Everyday Actions
Okay, yeah, we know it's not realistic to expect every single person to just go out and dedicate their life solely to bringing about the sustainable social revolution; no, we've all got jobs, homework, relationships to maintain, food to cook, bills to pay. But just because you can't dedicate your life to it doesn't mean you're useless. Simple, everyday sustainable habits can truly make all the difference in the world. Here, we've put together a few lists of sustainable lifestyle choices that can help bring develop a culture of sustainability.
Literally No Effort
Drink from a reusable water bottle rather than plastic bottles (this may require buying a filter for your kitchen sink, but in the long run, you'll spend significantly less money)
Recycle cardboard/paper/cans (and other recyclables)
Get a compost bin for food waste
Take shorter showers (seriously, even five minutes less makes a huge difference)
Use plastic or glass containers for food rather than Ziploc bags or tinfoil
Don't leave the water running while you're brushing your teeth
Turn off lights when no one's in the room
Fly less - yes, vacations are fun, but let me show you the carbon tax that comes with that (see research below)
Literally just buy less stuff
Maybe I Kinda Care About This After All
Donate items you no longer use rather than throwing them out
Repair items when they suffer mild wear and tear rather than just buying new items
Buy high quality goods that will last a long time rather than low quality goods that cost less but will wear out quickly, thus costing you more in the long run and producing waste
Eat less beef
Buy groceries locally (a lot of emissions come from transporting food across long distances)
Buy "good food" - ie food that has been grown using regenerative farming methods
If your housemates are comfortable with it, try flushing the toilet only for number 2; this can end up saving a lot of water - this one even comes with a catchy catchphrase for kids: "When it's yellow, let it mellow. When it's brown, flush it down."
Be an educated voter (this one applies to everything, not just sustainability)
Go nontoxic - research your cleaning products and make sure you're buying eco-friendly products
The Beginnings of Passion
Educate yourself on sustainable companies and do your best to support them (click on the link to see our research)
Keep track of the "stuff" you accumulate and make sure that you're not consistently generating massive amounts of waste by buying things you don't need
Talk with friends and family about your sustainability efforts
Do your best to help your housemates work on any bad habits that would be easy for them to change (be gentle in the approach here)
Attend climate change activism events (here)
Educate yourself on different perspectives on sustainability through discussions and media
Be an active member of your local community
Bank and invest responsibly - your money can be used to pressure companies into engaging in more sustainable practices
Become an active member of the sustainability community, maybe by joining a sustainability organization and working with like-minded individuals to help craft a more sustainable future
If you don't want to just take my word for it (which is definitely fair, I understand), here are some links to the information and calculations that went into these lifestyle recommendations:
Reusable Water Bottles
Recycling
Compost
Flying
Donating
Beef
Buying Local
Regenerative Farming
Going Nontoxic
Sustainable Companies
Sustainable Banking and Investing
Climate Change and Sustainability Activist Groups
