10 Simple Steps to Embrace Eco-Friendly Living and Save the Planet

Living an environmentally friendly life is crucial when it comes to ensuring a nourishing and wholesome future for our planet. By adopting an environmentally conscious lifestyle, we can reduce the negative effect that we have on our environment and support the precious ecosystems and biodiversity of our planet.

This helps strengthen healthy living conditions for future generations. By adopting lifestyle practices that promote a healthy environment, we are also able to positively influence things on a larger scale, such as resource conservation, and address the ever-present concern of global warming.

Simple changes in our lives, such as opting for renewable sources of energy, reducing waste, opting for reusable substitutes, and avoiding planting trees, to name a few, help contribute to the benefit of the planet. It also brings along more far-reaching benefits like improvements in public health, social equity, and economic savings. By doing our part for the planet, we can foster a better relationship between humans and nature.

Living sustainably in harmony with nature benefits all life on earth.

Let us explore some simple tips to adapt to environmentally friendly living.

Single-use plastics, which are often referred to as ‘use and throw', are a common utility of convenience for us in our everyday lives. But did you know that this common item, which is lying around your house, is one of the most long-term curses you can place on the environment around you?

A single plastic bag can take up to a thousand years for a plastic bag to degrade in a landfill. Even then, it creates toxins and pollutes the environment. All that for a single bag of plastic you pick up at maybe the grocery store or a fork you get with your takeout.

In everyday use, these items seem irrelevant, but they cause irreparable damage to our planet and the other species of animals that also call Earth home. We can do a lot to protect the environment from the harm that plastic causes by avoiding these and using paper substitutes or more robust metal or wood substitutes.

Say no to plastic cutlery when out. Carry your own cloth bag for shopping. Use paper or metal straws for your favorite drink, and even better, bring your own tumbler!

Taking public transport, like the bus or the subway, can help reduce automobile emissions. The more people begin to utilize public transport systems, the greater the extent to which we can reduce carbon emissions, fuel consumption, and air pollution.

Motor vehicles are one of the main contributors to the emission of harmful greenhouse gases. By using public transport, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced while also promoting energy efficiency. As vehicles of public transport are built to carry larger numbers of passengers at once, they are more energy efficient as compared to smaller automobiles.

It is an even better option if you can walk or take a bicycle. This can help not only with protecting the environment but also with better overall health and well-being for you!

The four R’s are a great way to help the environment and promote environmentally friendly living. Let's take a look at some examples of incorporating the 4 R’s into our lifestyle.

REUSE:

• Use durable materials such as metal or wood for objects such as cutlery and containers that can be reused instead of single-use plastics.
• Use your own cloth shopping bags.
• Repair old furniture and electronics to extend their lives and use them to a fuller capacity.

REDUCE:

• Reduce paper waste by opting for digital means for one-time purposes like communication and bills.
• Reducing meat consumption to counter the environmental effects of livestock farming.
• Reduce the consumption of fossil fuels by opting for public transport.

RECYCLE:

• Effective sorting of wastes into degradable and nondegradable categories such as paper, plastic, metal, glass, etc.
• Donate old clothing items and accessories to local thrift stores
• Electronic gadgets and instruments can also be recycled at e-waste recycling facilities.

REPURPOSE:

• Making DIY projects from old stuff like containers, paper, cardboard, etc. can be a great way to repurpose old stuff and spruce up your home!
• Upcycling old clothes and furniture and giving them a new look is also a great way to step up the game when it comes to recycling.

Buying second-hand is a great way to ensure the full utilization of products and reduce the disposal of products that are in good working condition. Some products where buying second-hand is a great idea are electronics, furniture, even automobiles, and other items like thrifted clothing and jewelry.

Buying second-hand is very impactful as it reduces the demand for new products, thereby helping with the conservation of natural resources.

Planting small plants in your home can help increase oxygen levels and reduce our carbon footprint. Every day, countless trees are cut down for various purposes. Planting trees is one small step we can take as individuals to aid reforestation.

More plants in residential areas can help promote a quieter, greener, and fresher environment with cooler temperatures, fresher air, and better ambience.

Plants can also be a really cool decor idea for your home! A few small pots on your balcony or even in your study can create an environment that is rejuvenating.

Now that you have planted some plants around the house, let’s look at a great way to both care for them and embrace environmentally friendly living. Composting is a great way to reduce food waste and put degradable waste to use. Composting is also a great way to improve soil health and boost plant growth and nourishment.

Composting is a great way to conserve water as well. Composting helps with better soil health, meaning that the soil is able to retain more water for the plants to consume, which reduces the frequency of watering the plants. Plants and the soil are able to fully and more efficiently use water.

Grocery and produce that you purchase have the least negative impact on the environment when they are local and seasonal. Local and seasonal produce have the least carbon footprint. This is because it takes less fuel for transportation, requires less effort to grow when following seasonal cycles, and is also less expensive.

Food grown in season has fewer preservatives. Buying produce that is sourced locally and grown according to their respective growing seasons is not only beneficial for your health but also for the environment!

Go for sustainable brands that have a proven commitment towards helping create a greener future. Some common areas where sustainable brands offer an effective replacement are self-care products, cleaning products, make-up brands, clothing brands offering sustainable fashion and even utility brands that offer products like bamboo toothbrushes, utensils, reusable cutlery, etc. You can award the brand a brownie point if it uses sustainable packaging and recyclable components!

Choosing to buy from sustainable brands helps us do our part and carry out our social responsibility to build a better future for our planet.

There are two ways to support the use of renewable energy. One is to adopt renewable energy sources on a small scale, such as investing in solar panels. The other is to advocate for the use of renewable energy sources on a larger scale.

This can be done by advocating for policies that incentivize and invest in renewable energy sources for household uses such as electricity and fuel. By promoting their use on an extensive level, we can encourage further development of these renewable energy systems. Advocating for further research and discovery of more sources of renewable energy and refining existing technology.

Choosing the appliances you use smartly can help conserve both energy and money on utility bills. How do you ensure that appliances are energy-efficient?

• Look for a label on the appliance that indicates the energy-star rating. This label shows that the appliance either equals or surpasses the efficient energy standards.
• Proper installation and regular upkeep are also great ways to ensure that household appliances do not use up too much energy.
• Some appliances come with energy-saving modes, which allow them to run on less energy.
• Unplug. It might seem trivial to remember to turn off all the lights, but it is a small step to take to save energy for the planet.
• Upgrade your old appliances. Some appliances use up too much energy due to wear and tear. It is important to make timely upgrades to appliances that are used every day.

The benefits of us adopting an eco-conscious lifestyle are profound for both our better lives and a brighter future for the planet.

Our wellbeing is directly dependent on that of our planet, our home, and our most valuable resource. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the well-being and secure future of everyone on this planet and future generations as well that we take care of it.

By living in a sustainable and green manner, we can improve our health and mental peace, reduce the risk of disease, and promote a brighter and happier future. From a larger perspective, we can better preserve our resources, keep the environment from harm, and allow it to heal from the plague of pollution.

One person can indeed make a significant impact and inspire change.

Make being eco-friendly a habit; help save the planet!