With the growing awareness on climate change, sustainable living emerges as an eco-friendly lifestyle. People are getting on board with this new and alternative way of living that is much less harmful for the environment and aims to protect and sustain our ecosystem and natural resources. While government policies will surely boost the thrust towards environmental conservation and environmental protection, there are simple ways that you can still contribute to the cause on your own. Every little effort towards sustainable living counts! Sometimes it’s riding a horse instead of a car – consider it.
Eco-Friendly tip no. 1: Reduce, reduce, reduce
There is a reason
why reducing comes first – it calls for a more responsible and conscious
consumption of precious resources. Use less energy, conserve water, stop buying
unnecessary stuff which are most probably factory-manufactured, and reduce your
waste by switching your disposables to multiple use objects such as
handkerchiefs instead of tissues, tin water bottles instead of the cheap
plastic ones, canvas shopping bags instead of plastic bags, reusable cloths
instead of paper towels, and so on.
Eco-Friendly tip no. 2: Skip the packaging
This sustainable
living tip may be difficult to do as almost everything these days comes in
packaging. If you can, skip the packaging. Shop at farmers markets and bring
your own basket just like in the old days. There are also a lot of
packaging-free stores cropping up, so take advantage of these and research the
nearest ones in your location. Better yet, grow your own food organically or make
your own products if you have the time and resources. Not only will you be
eco-friendly, you will be saving bucks, too!
Eco-Friendly tip no. 3: Reuse, re-purpose, or recycle packaging
If it cannot be helped, reuse, re-purpose, or recycle packaging. It used to be that the sole purpose of packaging is to protect the goods inside; but now, packaging is another way of selling the product to the consumers, which means that the packaging has become more elaborate and has improved in design. And so, you may not want to throw away packaging easily and you may either reuse it or re-purpose it. For example, a beautiful shoe-box can now store other things, too.
Eco-Friendly tip no. 4: Shop locally
Online shopping is
all the rage now because it is convenient to do shopping at home than going out
and interacting with a probably cranky salesperson. But the downside of online
shopping is the amount of packaging used and the amount of fuel burned just to
get that product delivered at your doorstep. The best solution is to try to
shop locally, especially for goods that are readily available at your local
shops. And support small businesses as well instead of shopping at huge
retailers to keep the economy healthy. Make online shopping your last resort
instead of your first option.
Eco-Friendly tip no. 5: Carpool, public transport, biking, horse, or walking are the best way to go
Owning a car is one of the necessities of modern day living. But cars consume such a big amount of fuel and can also be a big contributor to the pressing problem of pollution. Minimize your carbon footprint and fuel consumption by carpooling with several other people, using the public transport more often (especially if your city’s transit system is safe and efficient), by biking (which is also a good way of getting exercise), and by walking (given that it is within reasonable distance). Horses are also an option if you have one.