The turn of the events happening in this decade has been a wake-up call for people to start becoming concerned about the welfare of the earth. For years, people have lived conveniently through the availability of single-use plastics, disposable materials, wasteful packaging, and the like. While recycling has become well-practiced over the years, non-biodegradable materials still pose a threat to landfills and the ozone layer.
It is pertinent to eliminate wasteful living practices to help preserve the earth for the foreseeable future. The good thing is that sustainable living has become a trend, and is highly encouraged by a plethora of celebrities and influencers. Essentially, it entails reducing waste as much as possible and being conscious of both consumption and disposal. You can also reduce waste by saving documents as PDFs using www.sodapdf.com/ instead of printing them out.
While a fully sustainable lifestyle involves a complete lifestyle change and personal commitment, certain practices can help you ease into the transition. From the use of Eco-Friendly bags to making smarter shopping decisions, here are a couple of tips on how to live sustainably.
Say Goodbye To Single-Use Plastics
Plastic is perhaps the bane that leads us to the destruction of the world. Although it is a highly resilient, waterproof, and versatile material, it is also incredibly difficult to dispose of and is not always repurposable. Everyday plastics, including bags and bottles, can take between 10-450 years to decompose, which means that landfills cannot regenerate until then. Not to mention that the presence of plastic waste amid biodegradable waste can also stunt the latter’s decomposition process. Ultimately, it is impossible to use plastic on a consumer-level sustainably.
Stopping the use of single-use plastics is as easy as taking a stainless steel water bottle to refill throughout the day, replacing plastic straws with metal and bamboo alternatives, and using an Eco-Friendly bag to shop. Grocery stores and farmers’ markets are notorious for packing everything in plastic to weigh and segregate, but you can opt to use produce bags instead. You will be surprised by how much waste you reduce simply by taking an Eco-Friendly bag on a shopping trip.
Make it a habit to have one with you every day on the occasion that you make an unexpected purchase. Embracing small practices will eventually make the shift to a full-on sustainable lifestyle much more manageable.
Choosing The Right Stores
Shops that focus on sustainability have been popping up all over the globe. Depending on the place you live, you may encounter a zero-waste store that requires you to bring your packaging for food products and beauty supplies. Choosing to go to these stores as opposed to traditional grocery and department stores will make a significant impact on the future of retail. It is pertinent to pressure large corporations to shift toward more sustainable practices, so supporting small businesses that already do essentially means that you are doing your part to help.
Remember — it does not make sense to go out and purchase new bottles every time you need a shampoo refill. Purchase it once and use it until it breaks or becomes unusable. The same goes for Eco-Friendly bags, utensils, water bottles, and the like. Reusing and avoiding unnecessary purchases is key to sustainable living, after all.
While shifting toward a fully sustainable lifestyle with absolutely zero waste may take a couple of years to break into, introducing small, positive habits will make the transition a lot more enjoyable and realistic. Take things at your own pace and sustainability will eventually become second-nature to you.