Opt In for Clean Energy with Your Energy Provider
Call your energy provider and ask to get your energy from renewable sources.
Category: How To Live Sustainably
Here is the strait forwards things you can do to live more sustainably.
Get Solar Panels or Wind Turbines at Your House
Utilize your roof space and generate your own electricity with solar panels.
Reduce Electricity Usage
Turn off lights, buy energy efficient appliances and products and turn everything off when not needed.
Weatherize and Seal Your House
Add insulation and seal your house with weather strips and caulk so your house does not lose heat and requires less energy to heat.
Use Less Air Conditioning and Heating
Run AC and heating only when you need it and at the minimum temps you can.
Use Low-Energy Appliances
Buy Energy Star appliances to save on energy usage. Turn off appliances when not in use.
Use LED Lights
When it comes to lighting your home or business, LED lights is pretty much the only way to go. That is because they use 75% less energy and last 25 times longer.
Live in a LEED-Certified Home
A LEED certified home verifies that it is built and or operated more sustainably.
Eat Less Meat
Meat takes a lot of resources to grow, so eat less to have less impact on the environment.
Don’t Waste Food
Food waste is one of the biggest issues that contribute to our impact on the planet. So try not to waste food.
Eat Sustainably Grown, Regenerative Food
Buy organic food at a minimum. Buy sustainably grown food that uses regenerative farming practices.
Buy Sustainable Fish
Buy fish approved by Monterey Bay Seafood Watch so we don’t deplete our fish populations long term.
Buy Local
Buy food and products that is more local because it uses less transportation energy to get to you.
Buy in Sustainable Packaging
Reusable containers and packaging is best. Then compostable. Next is paper/cardboard, then aluminimum, glass, plastic.
Eat at Restaurants That Source Sustainable Food
Eat out at restaurants who source their food from sustainable and local sources. Organic, grass fed beef, and sustainable fish.
Buy Less Stuff
Everything you buy requires energy and resources to produce and deliver to you. One of the quickest ways to make an impact is to just reduce your consumption.
Repair Your Stuff
When your stuff is damaged, worn, or broken attempt to repair it instead of buying new to save on resources.
Buy Used Products
Try to buy a used product before buying a new product to save the resources used to produce a new product.
Sell or Gift Your Stuff
If you no longer want a product or anything you own sell it or give it away instead of throwing it in the trash.
Buy Sustainably Made Clothing
Sustainably made clothing is made of sustainable materials like organic hemp, bamboo, cotton, linen, and wool. Also made without harming the environment with toxins.
Buy Products Made of Sustainable Materials
When you buy anything check what is it made of and pick products that are made with sustainable materials.
Use Reusable Shopping Bags
Reusable shopping bags saves resources by not wasting or recycling paper and plastic one time use bags.
Use Reusable Containers
Get a water bottle and coffee cup to fill when you are on the go.
Use Rechargeable Batteries
Instead of buying single use batteries that you need to recycle in a special way, buy some rechargeable batteries and a charger and stop having to buy packs of batteries.
Use Reusable Napkins
Instead of paper napkins and towels buy 2 weeks worth of cloth napkins you can wash with your laundry.
Picnic with Reusable or Compostable Plates and Forks
Buy light weight camping plates and forks for your picnic to wash and reuse. Otherwise buy compostable plates.
Use Paper-Only Envelopes
Use paper only envelopes instead of envelopes with a plastic window so it has better chances of getting recycled.
Buy and Receive Sustainable Gifts
Buy and receive experience gifts, consumables, or charity and tree planting donations. Do not buy products.
Use Eco-friendly Cleaning Products
Buy cleaning products that are not toxic to the environment. Buy in bulk and refill your containers.
Add a Microplastic Filter to Your Washing Machine
Micro plastics from your polyester clothing leak into the oceans when washed. Install a micro plastic filter, use a laundry ball, or a bag to prevent.
Compost
Compost your food scraps to get that organic matter back into the farm system to support regenerative farming.
Recycle Properly
Check with your trash collection company to verify what you can recycle and how to make sure you do it correctly. Otherwise it can end up in the landfill.
Process and Use Human Waste
Use and support solutions that process and utilize human poop and urine to recycle this abundant resource into a circular system.
Install Water-Efficient Appliances and Fixtures
Buy WaterSense certified toilets, faucets, and shower heads. And buy Energy Star certified dishwasher.
Make Your Garden Water Efficient
Replace your lawn with local plant species that don’t require watering. Water efficiently.
Reuse Greywater
Use your greywater to water your garden or even for toilet and clothes washing.
Catch Rain
Collect the rain that falls on your roof every year to use for your water needs and help save water.
Walk or Bike
The most sustainable way to get around is to walk. It requires no products so no energy used. Next is to bike.
Drive an Electric Car
If you can’t rely on public transportation, walking, and biking, and must have a car, then get an electric car.
Use Public Transportation
If you can’t walk or bike to where you want to go use public transportation like subway, trams, trains, or buses.
Take Longer Trips Instead of More Trips
Each trip takes transportation energy, so fly less, and go on a longer trip instead.
Work From Home
When you work from home you don’t need to travel to the office so you save energy from that transportation.
Work Four Days a Week
Work 4 days instead of 5 to save on the transportation and and building energy needed to go and be at work that extra day.
Support Sustainable Government Policies
Advocate, support, vote, protest, and promote all government policies that will support sustainable living goals. And do the same for political candidates who support those policies who will help implement them.
Invest Your Money in Sustainable Businesses
Where we invest our money drives the direction of our world so make Impact Investments that benefit our environment and society.
Work at a Job That Supports Sustainable Living
Work for a company that provides a product or service that helps the world live more sustainably.
Bank at a Local Credit Union
Instead of using a big corporate national bank for your checking account, use a local non profit Credit Union to keep your money local and for better causes.
Donate to Sustainable Organizations
If you can afford it or don’t have time to volunteer you can donate to organizations that help make the world live sustainably.
Have Fewer Kids
Have 1-2 kids because each human requires resources on the limited planet.