8 Super Simple Things You Can Do Today To Be Sustainable
Sustainability can be overwhelming at times. Today we will go over several easy steps you can take to be more sustainable now. Sustainability is a process, so don’t expect to complete all of the steps right this second. Try to do one or two today, and see how it goes!
Take a break from tech
The more tech (phone, computer, tv, etc.) you use, more energy is required to power your electronics. Where does energy come from? Fossil fuels. Yes, we have renewable energy. You may even have solar panels on your home or a small wind turbine in your backyard. However, it took fossil fuels to produce the technology that creates renewable energy. So, take a break from tech in your home. Limit energy consumption because none of it is really that clean. Go for a walk outside, read a book, or do a craft!
Shop local instead of making purchases on Amazon
A lot of local businesses have struggled this past year due to the pandemic, riots, and many other unfortunate circumstances. Nearly 100,000 small businesses permanently closed between April and September 2020, and the number is growing. Let’s do our part to help our community that is in need and support small businesses locally. Shop at farmers markets, cafes, local boutiques, etc.
If you shop on Amazon, use Amazon Smile
If you’re unaware of Amazon Smile, it is a way for you to choose a charity to donate a portion of your amazon purchase to. For eligible purchases, AmazonSmile donates 0.5% of your purchase to an organization of your choosing. We like One Tree Planted Inc., Defenders of Wildlife, and Wabash River Defenders! You have to shop through www.smile.amazon.com for it to actually work. So make sure you bookmark it instead of Amazon’s normal homepage.
Make meatless stuffed peppers for dinner
Did you know that the agriculture industry produces 10% of the US’s greenhouse gasses? Beef is the number 1 source of greenhouse gasses in the ag industry. By opting for veggies instead of meat for one meal can help limit your emissions impact. My go-to veggie meal is quinoa or rice stuffed peppers. They are super easy to make, and taste delicious! The Modern Proper has a great recipe for vegetarian stuffed peppers.
Take a break
Take 10 minutes to think about several areas in your life where you can help the world be a better place. Brainstorm! Its very relaxing to get your creative juices flowing. Even better -- go for a walk outside while doing so, journal about it, or talk with a friend to make it a team effort.
Get a reusable water bottle (or water filter)
A plastic water bottle can take up to 400 years to decompose. The average disposable water bottle contains about 9.25 grams of plastic, if each person in the US were to drink from a disposable water bottle for each meal every day for 5 years, there would be at least 36,758,400,000lbs that would stick around for 400 years. By choosing to use a reusable plastic water bottle for 5 years would lead to 102,562,500 lbs of plastic production -- a 99.7% decrease in solid waste production.
Switch your browser to Ecosia instead of using google search
Ecosia is a search engine based in Germany that donates 80% of its profits to nonprofit organizations that help plant trees. It’s a certified B corporation which means the business operates at a higher standard of ethics. Try using Ecosia instead of Google or Bing to plant some trees while your searching online!
Buy a basil plant
Using live herbs in your home prevents you from buying packaged fresh herbs at the grocery store. This leads to less plastic usage and less energy used for producing the cut herbs you purchase weekly at the grocery store. I suggested basil because I use it a lot, but any herb will do (i.e. parsley, mint, sage, cilantro, etc.). An added plus is that plants produce oxygen and can filter out pollutants in the air, so you get cleaner air in your home!
These are some super easy things you can do today to be more sustainable. Maybe, even try to incorporate them into your daily life so that sustainability can become a part of your normal routine. Let me know in the comments if you tried any of these suggestions. I’d love to see what you tried out, so send me a dm (@sustain_and_able_) or email me a photo of you with your vegetarian stuffed peppers, basil plant, or reusable water bottle! Until the next update, let’s keep making a difference!
