Baby Steps To An Eco-Friendly Lifestyle At Home

To foster environmental sustainability, one must learn to live sustainably.

Practice what you preach. To say you believe in sustainability and then go to work still producing products or services that harm the environment is a contradiction. This can only be resolved by making changes in our everyday activities and overall choices.

There are a thousand and one things you could do (or buy) to live a more environmentally-friendly life. Some require small effort; others demanddrastic changes. However, only few people have the time or inclination to make large lifestyle changes; even though a little voice badgers us that we all need to do our part for our planet. Taking baby steps then is the best route. The following tips would be of great help;

                6 Tips to Achieving an Eco-Friendly Lifestyle 

#1 Go Green on Transportation 

• Setup a carpool system. Carpooling is one way to save the environment by contributing less pollution, thereby keeping the air, water, and land cleaner. It can be done together with friends, neighbours, or relatives working in the same direction; not necessarily the same company.
• Maintain vehicles regularly. This helpsreducewastes and minimizes the ill-effects in the environment.
• Opt to work at home. Work at home setup is an arrangement that many companies offer to employees whose jobs do not require their physical appearance in the conduct of their work. This move is beneficial to the environment since it helps save the depleting resources of the Earth. Personally, it is favourable too since it allows you to save money from traveling and fuel costs and gives you more time with the family. So, if this setup is offered, don’t hesitate.

#2 Do not Buy All-New Products at all times 

• Buy Second-hand Items. There are many items you should never buy new including cars, bicycles, children’s clothing, textbooks, entertainment stuff (DVDs, music, and video games), jewellery, tools, and furniture. You can often find these castoff items still in good shape but at a much lower price.
• Buy Pieces Made with Recycled Materials. A wide variety of products available today are manufactured in both raw and recycled materials.The combination is an effort to reduce raw materials consumption and reuse resources. Hence, if you prefer to use this type of products, it follows suit that you help save the environment.

#3 Conserve water and energy 

• Use the dishwasheronlywhen dishes are aplenty.
• Use water responsibly. Turn off taps when not in use. If implemented at home, approximately one gallon of water (per day) is saved.
• Turn off lights to save on electricity. During the day, open windows and screens to allow the natural light to illuminate and warm the house. And use eco-friendly bulbs at night.

#4 Reuse Items at Home or Send to Facilities 

• Stay clear from one-time use items such as water bottles, face & hand tissues, shopping bags, and disposable plates & cutlery.
• Donate unwanted or useless materials to organizations and/or facilities.
• Reuse furniture.For example, transform a table into a closet by adding sheets of wood on to it.
• Recycle and forward paper, plastic, glass, and metal accumulateto local trash pickup services.
• Alter old and worn items into useful pieces.
• Replenish product containers. Buy a refill pack for liquid soaps, shampoos andcleaning supplies. A mop refill for the old mop stick. And toner refill kit for empty toner cartridges.

#5 Grow your own food 

Environmentalists have kept on warning people of the effects of human activities which lead to environmental degradation. In order to curb global warming, backyard gardening is a step towards environmental conservation. Growing your vegetables and fruits without the use of herbicides and pesticides spares the Earth the load of needless water and air pollution.

#6 Build a compost heap or bin 

It is advisable that all kitchen wastes are turned into compost. This aims to return food to the Earth, consequently contributing to the natural cycle. Hence, building a compost bin in our gardens is a good way to help.

These few tips can go a long way toward protecting our environment and its sustainability. Thereby reducing our impact on the earth and enriching our own life in the process. Besides, it does not cost much to implement any of these. In fact, you will end up saving more than what you spend.