How to Adapt Your Lifestyle to be More Sustainable

Small Eco-Friendly Changes Add up to Big Results

A backyard organic garden; photo courtesy USDA

Each and every business around the world now operates with some sort of environmental responsibility program. While most households do not have anything set up in writing, people in their day-to-day lives are now doing more to ensure that they too are working towards a sustainable, environmentally sound future.

How can you take your sustainability values to the next level and make a real impact to the environment?

Get the Basics Right

Advertising campaigns and environmental researchers are forever coming up with new and innovative ways for us all to be much more eco-friendly in the way we go about living our day-to-day lives.

Before looking at the more “severe” ideas, such as paying thousands to install solar panels on your home, you can make an immediate difference by doing a lot of environmental basics right.

Switching lights off, not leaving appliances on standby (power vampires), and recycling as much rubbish as possible are all simple things that everyone should now be doing out of habit at home.

In fact, in many areas, recycling is a mandate, and fines are assessed when a citizen doesn’t comply; it is no longer a matter of personal choice.

Sit down with your children and ensure that you are clear on why this is so important, and you can be assured that the whole family will help you in your quest to make a difference.

Look Closer at Eco-Purchases

Unless you are already buying the eco-friendly option already, there is likely to be a sustainable alternative to everything you buy. Unlike years past, sustainable goods are now more widely available at a more affordable price, not at a premium as they have been in previous years.

So, for your regular food purchases, look at organic or other sustainably grown foods. Buy produce locally if possible, plant your own garden, or even find a pick-your-own farm. You will probably save money and have better tasting ingredients.

Take a look at what you are going to buy your child for Christmas in the coming months, too. If they love traditional wooden toys, you can buy them made with sustainably grown wood or even a popular alternative such as bamboo.

Can you buy eco-paint if your child loves arts and crafts? Yes, you can. It used to be difficult to locate these kinds of products, but more and more of them are emerging on the market due to strong demand from the green community.

Get in the Garden

Even as we begin to think about leaving summer behind and heading into winter, having a thriving garden is a great way to boost the environment while providing your family with fresh organic produce.

Whether you just have to tidy up an unattended garden to be ready to be all systems go in the new year, or plant a number of winter plants to boost your local ecosystem over the coming months, spending time out in the garden can have a huge impact on the environment.

About the Author:

Robert writes for Cachette, an online store that sells things of simple beauty that have an everyday use in the home, from home ware, stationery, to bathroom utensils, to fine gourmet food and kid’s toys.

Also, a great website for handmade gifts. Nothing on their site is produced on an industrial scale and they will only import from outside Europe for the uniqueness and quality of the product, never for cheap prices.

The Green Frugal