Sustainability has all the trappings of a “buzz” word. However, more than a buzz word, it is encouraging one to develop a personal philosophy that greatly benefits the larger public.
Sustainable living prioritises the use of natural and renewable resources instead of creating excess waste and depleting environmental resources. Here are five practical lifestyle changes to make to live more sustainably.
Five Lifestyle Changes To Live More Sustainably
Use Water Wisely
According to PUB, the water demand in Singapore is currently about 430 million gallons a day. By remembering the simple acronym of WATER, some simple and practical steps you can do are Washing clothes on full load, Always using a half-flush when possible, Turning off the shower when soaping, Ensuing the tap is off when brushing your teeth and Rinsing vegetables in a container. For more tips and resources, you can visit the link here.
Don’t buy products unnecessarily
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. These three words are often repeated, but the most effective ‘R’ of the three is to reduce. Living sustainably is not about buying the extra reusable straw, but about using what you already have at home before buying a straw. Other than saving money when you reduce the impulse buys, you can also invest in better quality items and support eco-friendly brands which are conscious of their environmental footprint. Research on sustainable swaps that are available and most suited for your lifestyle.
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Watch documentaries and read up on current environmental issues
When making lifestyle changes, having the conviction on the issue is the most crucial step. Be willing to watch documentaries from reliable sources and also read up on current environmental issues which might challenge the current mindsets that you hold. Being open to change and educating yourself is extremely important to making changes to live more sustainably.
Try to swap out meat for plant-based options
By now, we’re probably aware that consuming meat is not as sustainable as a plant-based diet. This is due to reasons such as the water needed to sustain livestock, as well as the land usage, greenhouse gases emissions and the deforestation that happens to make space for more cattle farms. Although attempting to remove meat completely may not be the best option for most people, having more meatless options still makes a difference. Also, not wasting food plays a part in living more sustainably.
Support local eco-friendly brands
One of the biggest ways that we can use our power as consumers to make a change in sustainable living is to support companies and brands that care about the environment and their eco-footprint. Supporting local brands is also a way to significantly reduce our carbon footprint for shipping costs as well.
In the end, living more sustainably is about being mindful and consciously making decisions while educating yourself about the way that our planet is changing. By doing this, we can make practical lifestyle changes that are also sustainable to make into habits in our daily lives.