5 Simple Steps to Start a More Sustainable Lifestyle
Sustainable living is not just a fashion but it can actually change our planet if we all take some responsibility in it. It is becoming easier to live sustainably with new organic shops and local markets opening up in almost every town and city. Mass production has caused so much damage not only to nature and the living creatures in it but human life with severe sicknesses and mental health issues.
How can we make a change to have less of a carbon footprint on our planet? Well, we can make a change with everyday decisions. I’ll share with you five basic tips on how you can make a difference. Little steps such as ‘where you buy your groceries’, ‘not getting take away produce without taking your own keep containers’, these simple steps can reduce a tremendous amount of unnecessary waste.
All the rubbish that we create everyday stays around for a very long time, especially single use plastic products (including straws, food packages, coffee cups etc.). Just stop for a moment and think about how much waste you produce in a single week – and that is just one person!
How do you shop for your household? Do you use cleaning products in your home that are harmful to the environment? Do you go to the supermarket and use a plastic bag to put your fruit and veggies in? Where does that plastic bag end up? There are so many questions like these that you can ask yourself which will show you how much rubbish you create throughout the week. I’ll share some of the basic changes that we have made in our family lifestyle to create less rubbish at home and in general in our everyday life.
Recycling:
Using reusable, including your shopping bags, containers, jars. Anything that you can think of that can be used more than once. Once you have run out of ideas think of what else you can use as storage space in your pantry and fridge, there are many solutions, you may even invent your own personal collection.
There are a few companies who make quality bags for shopping to replace plastic bags (we use Onya bags (@onyalife)) they make their products from recycled plastic bottles). When considering how to keep your food fresh in your fridge, use bees wax wrap or silicone wraps instead of cling wrap. If you have any herbs or veggies that are freshly cut, keep them in a jar of water in the fridge to keep them longer. Any food scraps that you cannot use anymore can be composted (except meat and dairy), and it is so beneficial for your garden! If you don’t like gardening, don’t worry there are plenty of people around who would love to use your compost in their garden, so just ask around.
2. Conscious Shopping:
Be sure to take these reusable bags and containers with you when you go shopping. Consider going to shops where you can buy in bulk, which will means you can take your own bags and fill them up with as little or as much as you prefer. Try to cook using organic, locally grown products and have less processed foods. Farmers markets can provide amazing quality produce and gives you a chance to support the local community by helping the farmers to produce more and bring fresh products to the market every week.
3. BYO utensils.
If you are going out to eat, consider restaurants that reuse the plates, cups and cutlery. If you are taking food away, remember to take you own containers and cutlery with you, so you don’t need to leave any rubbish after yourself. Buy a water bottle and fill it up during the day instead of buying plastic bottled water. We have access to the finest tap water in the world and it is available almost everywhere in Australia. Get a keep cup for your coffee/ tea, they’re not only fun to have but can also save hundreds of disposable coffee cups which end up in landfill. (Make sure you wash them before you hand it to the barista- they’ll appreciate it)
4. Grow your own food.
If you have some space in your backyard, just start off with a couple of containers or pots of herbs. Herbs are easy to grow and they’ll inspire you to start growing other fruits and vegetables. When you realise how easy it is to grow your own food, and how satisfying it is, you’ll definitely get more inspired to put more effort and time into your veggie garden. You can also start it by saving your seeds from vegetables that you cook with. Dry these out and keep them in jars until they’re ready to plant.
5. Eco-friendly Cleaning
Change your cleaning products in your home. Using chemicals is harmful to the environment and for your family. They can also cause allergies, reactions on your skin and can create other long term health issues. Peel some lemons and oranges and place it into a jar of vinegar. Leave it to sit for a few days or a week and the fruits will take the vinegar smell away, so you can clean with it all around the house! You can also use essential oils instead of the lemon
skins. If you have something tough to clean, such as oil marks on the oven door, use bicarb soda. Clothing – Start washing your clothes with soap nuts and use natural chemical free fabric softener. Dishes – If you live near the ocean, try to find a good sea sponge, they’re perfect to clean dishes after sterilising (just soak it in some vinegar and lemon or eucalypt and it’ll take all the smell out or just boil in water). General house cleaning – Instead of buying cleaning cloths, just cut up some old T-shirts into squares and once you’ve used them, just throw them in the washing machine or boil them, and you can reuse them for a long time.
These are just a few basic tips that you can start implementing in your everyday lifestyle. I will be sharing more tips, recipes and other facts about sustainable living soon.