A lot of the time, people don’t realize the detrimental effects that their lifestyle choices can have on the environment; from using plastic bags to carry your shopping, to leaving the lights on in the home all day, and using a car for short distance journeys in the name of convenience. More often than not, even the clothes and foods that people purchase are cultivated abroad and have to be shipped overseas, contributing hugely to the carbon footprint of the items. If you’re looking to break this cycle and you want to find ways to live a more sustainable life, then here are some simple steps that you might want to follow.
Use less household energy
There are a lot of simple, easy steps you can take to reduce the amount of household energy that you use. For example, something as straightforward as turning off your appliances as soon as you’ve finished using them can have a big impact on the carbon footprint of your home. Additionally, you might consider looking into more sustainable energy sources and suppliers, such as using a green-only energy company or generating your own energy with solar panels.
Eat locally sourced foods
Mass-produced foods that are shipped across the world create a much larger footprint due to the amount of energy it takes to harvest and ship large quantities across long distances. By sourcing as much of your food from local farmers and producers as you can, you’ll not only be eating more sustainably, but also you will be supporting your local community and economy.
Shop ethical fashion
Unfortunately, there are still some clothing companies today who use manufacturing practices that exploit workers, are unsustainable and don’t practice fair trade or care for animal welfare. The more that you can avoid these companies and support businesses who care about ethical fashion, such as Statecashmere.com, the more you’ll improve the sustainability of your clothing and accessories. You won’t lack in comfort as everything from coats to jumpers and hats made from the cashmere is guaranteed to offer comfort for years. You can stay cozy and fashionable while still helping the environment.
Reuse and recycle
Try to favor products that are made from recyclable materials when you can, as these materials are a lot more sustainable than single use materials. More and more recyclable plastics are being used in a wider variety of products, but there are still other materials that are more environmentally friendly, such as glass and natural wood products which are longer lasting. Additional to recycling, try to donate, sell or find alternative uses for items you no longer need: a lot of things would be more sustainable if people could find ways to reuse them, rather than chucking them out.
Cut down on car use
Fossil fuels are one of the biggest environmental hazards that we commonly utilize in our day to day life, and they contribute largely to the greenhouse effect. Therefore, you should try to cut down on the amount that you use your car, and find other alternative methods of transportation instead. For example, you could walk, cycle, carpool, or use public transport.
