What Is Sustainable Living?

One of the lifestyle trends we’ve been happy to see growing in recent years is sustainable living. Making the switch from a fast-paced world rooted in convenience to slower living and being more environmentally-conscious, we’re able to make daily choices that not only are better for the plant, but for us as well!

Are you looking to be more sustainable? You might be wondering what sustainable living is and how to adopt this lifestyle. In this guide, we’ll answer the question, “What is sustainable living?” and give you 8 ways to be more sustainable every day. 

What Is Sustainable Living?

In short, sustainable living is a lifestyle that aims to reduce your carbon and environmental footprint. Sustainable living means making certain choices with the food you eat, products you use, and things you conserve that ultimately make the world a better, healthier place. 

Being sustainable focuses on preserving our natural resources for an overall positive impact. By choosing to live sustainably, you’re doing your part to ensure that future generations get to live in a world that’s happy, healthy, clean, and best of all, thriving. 

Why Is Sustainability Important?

There are several reasons why living sustainably is important. The first is that it positively impacts you. When you decide to shop locally at your nearest farmer’s market or grow your own garden, you eat food that’s fresh and better for your overall health. Not to mention, if you cut out driving and turn to walking or bicycling, you create even more healthier habits!

But, other than the direct positive impact sustainable living has on you, it’s also better for our planet and for others. Everyday, landfills and our oceans are piling up with waste and fossil fuels are being released into the air. Living sustainably helps to reduce this carbon footprint by reducing waste that tarnishes our water and land ecosystems while also purifying the air we breathe. 

This sets up a healthier world for all to enjoy, including the future generations, and it also preserves our natural resources that we rely on for clean water and air. 

8 Easy Ways to Be More Sustainable Everyday

So, how can you be more sustainable? Here are 8 sustainable living examples that are easy to implement in your everyday routine. 

1. Cut down on waste

Whether it’s food, trash, or energy, everyday you have the chance to be more mindful about the resources you might be wasting. Sadly, our planet has seen a detrimental impact from waste that’s building up in our landfills, oceans, and fresh waterways.

Here are a few ways you be smarter about reducing waste:

• Start composting food scraps
• Recycle the right materials
• Avoid single-use plastics
• Use/eat less to cut down on what you throw away
• Drive less and walk more
• Use energy efficient appliances, lights, and systems

2. Be water-conscious

Speaking of waste, water is another resource that’s routinely overconsumed. It’s easy to think of water as a necessity that’s always “there when you need it,” but this mindset is very detrimental to the environment. It can cause water depletion, which dries our natural resources, and the lower levels can lead to a higher risk of water pollution. 

So, here are a few ways you can be more water-conscious to save water and not overconsume:

• Always turn the faucets completely off
• Don’t leave the water running when brushing teeth
• Take shorter showers
• Install water-efficient systems and appliances
• Check for leaks
• Run the dishwasher or washing machine with full loads only 

3. Look for plastic alternatives

It’s no secret that plastic pollution has gotten insanely out of hand in recent years. It’s now expected that there are 75-199 tons of plastic in our oceans today with 11 million tons entering our oceans every year. 

Not only do these plastic items overcrowd the oceans and threaten aquatic life, it also takes several decades for the material to break down. Plastic has a slow degradation process and even when it starts to break down, the damage doesn’t stop. Broken down plastic releases microplastics, which further pollutes the ocean habitat. On top of this, tons of fossil fuels are released into the air when plastic items are made, so this material all around is significantly damaging our planet.

But, the good news is that plastic pollution can be easy to manage by switching to something that’s reusable. Instead of using one-time plastics like a water bottle or containers made with traditional plastic, switch to eco-friendly alternatives to plastic like plant-based materials found in our line of Astrik kitchenware.

Plant-based plastics contain all the benefits of traditional plastic like durability and use without the pollution threat. And, most of the time, plant-based plastics are biodegradable. This means that it easily breaks down and doesn’t damage the earth. 

Here are a few plastic alternatives to look for when making the switch from traditional plastics:

• Glass
• Paper
• Astrik
• Bamboo
• Stainless steel

4. Switch to renewable energy

Making the switch from nuclear or fossil energy to renewable energy is another easy way to be environmentally conscious. Nuclear or fossil energy is energy that comes from things like oil and coal is responsible for polluting the air. Renewable energy is more sustainable since this energy comes from natural sources like the sun and wind, which means it won’t ever run out!

You can switch to renewable energy in your own home by placing things like solar panels on your roof or switch to energy efficient appliances. 

5. Eat less meat

Another way to practice living more sustainably is to eat less meat and more vegetables. The food industry is notorious for releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere from the plants where food is processed. So, by cutting out meat, you’ll be reducing the amount of pollutants in the air while also reducing food waste. 

6. Turn to eco-friendly products

Your appliances aren’t the only areas in your home that can partake in sustainable living. There are plenty of household products, including your cleaning materials, that aren’t so eco-friendly. Many products are made with chemicals that damage the environment when they’re thrown away and land in water or land ecosystems. The same is true for makeup products that use plastics that aren’t biodegradable and further pollute the ocean or landfills.

Make the switch to eco-friendly products that prioritize using natural resources and recycled materials. When you begin searching for eco-friendly cleaning products, here are a few things to look for to pick up a product that’s good for the environment:

• Chemical-free or non-toxic
• Biodegradable or recycled materials
• Uses natural ingredients

7. Thrift for clothes

Your closet is another place in the home that can help the environment by cutting down on waste. Thrifting helps to reduce your environmental footprint in several ways. Not only do you repurpose clothes instead of throwing them in the trash to collect in landfills, but you also help cut down on fossil fuels for fashion production and you help to conserve resources.  

8. Practice recycling

Of course, we can’t talk about sustainable living examples without mentioning recycling. Like thrifting, recycling gives certain items a new meaning while cutting down on waste in landfills, air pollution, and conserving resources.

Here is a list of recyclable items that can be separated from your trash:

• Paper
• Cardboard
• Metal
• Glass
• Plastics