5 Sustainable Habits to Pick Up
Ideally, we’d all live maximally sustainable lifestyles. We’d minimize the environmental damage caused by our decisions as citizens and consumers. Or, to put it another way, we’d stop doing the things that hurt the natural world, and start to do the things that help it.
In many cases, however, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the two. So, what lifestyle changes might help us to push things in the right direction?
Reflect on your buying habits
Disposability, generally speaking, is not sustainable. If you cause a product to be manufactured and then thrown into a landfill after minimum use, then you’re not behaving sustainably.
Certain industries, like ‘fast’ fashion, are notorious for this. Trends might arrive and depart in a cycle that far outpaces the actual usefulness of the items in question. A given pair of trousers might last for years, but be stylish for just a few months. The difference between these two is waste if you only wear the item while it’s stylish.
Analysis by Business Insider reveals that fashion is more environmentally damaging than air and maritime transport put together. So, anything you can do to limit this damage is going to be worth doing.
It’s also worth thinking about the toxicity of the air in your home, and whether it’s worth making a switch to cleaner aromatics. Candles, body-care products, and detergents might all be worthy of consideration.
Donating unwanted items
If you do have items that you aren’t interested in wearing anymore, then you might ensure that they don’t go to waste by donating them at your local charity shop. As well as helping to protect the natural world, you’ll be benefiting a good cause at the same time.
Choose green travel
When we go on holiday, we tend to generate plenty of carbon. But there are ways to limit this damage. You might swap out the overseas break, and the associated flight, for a domestic one on a train. There are plenty of wonderful train routes in the UK, so investigate your options.
It’s also worth thinking about the way that you get to and from work. If you’re used to driving into the office, then you might consider walking or cycling in, instead. This will benefit your waistline, and your bank balance, as well as the environment.
Eat seasonally
Produce that’s out of season needs to be imported. Transporting these goods across vast distances will cause carbon to be released. Check what’s in season and shop accordingly. You might also consider abstaining from meat for a few days out of every week.
Be mindful of your digital life
You might not think of your use of technology as damaging – but of course, the devices we use impose costs on the environment. Plus, every byte of data you send or receive online will mean that a little bit of extra energy is spent. Think about that the next time you’re tempted to send a frivolous email!