Climate change is a scary reality that none of us can afford to ignore any longer. Every corner of the globe is witnessing the drastic consequences of climate change, from wildfires choking out California to melting polar ice caps endangering arctic species, it is our responsibility to alter our behaviors and habits to strive for a cleaner, greener future. There are a myriad of good reasons why you should want to live a greener, more eco-friendly lifestyle.
Whether you’re worried about your carbon footprint and want to cut back on your use of electricity or want to do more to reduce the cycle of fast fashion, there are plenty of ways you can alter your habits to be kinder to the planet. In this post, we’ll walk you through some of the easiest ways you can live a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
1. Eat less meat
Did you know that livestock accounts for 14.5% of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions? While your delicious steak dinners and summer barbecues may be fun and tasty ways to enjoy a meal with friends and family, the environmental cost is alarming enough to beg the question of how frequently you need to eat these kinds of meals. By cutting out or simply minimizing the amount of meat you purchase and consume, you can exponentially reduce your individual carbon footprint.
2. Skip fast fashion
There has been a spike in the environmental cost of fast fashion, and in its wake, it is destroying the planet and exhausting natural resources around the world. Reversing the fast fashion loop involves reducing your visits to the mall and giving up cheaply-made, unsustainable clothing in favor of more conscious shopping and intentional purchasing.
3. Reduce your single-use plastic
Our lovely oceans lose their luster to human litter, and with each passing year, the problem worsens. Non-biodegradable plastics break down into smaller micro plastics that contaminate our waters and ultimately cause a large number of environmental challenges across the globe.
You can do your part in keeping our oceans clean by decreasing the amount of waste you throwback into the environment. Eliminate your use of single-use plastics by saying no to plastic bags, utensils, and bottles, and opting for reusable models instead.
4. Shorten your showers
Believe it or not, the average 20-minute shower uses anywhere between 2 and 2.5 gallons of water per minute— or an astounding 40-50 gallons of water per shower. For a more holistic perspective, each gallon of water uses 3 ounces of carbon dioxide. By shortening your showers you can save at least 342 pounds of carbon dioxide per year— seriously, it’s that easy.
5. Opt for renewable energy
Renewable energy has become one of the hottest topics within the green community. Renewable energy sources, like wind and solar, aim to reduce (or even eliminate) our dependence on the grid to power our homes with electricity.
Whether you plan on installing solar panels for your home, attaching residential wind turbines to your roof, or swapping out your traditional water heater for a solar water heater, there are several ways you can reduce your carbon footprint inside of your own home.
6. Recycle, recycle, recycle
Are you throwing away garbage that can actually be recycled? If you don’t know just how much of your everyday waste is actually recyclable, we’ve compiled a list to fill you in:
- Cardboard boxes
- Batteries
- Running shoes
- Mattresses
- Phonebooks, magazines, and mail
- Tin, steel, and aluminum cans
- Glass bottles
- Crayons
- Cell phones
7. Buy local
Buying organic products does not actually mean that your products are absolutely clean from exposure to toxic chemicals or behaviors. Did you know that the mere transportation of organic produce generates a huge amount of carbon dioxide? While you may have good intentions of buying organic, the real eco-friendly alternative is to buy local.
Instead of your chain supermarket, head to the local farmer’s market to fill your pantry and refrigerator with fruits, meats, and veggies that are locally grown and that taste twice as good as the organic offerings at a supermarket.
With these 7 clever ways to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, each of your actions is sure to make a meaningful impact that strives for a brighter, greener, future.
