Sustainable living is a practical philosophy that aims to help us make positive changes to counteract climate change and overcome negative impacts on the environment.
There isn’t one big action we can take to massively reduce what is happening in the world, however, small actions can contribute and have some surprising results.
So what can we do to change our actions and reduce our carbon footprint?
Here are 8 ways you can improve your sustainable lifestyle:
Consumption reduction
We are all consumers who like to shop, it’s not our fault, we have just been led to believe that constant shopping is the road to happiness, but times are changing and for some people choosing more carefully what we buy and how much we buy is becoming more important in our bid to be more eco-friendly.
From items we throw away rather than fix, to clothing we wear once, looking more closely at what we buy and what we need is the first step in being more sustainable.
Shop local and support businesses
Having a sustainable lifestyle doesn’t mean you need to stop shopping, but by shopping locally not only are you supporting local businesses but many local businesses are often more sustainable than some of the larger companies and are usually passionate about their industry, skills, products and services.
Don’t buy bottled water
Scottish water is amongst the best water in the world, so fill up a flask rather than purchase a plastic bottle or find a re-usable container and save the environment from the immense amount of wasted plastic bottles.
Improve your recycling
Sometimes it’s hard to know what is recyclable and what is not or which item goes in what bin. Have a look at the packaging closely for advice and if that doesn’t tell you try Google. For other items such as clothing and household products, why not donate these to charity.
Grow your own
Why not make 2022 the year for growing your own vegetables, not only can it save you money, but you can get a great deal of satisfaction in creating something and you can be sure it’s always fresh. From lettuce to carrots, spinach to tomatoes, there is an abundance of vegetables and fruits you can grow inside and outside the house.
Save on electricity
This doesn’t mean sitting in the dark, by turning off the TV or lights when you are not around you will contribute to saving energy and also help reduce your bills.
You can also save energy when you are away on holiday by simply turning off your plug sockets, apart from reducing the chance of a fire starting, you will also have less to pay on your electric bills.
Pile up the dishes
Making sure the dishwasher is full before putting it on its eco-cycle uses less water and that also applies to the washing machine. Let’s get back to hanging our washing up outside to dry rather than simply turning on the tumble dryer.
Energy-efficient homes
Better still why not move to a brand new energy-efficient home rather than buying second-hand. All Allanwater Homes are not only energy-efficient, but they also have reduced CO2 emissions which means you may be able to secure a cheaper mortgage.
Allanwater Homes-the green you can depend on.
