How to Live a Greener Life
Learn more about sustainable living., Save energy., Conserve water., Use less fuel for transport., Eat greener food., Buy smart., Use proper waste management., Wear the right clothing., Avoid toxins and chemicals., Learn about how your happiness and...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn more about sustainable living.
This is the first, and probably the most important step.
You should read up on the subject of environmentalism, and how your personal carbon footprint can affect global pollution levels.
There are plenty of resources available online, and you can visit your local library for books on related topics. -
Step 2: Save energy.
The most effective way to cut down on your carbon emissions is to conserve on energy in your home.
Install energy-efficient light bulbs, turn lights off when they aren’t in use, make sure your walls and floors are properly insulated and windows are fully sealed, and keep your energy consumption to a minimum.
You will save energy and money at the same time. , Every drop of tap water you use consumes energy.
Remember, it needs to be transported, filtered, and purified (even before it reaches your tap).
It might just be water, but a lot of fossil fuel is consumed in processing it.
In some places, water itself is scarce.
You can turn the tap off while brushing your teeth, switch to more efficient washers and dryers, and collect rainwater for use in your garden. , If a hybrid car is not an option at the moment, you can take other steps; walking or biking to work, or whenever you have to travel a short distance.
If your work place is too far for a daily bicycle commute, consider using mass transit.
You can carpool with a friend or coworker if that works.
For long trips, consider the fuel efficiency of your different options. , Eating is one thing everyone has in common, everywhere in the world.
But did you know that eating the type of food can make an impact in the environment? The food industry contributes substantial carbon emissions in the process of shipping their products around the world.
When you eat seasonal, local, and organic food, you help to conserve the environment – as well as improve your own health. , Instead of buying brand new wooden furniture for your home, you can search for good used furniture online.
You can even visit garage sales, where you might find exactly what you need.
Think before making a purchase, no matter how big or small it is.
Buying grocery items in bulk can save money and conserve on energy and packing materials.
Also, be sure to buy high-quality products that will last for a long time and not just wind up in a landfill a year from now.
Whenever possible, buy products that have a fair trade label.
That means that people were paid fairly for their work and usually ensures environmental care as well.
Shopping online is another good way to conserve on fuel.
When you receive a purchase through the mail, the amount of fuel used to ship that purchase is nowhere near the amount of fuel you would have used to drive to a store and buy it offline.
Furthermore, you can also save a considerable amount of time and money by shopping online, and many online stores offer free shipping. , Years ago, many considered waste management to be the main environmental issue of concern.
As long as one reduced, recycled, and reused, one was a friend of the environment.
Things are not that simple these days, but waste conservation is still a big part of living green.
It takes a lot of energy to process and dispose of waste, whether it’s recycled or dumped in a landfill.
So conserving on waste is important, even if you do recycle.
You should also compost your biodegradable waste materials. , Your choice of clothing can make a considerable impact on the environment.
One of the most heavily sprayed crops across the globe is cotton.
Chemicals which are used as insecticides harm the environment, and harm people’s health.
Fortunately, there are other alternative fabrics available in the market; such as organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and flax.
Try to find and purchase clothing that uses these natural and nontoxic materials.
Wearing such clothing is also better for your health. , If you look carefully at many of the products you use every day, such as cleaning and personal care products, you might be quite surprised at the harmful chemicals they are made from.
Use products made from natural and nontoxic ingredients.
They aren’t hard to find – even Amazon has an entire section dedicated to green products.
And what's more, by shopping at Amazon you can find nontoxic and environmentally friendly products more easily, while also saving money and conserving resources by doing your shopping online. , You can increase your happiness and it doesn't have to cost the earth.
This is called sustainable happiness. -
Step 3: Conserve water.
-
Step 4: Use less fuel for transport.
-
Step 5: Eat greener food.
-
Step 6: Buy smart.
-
Step 7: Use proper waste management.
-
Step 8: Wear the right clothing.
-
Step 9: Avoid toxins and chemicals.
-
Step 10: Learn about how your happiness and well-being are interconnected with other people and the natural environment.
Detailed Guide
This is the first, and probably the most important step.
You should read up on the subject of environmentalism, and how your personal carbon footprint can affect global pollution levels.
There are plenty of resources available online, and you can visit your local library for books on related topics.
The most effective way to cut down on your carbon emissions is to conserve on energy in your home.
Install energy-efficient light bulbs, turn lights off when they aren’t in use, make sure your walls and floors are properly insulated and windows are fully sealed, and keep your energy consumption to a minimum.
You will save energy and money at the same time. , Every drop of tap water you use consumes energy.
Remember, it needs to be transported, filtered, and purified (even before it reaches your tap).
It might just be water, but a lot of fossil fuel is consumed in processing it.
In some places, water itself is scarce.
You can turn the tap off while brushing your teeth, switch to more efficient washers and dryers, and collect rainwater for use in your garden. , If a hybrid car is not an option at the moment, you can take other steps; walking or biking to work, or whenever you have to travel a short distance.
If your work place is too far for a daily bicycle commute, consider using mass transit.
You can carpool with a friend or coworker if that works.
For long trips, consider the fuel efficiency of your different options. , Eating is one thing everyone has in common, everywhere in the world.
But did you know that eating the type of food can make an impact in the environment? The food industry contributes substantial carbon emissions in the process of shipping their products around the world.
When you eat seasonal, local, and organic food, you help to conserve the environment – as well as improve your own health. , Instead of buying brand new wooden furniture for your home, you can search for good used furniture online.
You can even visit garage sales, where you might find exactly what you need.
Think before making a purchase, no matter how big or small it is.
Buying grocery items in bulk can save money and conserve on energy and packing materials.
Also, be sure to buy high-quality products that will last for a long time and not just wind up in a landfill a year from now.
Whenever possible, buy products that have a fair trade label.
That means that people were paid fairly for their work and usually ensures environmental care as well.
Shopping online is another good way to conserve on fuel.
When you receive a purchase through the mail, the amount of fuel used to ship that purchase is nowhere near the amount of fuel you would have used to drive to a store and buy it offline.
Furthermore, you can also save a considerable amount of time and money by shopping online, and many online stores offer free shipping. , Years ago, many considered waste management to be the main environmental issue of concern.
As long as one reduced, recycled, and reused, one was a friend of the environment.
Things are not that simple these days, but waste conservation is still a big part of living green.
It takes a lot of energy to process and dispose of waste, whether it’s recycled or dumped in a landfill.
So conserving on waste is important, even if you do recycle.
You should also compost your biodegradable waste materials. , Your choice of clothing can make a considerable impact on the environment.
One of the most heavily sprayed crops across the globe is cotton.
Chemicals which are used as insecticides harm the environment, and harm people’s health.
Fortunately, there are other alternative fabrics available in the market; such as organic cotton, hemp, bamboo, and flax.
Try to find and purchase clothing that uses these natural and nontoxic materials.
Wearing such clothing is also better for your health. , If you look carefully at many of the products you use every day, such as cleaning and personal care products, you might be quite surprised at the harmful chemicals they are made from.
Use products made from natural and nontoxic ingredients.
They aren’t hard to find – even Amazon has an entire section dedicated to green products.
And what's more, by shopping at Amazon you can find nontoxic and environmentally friendly products more easily, while also saving money and conserving resources by doing your shopping online. , You can increase your happiness and it doesn't have to cost the earth.
This is called sustainable happiness.
About the Author
Samuel Henderson
Samuel Henderson specializes in educational content and has been creating helpful content for over 5 years. Samuel is committed to helping readers learn new skills and improve their lives.
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