4 Real Life Sustainability Tips

Nowadays, the need to live a more sustainable lifestyle is becoming more of a necessity rather than a choice. Our planet is changing drastically—from unprecedented weather and massive floods, there are also shortages of supplies and clean water around the globe. 

So, before we plunge into a more digitized future, it is essential to take a closer look at our lifestyles to ensure that we are simultaneously advancing towards development and sustainability to protect our planet.

How do I start living sustainably?

We collected a few real-life tips that can help you build sustainable practices to kickstart your lifestyle transformation!

Tip #1: Build a staple wardrobe. 

Shopping may be your form of therapy, but it is not good for Mother Earth. Producing clothes and other retailed goods like shoes and those cute fleece jackets take a significant part of earth’s carbon emissions—not to mention the pollution they cause. 

So, the next time you go out to the mall or browse through online shops, always think twice about the apparel you’re going to buy. Will you use it for a long time? Can you partner it with most of your wardrobe? 

If you find yourself impulsively buying, take a step back off those racks and assess if you have to buy new clothes. And if you need it, make sure to invest in timeless and high-quality pieces that you can wear even years from now. 

Tip #2: Choose sustainable self-care products. 

Usually, self-care essentials are manufactured in bulk while some are even involved in animal testing and cruelty. These practices have detrimental impacts on our ecosystem and harm wildlife. 

Supporting brands that have proven their dedication to empowering communities and protecting earth’s natural resources instead of well-known cosmetic lines known for questionable practices is the start of living a more sustainable lifestyle. By using ethically-made products with natural skincare ingredients, you are helping not just the environment but also local farmers and small businesses. 

Tip #3: Utilize reusable items.

The combined effect of single-use items and consumerism have polluted most of the earth’s waters and landfills. Try not to contribute to the waste by bringing a flask whenever you go out instead of buying drinks in plastic bottles.

You can also reuse bubble wraps and paper bags from your online deliveries as packaging for gifts or other items you have to send over through courier. It is a practice that cuts waste and encourages recycling through every package you rewrapped.

More than these, there are also items that you can invest in to avoid single-use waste in terms of hygiene. For example, instead of using pads and tampons, you can use period underwear to keep you comfortable during that time of the month. Aside from offering extra support, it also prevents leaks without that icky feeling. Talk about comfy and sustainability at the same time!

Tip #4: Start in your home.

Perhaps one of the best places to practice sustainable living is within the comfort of your own home. Maximize your windows to have natural light inside the house. These will make your home vibrant without having to install huge ceiling lamps—plus you get to save electricity!

If you want to live more consciously, you also have to take a look at your kitchen. Livestock is one of the main contributors to carbon emissions in the food industry. So as much as possible, reduce meat and dairy in your diet. 

You can also build your compost through left-over food and biodegradable waste in your backyard. Use it to grow your plants and vegetables organically. Through these practices, you're not just building a healthy home but also a healthy body!

A few reminders for practicing sustainability

First, recognize that it’s not just you—it’s us. You can’t save the environment all by yourself—this is one of the first things to recognize when you have decided to become more conscious about your carbon footprint. 

Remember: climate change is a systemic problem, and you can only achieve a net-zero lifestyle through the collective efforts of the government, private businesses, and individuals.

Second, balance is the key. Living a sustainable lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to stop eating your favorite steak or swear off using plastic—these are impossible goals. 

You have to bear in mind that it takes planning and balance to be a positive change agent. If you can’t take the meat off your diet, then gradually reduce it. Reuse your tote bags as much as you can when you go to the grocery, but don’t punish yourself for forgetting to bring them sometimes. 

Third, focus on practices you can control. It’s normal to get overwhelmed—come on, it’s the earth we’re talking about. But to move forward, the solution lies in the things we can control. Imagine this—you can’t stop the carbon emissions of corporations, but you can walk or bike to do your errands. 

The Takeaway

Sometimes, we get so caught up in our fast-paced lives that we tend to forget the environmental implications of our actions. But times are changing. The earth is heating up, sea levels are rising, and animals are going extinct. 

Nature has done its part in giving us resources to sustain human development and future advancements. It is now our time to give back what we took from it. And this starts with one small sustainable choice at a time.

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