How To Live A More Sustainable Lifestyle

In recent years, there has been a lot of hype around sustainability and looking after the environment. With the increasing effects of global warming and the detrimental impacts humans are having on the environment, it’s no surprise people are wanting to live a lifestyle that’s better for the environment around them.

Being sustainable simply means doing your best to reduce your usage of natural resources and it also means having as little impact on the environment as possible. You can save the environment in a lot of ways by making even the smallest changes. For example, buying sustainable products online can be a good way to protect the rainforest and deal with the climate crisis. You could discover more at onetribeglobal.com or similar websites for more information. Having said that, here are a few things you can do to become more sustainable.

Food

One of the things you can do to eat more sustainably is to eat from local sources. This could mean eating at local and independent restaurants as well as sourcing the food you have at home from local sources too, such as farmers’ markets or independent greengrocers. Firstly, this is to reduce your carbon footprint. When you buy from local stores, there is no need for overseas transport as products are sourced from local farms and surrounding areas. This minimizes air pollution as well as pollution from import ships. Secondly, eating locally is great for local businesses and sustaining their operations.

Another way to be more sustainable with food is to eat less meat and fish. This doesn’t mean that you have to be a vegetarian or vegan, but by having a few meat-free days a week, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint. One of my friends recently went vegan and she’s really enjoying it so far. We visited a paleo restaurant together and the vegan food that was served was lovely. For some, it may be hard to go full vegan, but reducing the amount of meat that you eat can help. The meat industry consumes an unthinkable amount of energy and resources as well as emits an enormous amount of Co2 gases, which directly contribute to the rise of global warming. Overfishing is also a huge concern for sustainability. Not only is it hard to monitor fishing and overfishing, but the plastic waste that results from fishing is astronomical. By reducing your meat and fish intake, you can easily maintain a more sustainable lifestyle.

Transport

It’s common knowledge that the majority of transport has a negative effect on the planet. However, we have become dependent on transport for getting us from A to B. Some of the smaller changes we can make to maintain a more sustainable lifestyle is to start walking and cycling more. This may be to and from work, to and from the shops or just for a day out. If walking and cycling are not an option, carpooling and using public transport is also another great way to be more sustainable. After all, that vehicle is already going in that direction, it seems a waste to then take another vehicle in the same direction.

Everyone loves a vacation, but air travel contributes significantly to global warming. One way to reduce this impact is to only go on one vacation a year. If you need another vacation, consider an in-bound vacation, meaning exploring places in the country you’re already in. When you do this, you can often drive, take a coach or even a train to your destination. Plus, you won’t have the hassle of having to change your money to a different currency!

Clothing

We all need clothing but with the constant changing of styles and trends, we’re often eager to buy more and more clothing. Of course, there are occasions where buying new clothing is perfectly fine but buying second-hand is a great alternative. To make clothing, millions of liters of water are needed every day. That is an incredible drain on water resources and that’s not taking into consideration all of the other resources that are needed. By buying second-hand clothing, either from selling sites or vintage stores, not only are you saving already made clothes from landfill sites, which is great for the environment, but you are also being more sustainable by giving life to old clothing. If everyone did this, far less clothing would need to be produced, meaning far fewer resources would need to be used. You could also refresh your wardrobe by adding sustainable socks, t-shirts, etc, that are made from natural or recycled materials which might cause less harm to the environment.

Another way to be more sustainable with clothing is to donate or sell your unwanted items. By doing this, you’re allowing someone else to be more sustainable, save a garment from the landfill site and even turn it into something like upcycled jackets or other garments, all while making a little extra cash. It’s a win-win all around!