6 Simple Lifestyle Changes To Be More Eco-Friendly
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Becoming more eco-friendly in our lifestyle choices is a goal a lot of us have, but sometimes it can be tricky to know where to start to cut down our use of single use plastic and packaging, and make more environmentally conscious decisions.
Here are some simple ways to make more sustainable choices in everyday living.
1. Use reusable drinks bottles
Most people love getting a coffee on the go, but the disposable cups you get and throw away once you’re finished are not a very eco-friendly choice. Investing in a reusable hot drinks cup is a great way to be more eco-friendly and most places will be happy to fill your cup instead of using a disposable.
Alternatively save money at the same time and bring your own hot drink with you – a win win!
The same goes for water – instead of buying bottled water, refill your own drinks bottle instead.
2. Bring your own shopping bags
Remembering to take your own bags with you to the supermarket helps cut down the amount of plastic used. Make sure to keep some bags handy in your boot so you’re always prepared. You can also cut down single use plastic by choosing to buy loose fruit and vegetables instead of the prepackaged versions, or using reusable fabric veg bags.
3. Use sustainable packaging
If you send a lot of parcels (I know a lot of us dabble in making extra money selling and reselling!) then it’s worth thinking about how we can be sustainable in our packaging choices; it’s easy to use lots of plastic such as bubble wrap that ends up being used once and binned.
Reusing packaging where possible is obviously a great way to save on costs, but it’s not always possible or practical, so where necessary, purchasing recyclable and sustainable packaging is the eco-friendly choice. Sticking to plastic-free and biodegradable boxes, like those from Lil Packaging, means you’re helping to keep more single use plastic out of landfill and oceans.
4. Switch your straws
Paper straws have already been introduced as an alternative to plastic straws in a lot of restaurants and bars, but are still a one time use option. If you’d prefer to go for a longer lasting reusable option at home (for some reason my kids think straws make their drinks way more exciting!) you can choose to get stainless steel or silicone straws.
5. Change your lightbulbs
A great place to make a more eco-friendly and economical choice is to change your traditional lightbulbs for LED bulbs. These use significantly less energy and are just as bright, making them an easy way to conserve energy without compromising. You’ll save money too!
6. Shop second hand
The textile industry produces more greenhouse gas emissions than global shipping and aviation combined, and 11 million items of clothing are sent to landfill, every week.
Choosing to shop secondhand for your clothing is a brilliant eco-friendly lifestyle choice.
Buying secondhand means clothes are worn and used for longer with less ending up in landfill. It also means less water will be lost to industrial waste and could be used for more sustainable purposes.
Recycling and reusing clothes is a good way to play a part in helping to lower the negative impact the textile and fast fashion industry has upon the environment.
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