With the climate change threat looming large, being pro-green is not a choice anymore but imperative, with sustainable living the need of the hour. Each communication we make and every movement that is taken puts a stamp on the health of our planet. If you are interested in contributing to this important assignment, below are ways you can minimize your carbon footprint and start living a sustainable lifestyle.
Rethink Your Energy Use
Surprisingly, architecture contributes to about 39% of carbon emissions in America; this is according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration 2020. If you want to make an initial move towards a sustainable lifestyle, then this is it: switch over to solar or wind energy. Not only will this greatly decrease your carbon footprint level, but it will also be a way to cut expenses in the future. There are also many offers specifically for changing to green energy, so it might be worth considering.
Embrace a Plant-Based Diet
It was derived that diets significantly contribute to carbon emissions. In Nature, it revealed that if Americans refused meat, this reduction of the consumption of animal products could decrease greenhouse emissions by 70%. It does not necessarily mean you have to avoid all of the foods you love; just try to switch to plant-based meals by including more fruits, vegetables, and beans in your daily diet. Meatless Mondays, anyone?
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
The three Rs that can be used to build a green living world are reduce, reuse, and recycle. Avoid impulse buying and eating more than you can stomach, as this aids in cutting down waste. Taking the example of reusing plastic containers for use as trays or reusing cloth bags instead of plastic ones conserves their use. In addition, recycling properly prevents materials from ending up in landfills and helps to save resources. How about recycling one ton of paper, which helps save 17 trees and 7,000 gallons of water? That’s a significant impact!
Selecting Environmentally Sound Transportation
Transportation is one of the biggest sources of CO2, with about 29% in the United States. When thinking about the changes you can make to follow a sustainable lifestyle, don’t forget about how you get around. Whatever the option that one can take between walking, cycling, or using public transport reduces carbon footprint. Self-employed people should consider car-sharing services or buying an electric car since they contribute to the ‘’plug-in’’ mileage. That means that as of 2020 there are over 10 million of those on the road, and this trend seems to be developing!
Conserve Water and Energy
Sustenance is also produced by using electricity and water, and therefore, you can also adopt the habit of saving water and energy. Small measures such as repairing a leaky faucet, using a low-pressure shower head, and switching off the lights when not in use will go a long way. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated that the average family could reduce their water bills by at least 20% from the changes. Also, you might want to consider using energy-efficient appliances to reduce the costs of a utility even further.
Support Sustainable Brands
Last but not least, this means again, buying products from companies that care about the environment. Select companies that incorporate green material, humane labor standards, and waste minimization as specific elements within their manufacturing processes. Your buying capacity can put pressure on other companies to increase the buy of green products.
Final Thoughts
It is therefore about making sustainable lifestyle changes with the knowledge that the outcome benefits the whole community. The mentioned strategies will help effectively incorporate ecological thinking into daily practice and make others follow the same path. Note that all efforts matter and, when combined, have a big impact on the desired outcomes.