5 Easy Tips for Eco-Friendly Living

sustainablelivingreport | November 21, 2017 | Green & Eco-Friendly Living, Sustainable Living

Eco-friendly living doesn’t have to be difficult! Here are 5 easy tips for a more sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle…

Do you practice sustainable or eco-friendly living? Sustainable living has different meanings for different people, but in general, it means living in a way that is sustainable for the long-term – your lifestyle doesn’t deplete the earth’s resources without replacing them, and it maintains and nurtures a healthy environment through eco-friendly habits and behaviors.

You may choose to eat differently, utilize energy-saving appliances or alternative energy sources for your home, use fuel-efficient transportation methods, or buy products that are considered eco-friendly.

Living sustainably can also mean simplifying your lifestyle and appreciating what you have as well as all of the wonderful resources our planet provides.

On a deeper level, sustainable living may mean consciously living in a way that is self-sufficient and respects all other members of the planet as important parts of our ecosystem.

This may sound like a tall order, but in fact, there are many simple ways that you can live more sustainably and responsibly on this planet. Here are 5 easy tips for sustainable and eco-friendly living:

1. Say no to spam. Contact the distributing company or marketing association to have your name removed from their mailing list. You can also stick a “no junk mail” sign on your mail box. Not only will this save you time by not having to sort the mail into recycling but it will also help to reduce the thousands of trees destroyed each year to create the junk mail that is sent to your home.

2. Receive and pay your bills electronically. Almost everything from your phone bill to your credit card statement can be viewed online and often these companies will discount you a few dollars for going paperless. Ask your service providers about it and set it up to reduce paper production.

3. Turn off your electronics when not in use. A computer left on for 24 hours can use a lot of electricity – up to 1000 kilowatts. And, even when your TV or computer is off, it is still using power. Either unplug all your electronic devices or use a power strip and flip of the switch when you’re done.

4. Collect and save water. Put containers with removable covers outside to collect rainwater that you can use to water your lawn, flower beds and gardens. Try using a bucket once a week in the shower to collect water that you can use to water your houseplants (make sure the water is at the right temperature before watering). It’s also a good reminder to water the plants.

5. Walk or bike whenever possible. Take the bus or carpool if one of these is not practical. Walking or cycling reduces the amount of gas spewed into the air by cars thus lowering carbon emissions greatly. In addition to having less of an impact on our planet you can become a little more fit and healthy, so make it part of your exercise program.