Did you know that water from plastic disposable water bottles goes bad? There is a safe to drink by date because when water is bottled at the factory it is treated in the same manner as sodas. Save yourself the headache and drink from a reusable water bottle!
9. Eco Friendly Body Scrubber
Get clean with less plastic use! Eco friendly body scrubbers are made from natural fibers and materials. They still help you cleanse and exfoliate, but are less damaging to the environment compared to plastic loofahs. Ditch the plastic and make the switch to something more eco friendly for your body!
10. Bamboo Toothbrush
Brush your teeth with a bamboo toothbrush! Experts say that one should change out their toothbrushes every three months, which means tons of plastic toothbrushes get thrown away all the time. Bamboo is a sustainable material that makes for lovely toothbrushes!
I hope these tips help you towards a more sustainable life! If you are looking for fair trade body scrubbers, kitchen towels, cloth napkins, metal straws, reusable shopping and produce bags then I suggest looking at tenthousandvillages.com.
I have received no compensation in exchange for this post.
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Thank you for the lovely change to a sustainable life 😊
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