Sustainability has become a big and recurring topic as of late, especially with the rising concern for our environment. With global warming becoming a bigger issue by the day, it’s important for us as global citizens to start making some lifestyle changes in order to start living greener and more sustainably. While this may seem daunting, here are some small changes you can make at home to kickstart the process!
Using real plates, bowls, and utensils rather than disposable dishes when you eat at home or host a party is a good and easy way to start living more sustainably! While they are convenient, disposable plates/bowls/utensils are typically made of styrofoam or plastic, both of which are harmful to our environment. Additionally, bringing your own glass or ceramic Tupperware when ordering food to-go would also do away with the need for disposable takeaway boxes and bags.
Using rags instead of paper towels to wipe down surfaces when cleaning would save you money and save the trees with the use of less paper. By switching to rags (easily repurposed from old clothes and towels) and simply washing them after use, we are both putting our old clothing/towels to use as well as minimizing the use of paper towels. Similarly, with napkins, cloth napkins are easily available online or in stores, and can be used in the place of paper. To take things a step further, using make-up remover pads made of microfiber cloth has become increasingly popular. They can be found online and are easy to use and convenient!
When writing reminders down, use a whiteboard instead of post-it notes or scrap paper. Whiteboards are easily accessible, reusable, and much less wasteful as a one-time purchase as opposed to the use of a multitude of sticky notes or scrap paper that won’t be used again.
Some additional things you could do around the house to start living greener are:
Vinegar is a great, non-toxic cleaning agent that’s also commonly found in households. By using vinegar and mixture of various other ingredients and making your own cleaning products at home, less toxic fumes and chemicals are used and released, and they are easily refillable and reusable.
Bamboo is a material with a huge variety of uses – from clothes to furniture to medicine. On top of that, bamboo is natural, essentially limitless, and overgrown, as compared to other natural resources that have become endangered or even extinct, and harmful man-made materials such as plastic. Swapping out small things such as toothbrushes, trays, cutting boards for bamboo is a great first step to take.
If you have the budget for it, you can invest in motion-sensor lights that only turn on when you’re in the room, or even a smart refrigerator that allows you to see what’s inside without opening the doors. There are more and more environmentally friendly tech coming up as even technology companies recognize the importance of sustainability. Using these would save on electrical bills and the wastage of electricity around the house.
Taking the first steps to being more sustainable doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive. While change doesn’t happen overnight, it’s important for us to start taking measures to be more socially responsible and take better care of the environment, and using the tips mentioned would be a great start!
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