How To Live a More Sustainable Lifestyle In 2023

Your lifestyle choices impact the world around you, so finding ways to live better and brighter is crucial. Our planet can produce a finite number of resources and endure a certain degree of greenhouse gas emission to stay healthy, meaning that our future depends on how we choose to live in terms of how we get around, what foods we eat, what we buy, and so on.

We all have the ability to make a positive change. Hopefully, you’ll pick up some of these habits and do your part to help Mother Nature.

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Avoid Single-Use Water Bottles

It’s estimated that more than one million water bottles are sold every minute worldwide. Bottled water has been commercialised since the 1850s, but it’s never been more popular. Corporations exploit terrestrial water bodies and aquifers at bargain prices and sell the water for x times more than the same unit of municipal tap water. Not only does this cause a lack of availability of water across countries, but it also contributes to plastic pollution on land and in the oceans. Global sales of bottled water will most likely double by 2030. Tap water is the better option because it has less of an environmental impact.

By choosing to drink tap water, you help reduce plastic pollution and conserve the energy that would be used to make new bottles, fill them, and transport them to end consumers. Most water bottles on the market are packaged in PET plastic and contain additional additives – as a result, you should never refill a plastic water bottle. If you want to enjoy delicious, clean water, use a filter. Filtering the water removes any impurities (chlorine, disinfection byproducts, heavy metals), not to mention the water smells and tastes better. All in all, don’t spend your hard-earned money on bottled water.

Make Your Own Cleaning Products

Cleaning products help remove dust, allergens, and infectious agents from the home. Nevertheless, they present several environmental concerns. Toxic ingredients from cleaning products end up in streams and rivers; some are slow to break down and accumulate in the food chain and living organisms. It seems obvious, but we just don’t think about it.

Homemade cleaning products represent a good alternative to store-bought chemicals. Some of the items in your pantry, such as vinegar and baking soda, cost very little (or nearly nothing) and help you tackle anything from the mildew forming in the bathroom grout to the grease splattered on the cooktop.

Help Biodiversity & Preserve Genetic Resources

The conservation of biodiversity and genetic resources helps meet the demands of present and future uses for humans and all living beings. Reconnect with nature and encourage others to do the same. Buy fewer products and reduce what you throw away to reduce the overexploitation of natural resources, which has long-lasting consequences for the future, like global warming, food insecurity, and mineral depletion. Nature is delicate yet complicated.

Seeds are the smallest elements you can see with the naked eye, but their complexity is mind-boggling. The reason to collect seeds is different from the past. For example, some people collect cannabis seeds because they want to preserve genetic diversity for the future.

There’s an inherent value in all the seeds because some plants have a strong cultural history while others possess one-of-a-kind properties. Autoflowering cannabis seeds, for instance, produce cannabis plants that automatically switch from the vegetative state to the flowering stage based on age. Most autoflowering cannabis seeds on the market are autoflowering. Back on topic, you’ll get lost for hours observing every tiny detail you come across. You’ll always discover something unique, fascinating, and inspirational to collect. Collecting seeds is an accessible way to engage with nature, even if you’re cooped up at home.

Cook More at Home

If food is wasted, all the resources used to produce this food, namely water, land, energy, labour, and capital, are wasted as well. Food loss impacts not only human health and nutrition but also economies and the environment. If the current trend persists, food waste will most certainly double by 2050. Cooking at home is better for your health and for the planet, as you waste far less food. When dining out or consuming prepared food, you have no control over the sourcing, preparation, and packaging.

On the other hand, when you prepare your own meals, you have a word to say at every step of the process, from choosing ingredients that are respectful to the environment to reducing food waste in your kitchen.

Unplug Electronics

Finally, yet importantly, unplug electronics when they’re done charging. It’s a habit that can save you money on expenses and increase the lifespan of your cherished devices. Most households have countless electronics permanently plugged in, many of which are rarely used.

There’s no denying the fact that keeping your electronic devices plugged in is more convenient, but this convenience comes at a price. Everything that is connected to power will consume energy, so it doesn’t matter if the device is on standby or inactive. Unplugging electronics reduces your carbon emissions since most of our energy originates from fossil fuels.

Unplugging electronic devices can be accomplished using timed power bars or smart power bars. Kitchen appliances (coffee machine, electric can opener) are easy to unplug when they’re not in use, so build good habits in your life. Even if the risk of electrical fire is low, it’s better to be safe than sorry. If you’re like everyone else, you frequently leave your charger plugged in. Well, don’t. Your phone or laptop charger adds to your bill, which is bad news in terms of climate change. The energy sector is the most significant emitter of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

Conclusion

Living more sustainably isn’t as difficult as many think it is. Your choices, whatever the magnitude, help make society a better place. We can build a circular economy to eliminate waste and ensure a healthier environment for everyone. If you want to make the world a better place for you and future generations, adopt sustainable practices in your everyday life. So, are you with us?