Conscious Living

3 Sustainable Living Ideas You Can Do NOW!

We only have one Earth is something we often hear, but how can we help? Check out these 3 sustainable living ideas you can do now!

What is Sustainable Living?

I spend a good portion of my school year as a biology teacher speaking about sustainability and hoping that kids walk out of my classroom with a strong understanding of what it is. Simply put, sustainability focuses on human abilities to co-exist in our ecosystems with the least amount of impact to resources.

Sustainably living encompasses a lifestyle whereby the individual or group work to conserve natural resources, support the community and earn enough to be financially steady in the long term. Many companies employ these characteristics by using renewable energy, promoting diversity in the workforce, and working to create policies that benefit the community as a whole.

3 Sustainable Living Ideas You Can Do NOW!

I know that many people are not ready to go full force into sustainable living, however, there are small steps you can take to ease into a transition that can help ensure a stronger overall planet for future generations. Check out the 3 sustainable living ideas you can do NOW below:

1. Recycle

Most cities partner with companies that will pick up your recycling. You can contact your local waste company to see who they work with and have a recycling bin delivered to your home. It is usually a small cost for delivery but it can make a big difference.

It is thought that if everyone recycled, we would have smaller landfills, less pollution, more natural resources (including water), less endangered and threatened species and even more money in our pockets.

2. Decrease Single-Use Plastics

Plastic is destructive to our planet and the organisms that inhabit it. Aside from the massive amounts that are in our oceans as floating islands, plastics are also accumulating in our food chains as microplastics that can cause harm to bodies. Much of this accumulated plastic comes from single-use plastics like water bottles, plastic bags and food containers.

You can decrease your input of single-use plastics into the environment by using a reusable water bottle, bringing your own reusable shopping bags to stores, utilizing glass food containers or purchasing food that is not packaged in plastic.

3. Garden & Compost

This is my real garden. We have grown a garden for 15 years. Not only are we providing food for our family and teaching our children valuable skills, but we are helping the environment and reducing waste.

Gardens and composting are great because as the plants clean the air, removing not only carbon dioxide but other pollutants, the soil becomes enriched with the dying plant materials that the decomposers can recycle back into the ecosystem. They also give a space for our critical pollinators to grab a quick snack and continue on their journeys to making more plants grow. 

Check out my video below and please share it with others looking for sustainable living ideas!

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