10 Ways to Start Living More Sustainably Today | Sustainability
Working towards sustainability takes time. But, there are things that you can start doing TODAY to start living more sustainably!
Welcome! We’re so glad you’re here! If you found your way here, we hope that means that you already know the value of living more sustainably. But, just as a quick note, remember that living sustainably is not just about us. It is about building up and passing down a way of living that provides health, abundance, and sustainability for generations to come. What you do today can positively affect your children, your children’s children, your community, and our world. Be sure to also check out our upcoming post on ways to live more sustainably through homesteading skills!
So, with that, let’s dive in and look at 10 easy ways that anyone can start living more sustainably today!
10 Easy Ways to Start Living More Sustainably Today:
1. Avoid Using Single Use Items
This is a common change that many people easily start to make no matter where they live. Think about how much money people spend every day on household items that are single use. Napkins, paper towels, paper plates, etc. I know… “But, it’s so much easier to use paper when I’m hosting a large group!” Or, “I have a lot of kids!” I totally get it. We are a family of eight, and enjoy having other family over. I totally know how much easier it can be to use paper, and avoid doing all the dishes.
But, if you use a dishwasher, that load of dishes will only cost anywhere from 19 to 31 CENTS to wash. Versus the $6-$10+ cost of buying that pack of paper plates. With those numbers, instead of buying those one time use plates, you can pay for your dishwasher to wash your dishes for ABOUT A MONTH! (Read some stats here or look it up!) That’s convincing enough for me! You can also look up stats about washing cloth napkins versus paper. Saving money, and making less waste, is living more sustainably.
2. Buy Less Wasteful Packaging
If you have access to recycling centers in your area, some packaging may be able to be recycled. Always familiarize yourself with what your recycling center takes, and how they take it. If you don’t follow their guidelines (i.e. cleaning or washing before recycling), then they may throw away what you thought you recycled. However, many plastics aren’t taken at all.
If you do not live near a recycling center, it takes more effort to be environmentally conscious and sustainable. Look for brown paper packaging with the least amount of ink, or take your own tote to pick and purchase your fruits and veggies. If you are already buying from markets, then this probably isn’t something you have to even think about. But, you can be environmentally conscious at the grocery store also. Buying less wasteful packaging is living more sustainably.
3. Buy Secondhand Whenever You Can
This is another common change people make when moving towards a more sustainable life. Buying clothes, furniture, and other household goods secondhand not only saves you money, but it also makes less waste. It can also be a lot of fun to go “treasure hunting” at secondhand stores. You can find items that are perfect just the way they are. You can also find items that, with a little fixin’, will look or function perfectly in your home. Or, you can even find items to fix up and sell! Either way, buying secondhand is living more sustainably!
4. Ditch the Devices
We all know the pros and cons of screen time for our mental, emotional, and physical health. But, did you ever think about how much money you could actually save by using your devices less? Especially in a big family with many devices. Less using = less charging = less electricity = less spending! Have you also heard about the negative affects that have been discovered about wifi signals, electronic devices, etc on our bodies?
They call it EMF exposure. And while some experts say that most exposure is not enough to be harmful, there are many others that say they affect the brain, cells, and even DNA. I am not going into that here, but it is definitely worth mentioning, researching, and considering. Even the simple act of unplugging your wifi and devices at night will save you money, and maybe, your body! Ditching the devices is living more sustainably.
5. Turn Off the Heat or AC
This seems self-explanatory, but some climates may be able to do this easier than others. If you live in a climate that isn’t too extreme, you may be able to turn your system off and open those windows! Fresh air is already amazing for our brains and our moods. But, it also can save us electricity and money! Keep an eye on temperature through the day, and through the seasons. Then, you can learn the window of time that would work best for you to turn off your system and open the windows.
We live in zone 8b, and it is May. So, we have beautiful mornings and evenings, but midday is starting to get too hot to leave the windows open. (Unless we are in the pool!) Just a week ago we were enjoying cool, windy 70 degree days with windows open all day! Just depends! But, turning off the heat and AC a little bit every day can add up. Living with the windows open, or maybe your fireplace on in winter, is living more sustainably.
6. Make Your Own Laundry Detergent
This is a common chore for many homesteaders and homemakers and more. You don’t have to be on a sustainable quest to make your own laundry detergent. Many people make the switch simply because of the toxic chemicals, fillers, and fragrances found in many commercial laundry detergents. People even find that many commercial detergents irritate their sensitive skin. While there are healthier, trustworthy options out there, they can be more expensive. And homemade laundry detergent can be made out of household items that you already have at home!
For us, sustainable health is as much a part of living more sustainably as growing our own food is. Health is not just determined by what we eat, but also by everything that touches our skin. Everything we smell, taste, touch, see, and hear affects our overall health. There are many recipes for homemade laundry detergent that we have tried, and many that you can try. You have to find what works best for your family, and what also saves you money, for it to be a sustainable option.
For our family’s recipe, click here. For some other options, check out the links at the bottom of this post.
7. Make Your Own Household Cleaners
Okay, you probably knew this one was coming. But, making your own household cleaners also allows you to know EXACTLY what’s in them. You don’t have to read labels and try to pronounce and decipher big words. Literally, these days even plant based ingredients are given huge names. And it just gets difficult if they don’t put in parentheses what in the world it is. And then, I have to research to see if this so-called plant based ingredient is even safe and healthy. Of course, there is still debate on even simple ingredients like borax, baking soda, etc. My favorite ingredient (that’s not so controversial) to use in everything from hand soap to shampoo is pure Castile soap. But you can make those choices for you. Making your own cleaners can save you a lot of money, and also give you peace of mind.
8. Avoid Fast Food and Takeout
This is another common change people make when moving towards living more sustainably. Fast food and takeout comes with health concerns, as well as money concerns. They sure don’t label your food when you pick it up at the window or inside. Besides that, the amount of money it costs for a meal could instead pay for ingredients to make healthier meals at home. We especially feel this as a family of 8.
We used to have one day a week that we would have a pizza night, or some kind of take out, because we were in an overwhelming stage at home. So, I totally understand that. And I understand if it is in your family budget! However, for us, after some time we realized the big cost, especially as prices escalated. I just could not justify those weekly splurges. Not for our money, nor for our health. That one time a week cost could easily pay for a large portion of our groceries.
We started making homemade pizza, and I worked my meal plans to ensure that I had a few days a week of easy, but healthy meals. We still treat for birthdays and some outings. But for the most part, we cook our meals at home, from scratch as much as possible. Avoiding fast food and take out will help you live more sustainably.
9. Cook from Scratch
You may have also known this one was coming. Switching to buying ingredients only, especially in bulk, saves a lot of money, but this one for us is even more about health. We have been either making our own bread, or doing without, for so long I can’t even remember. The amount of ingredients in processed bread is just something I could not get over when bread is so quick and easy to make at home for so much less. “Healthier” breads are even crazier prices. Bread was one of the first items we stopped buying from the store and learned how to make from scratch. Homemade bread is literally so easy, and has become a favorite in our home, that my nine year old and two year old daughters make our family’s bread. All I do is put it in the oven!
There are many other items we stopped buying altogether and only have them when we make them. Here are some more items to consider learning to make from scratch to avoid harmful ingredients and high prices:
- Sauces
- Broths
- Other bread-like products like biscuits, rolls, dumplings, noodles
- Pancakes and waffles
- Cakes and other desserts
There are so many more things to learn to cook from scratch! Learning one item at a time per meal is a great way to learn and build up your skills quickly. Then, you’ll be making full meals entirely from scratch in no time! Cooking from scratch is living more sustainably!
10. Grow Your Own Food
If you know us or have followed us for any amount of time, this one is least surprising. The VERY FIRST skills we worked on to learn to homestead, and work towards living more sustainably, was growing our own food. It wasn’t making our own cleaners, ditching devices, or even learning to cook from scratch. The very first step we took was learning to grow our own food in our own backyard. And this is something every homesteader and self-sufficient desiring person MUST learn to do.
Now, the reason why I didn’t title this one “Start Your Own Garden”, is because since then, we have realized the many ways you can grow your own food. You can start growing herbs right in your own kitchen! You can start with berry bushes. Pots on a patio can provide food. There are even many crops that you can grow in pots inside your house like tomatoes, leafy greens, and more. You can raise chickens for eggs, etc.
Growing your own food can save you a lot of money, can be better for your health, and is a vital part of abundance and sustainability. But, it doesn’t stop at growing your own food. To live sustainably for the long-term, one must learn to grow food, cook food, preserve food, and collect seeds.
Conclusion
Living sustainably is a journey; an adventure that doesn’t just happen over night. And there are SO many areas to learn to live more sustainably in. But, there are things that you can start doing TODAY to start living more sustainably! We hope this post was helpful, and gave you some easy ways to start living more sustainably. Be on the look out for more posts with more ideas, and check out some helpful resources below. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for more education, inspiration, and tools to live abundantly on your sustainability journey.
Build a life you love by building up your home, and live abundantly!
If you enjoyed this post, please share it! (To pin to Pinterest, click the Pinterest logo on the picture below):
Helpful Resources (We are not affiliated with any of the following resources):
7 Homemade Laundry Detergent for HE Washers
Pantry Staples You Can Make at Home (My Favorite site for cooking from scratch!)
Leave a Reply