Sustainable living is not ‘a one size fits all’ approach. There are so many sustainable lifestyles and no two are the same. It can be incredibly daunting to reduce your effect on the environment. However, when you break it down into steps, you can soon see that you have more power than you think.
What is sustainable living?
Sustainable living involves reducing the amount of the Earth’s resources that you use in order to help protect the environment. You are trying to have as little impact on the Earth as possible and replacing any resources that you do happen to use with more eco-friendly ones.
Why is it important to live more sustainably?
A UN report shows that human consumption of the Earth’s natural resources has tripled over the last 4 decades. Oxygen depletion is on the rise and so is the depletion of clean drinking water and other notable resources. Sustainability improves the quality of life, protects the ecosystems and preserves natural resources for the future generations.
Here are 10 changes that you can make to start being more environmentally friendly:
1. Use Eco Friendly Toilet Paper
So many trees are cut down in order to make toilet paper. It takes 17 trees and 90,921 litres of water to make a tonne of toilet paper rolls. The average person uses 100 toilet rolls in a year, so you can see that using regular toilet paper is not a sustainable habit.
You can buy toilet paper made from bamboo. Surprisingly, bamboo grows 39 inches within a 24-hour period, so this is a much more sustainable option.
2. Stop Using Plastic Straws
The UK has confirmed a ban on single-use plastic straws as part of the 25-year environment plan. Plastic waste is one of the biggest environmental challenges which both the UK and the world face. There are over 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic in the world and the majority do not enter the recycling process. Plastic straws take up to 200 years to decompose, hurting the lives of animals and the environment during that period.
You ca now readily purchase metal and bamboo straws that are reusable. It is the safer option for the environment as well as a cost effective solution.
3. Switch To Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
A lot of the popular, well-known cleaning products contain ingredients that are harmful to the environment. Chemicals such as detergents, preservatives or foaming agents are the ones that cause the most harm to the environment.
Opting for products that contain no synthetic ingredients and ones that are using plant-based ingredients that do not deplete the ecosystems or harm them when expelled are the better option.
4. Reusable Cups And Bottles
Purchasing water bottles and cups from cafes is now becoming common practice. Unfortunately, too many bottles still end up in the world’s oceans as many people fail to recycle them properly. This leads to a high rate of pollution as one plastic bottle will break down into 10,000 micro plastic pieces over time and this type of pollution is very difficult to clean up.
Investing in a reusable water bottle or cup is not only cost effective, but can also help to reduce the impact on the planet. You’ll always have water with you when travelling and in many places you can refill your bottle for free or receive a discount on your coffee!
5. Eat Less Meat
Meat and dairy production is responsible for the majority of greenhouse gas emissions within the agricultural industry. The emissions come from the different stages of production including processing and packaging. The main emissions are methane and nitrous oxide; if everyone could reduce the amount of meat in their diet, it would have a huge, positive impact, slowing the rate of damage to the planet.
6. Recycle Where You Can
Recycling has become one of the easiest practices to start and is now fully integrated into many councils’ waste collection services across the UK. Some brands have even changed their packaging, so that it can be recycled and may even already be made of recycled materials!
There are places such as: bottle banks, clothes banks, battery bins and specified areas at the local tip that enable you to recycle even more types of waste. It was reported back in 2017 that there was approximately 419.69 million metric tonnes of cardboard being produced in the world, so where you can, try to use recyclable paper and card and recycle any paper and card that you use.
7. Switch To Online Communication
There are so many companies that now offer paperless communication such as your bank, where you can opt for online statements. This means there is less paper being used and wasted in the first place.
On the high street, certain shops now offer emailed receipts rather than a paper copy. This not only helps to reduce your paper waste, but is also helpful if you need it for your records, or whether you need it for a refund.
8. Use Sustainable Skincare Products
Switching to plant-based skincare cannot only be beneficial for your own conscience, but it also doesn’t harm the environment when you dispose of the packaging.
There is a huge amount of vegan and cruelty-free brands that you can try. I shared a huge list of brands and products that are kind to both your skin and the planet because they do not contain toxic ingredients.
9. Donate Your Unwanted Clothes
The longer clothes are used for, the fewer clothes which will need to be produced or ditched in landfill. It requires far more energy to create new garments than reuse old ones. Recycling clothes is so important because many mass-produced clothing lines have fibres inside them that will never break down no matter how many years pass.
You can recycle clothing by passing it down to family and friends, giving to charity shops or clothing banks for the homeless as well as women’s refuges and family shelters.
10. Reusable Bags
It is estimated that the average plastic bag takes between 15 and 1000 years to decompose depending on the environment. A landfill environment causes plastic bags to sit in the ground for decades or centuries with minimal degrading.
Up to 1 million birds, 100,000 turtles and many other sea creatures die annually from ingesting plastic bags because they confuse them with floating bags with sea life they can eat. When they have eaten the plastic bag, it clogs their digestive tract and they starve. They can also become entangled in them and drown.
Cloth bags are super cost effective as they are widely sold in retail stores, but can be used for years and when they get dirty, you can simply put them in the wash and use them again. Other advantages of cloth bags include:
- Many people find it quicker to pack their shopping as they hold their shape
- More comfortable to carry than plastic bags
- They are unlikely to tear or split
- There are so many different colours, materials and designs to suit every taste
These are just 10 suggestions that are small but simple steps to making a huge and positive impact on the environment.
I do all these.
I also reuse some of the plastic tubs that food came in, to use for storing my own food, like ice-cream tubs for example. Same as I do with glass jars.
That’s great!
Ooh excellent. I’m terrible at remembering to bring a canvas bad day to day, but my handbag tends to be big enough for little things.
I do meat free mondays, and tend to do most meals meat free in general now.
Cora | http://teapartyprincess.co.uk
That’s great! Meat free Monday’s that’s awesome hun. Thank you for sharing xx
Great tips! I try and do all of these, and since going dairy-free I’ve noticed, interestingly, that my meat consumption has gone down. Another good tip is to look into recycling services beside your local council – I now recycle with Enform as well which means way less plastic going to landfill for me.
That’s great! That’s awesome I will look into them thank you for the tip x
i do ALL of these!! i’ve been trying to eat less meat for awhile now. a simple pasta dish is a good recommendation! these are really great tips 💚
That’s great! I love meat free pasta dishes 😊 thank you for reading and commenting ❤️
It took me forever to get into the habit of remembering to bring them but I’m finally in the swing of reusable bags for shopping. To be honest I quite like treating myself to a pretty one! 😂 I also have a reusable water bottle rather than buying multipacks. I agree with you too that the meat free options can actually be pretty tasty, you can’t go wrong with a simple pasta dish! Xx
I definitely do the Top 3 but I am trying my best with the last 2 🙂
That’s awesome!
I’ve been thinking about ways to be more environmentally friendly lately and some of these tips are so great as they’re so easy to integrate into everyday life x
Kayleigh Zara 🌟 http://www.kayleighzaraa.com
All easy things to do especially once you get into the habit, you will find others to incorporate into your daily life too.
Definitely!
I leave a travel cup in the car now because it helps me to make sure that I don’t use one use cups!
Love, Amie ❤
The Curvaceous Vegan
That’s a great idea! Thank you for sharing xx
All excellent ways to save the planet – thank you very much for sharing! I do ok at most of these I think, although I don’t use a travel mug (but I also don’t buy hot drinks out much). Still, I should probably get one. For ladies, I think switching to a mooncup or period pants is a great way to reduce waste – I do the former and it’s really great <3
That’s a good idea, I haven’t got that far yet, but I might look into that. Thank you for sharing. Can you leave the link to your blog so I can check it out ❤️
No problem! I’m just at inchingforwards.com <3
I literally do all of these and now I feel so proud haha! 😂 I am hoping to attempt to do a meat free month in November and I normally eat a few meals a week that are meat free anyway. Love this post though, and it’s so great to raise awareness 😊 xx
Wow! A whole month that would be awesome! Thank you lovely xxxx
I love how simple and easy these ideas are. Reusable cups, metal straws, and shopping bags make so much difference, it is hard to believe how much waste they create otherwise.
Thank you lovely x
I do all of these already, they’re all simple yet great way a to help save our planet. Although I do occassionally forget my canvas bags!
That’s great! X
In our area, we have to bring our own grocery bag to the store or pay 7 cents per bag. I also have a freezer bag that I use to carry the cold stuff from the store to home. I really love to use my freezer bag in the summer. Thanks for all your great environmentally friendly tips.
https://debsdecorativelife.com
We have to pay 10p for a bag in supermarkets or 5p in other shops. You definitely are being environmentally friendly. Thank you for sharing
Great suggestions! I do all of these things but donating clothes to charity is my favourite of the ones you mentioned. Not only are you reducing your waste but you’re also helping out others who are looking for cheaper clothing options 🙂 x
https://www.femaleoriginal.com
Yeah definitely!! Thank you for reading and sharing how you are environmentally friendly x
Loved the blog! Havent came across many blogs talking about environmental issues! I do all of these 5. Woohoo
Thank you lovely! That’s awesome you do all 5!
Actually, a lot of times, donated clothes do end up in the bin. It’s best to try to sell them, give them away to someone who actually wants them, or swap with friends. I have been vegetarian for almost 8 years and completely agree that nobody should HAVE to give up meat entirely if they’re not able or willing, but even cutting back, especially on red meat, can make a big difference, or even buying meat from sustainable sources such as grass-fed beef and wild caught fish.
Yeah definitely just small changes for everyone can make a massive difference! I find myself eating less and less meat xx
These are all great tips! I’m going to be implementing probably ALL of these when I move out soon! I have plenty of tote bags to take shopping, and reducing my meat intake won’t be difficult! I’ll also be learning how to properly separate my recycling!
Lucy-Kate | https://lucykateburton.co.uk
That’s awesome!! Good luck to moving out soon x
I really need to remember to keep bags with me instead of buying more! >.<
thanks for these tips – they have reminded me ways I should be less wasteful – thanks so much!!
-Lena
http://www.lenasnotebook.co.uk
x
That’s great!! 😊. Thank you hun x
I love this post because reminding people of the small things like eating less meat can make a large difference. It’s all about raising awareness, thank you for fighting for our planet!!
Thank you for reading and leaving such a lovely comment
Yes to all these!
I also have an all-natural, non-toxic and eco-friendly kitchen cleaner up on my site. Making my own is really easy and is another small step to helping the environment.
Great tips! Thanks for sharing!
Yeah definitely a great thing to do that and helps the environment x
Thank you! Can you leave the link to your blog so I can read yours x
These are some great ways to be environmentally friendly! I do a few of these already and I have also stopped using wet wipes to help the environment! x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
I barely use wet wipes anymore too! That’s awesome. Thank you for reading and commenting x
Love this! We may not be able to dramatic things to help our environment, but we can always help out in small ways to show responsibility for the lovely planet w call home.
Definitely! Thank you for reading. Can you send me the link to your blog. It won’t let me comment 🙁
These are such good ideas!
I always reuse bags and donate things to charity 😊
Love Lozza xo
Thank you lovely xx
Such a great reminder to be more environmentally friendly. All easy tips that anyone can do!
Thank you for reading and commenting
I do all of these (I forget the cups sometimes though – that needs work) but I think it’s great that these are easy everyday things that the majority of people can do rather than huge changes. The little things really add up! x
Sophie
http://www.glowsteady.co.uk
Yeah exactly if everyone did just one thing on that list around the world it would make such a positive difference! Thank you for reading and commenting Sophie x
This is a great list! I do these already but I could eat less meat for sure. I like the idea of meat free Monday! Great post!!
Thank you for reading and commenting. Can you link your blog so I can have a read
Mine is thoughtswithn.com 💜
Left you a comment ❤️
These are such good and simple tips to use everyday! I myself love a good tote bag and always keep them in the car when I’m out shopping. I’m a vegetarian, but I do try to tell people about Meatless Mondays. And my friends and I love passing on clothes to one another, or I just donate mine to a thrift shop. Thanks for the great reminders and I hope your tips inspire some people to help other be more environmentally friendly!
Emily | https://www.thatweirdgirllife.com
You are doing a great job!! 😊. Thank you for sharing all the ways you are helping the environment xx
That’s great! Thank you for sharing and reading my post. Can you link your blog so I can have a read x
These are some really great tips! I actually do quite a lot of these already. I always carry a canvas bag with me in my handbag because there’s always something I need to Ickes I from the shops! We are also planning on doing a lot more meat free meals! X
That’s great you already do a lot of these! Thank you for sharing! X
We have little food bins that you can only put food in and I think it’s goes to compost, but we also have a compost bin in our garden too. Yeah we’ve had ours for years too. Thank you for reading and commenting xx
Those are great tips and they’re all simple and easy to do. Love this post 🌿
Thank you 😊
This is a great post with some great tips! I always take my reusable bags shopping now!
This is such an informative, helpful and important post that more people should be raising awareness of!! Will definitely be taking into account some of these tips throughout my every day life x
That’s awesome! Every little bit people do can have a big impact! Thank you for reading and commenting x
These will be supportive steps towards making our environment clean and green✌✌
Thank you lovely x
I like your post – it’s straight to the point and it shows that being environmentally conscious is not something reserved for celebrities. We can all make a difference even with small things.
(BTW I can’t imagine someone just throwing good clothes to the bin instead of donating – the very thought is horrifying).
It’s crazy! Some people say going back in the past and changing one thing can alter your whole life (true!) so think if everyone made one positive change it could have a huge impact of the environment and the world x
Some lovely tips here! X
Megan | https://meganelizabethlifestyle.com/
Thank you hun x
I do all these! I’m vegetarian gradually transitioning to vegan. I use reusable water bottles and I have a reusable coffee cup but I sometimes forget to bring it!
Sophie | https://thisbrilliantday.com
That’s great ways to help the planet. Thank you for sharing xx
I was surprised by how many of these I already do! I think it’s great that we are all trying to do more, but I think it can be hard for people on lower incomes x
Thank you for reading and commenting. Can you link your blog so I can read?
Thank you for sharing these easy tips, I’ll have to implement some of these in my daily routine x
Thank you for reading and commenting. I hope you manage to make some positive changes!