Sustainability is an issue that will be around for the rest
of our lives. It is something that can always be incorporated in different
ways throughout our culture in order to improve things in many different ways.
After learning a lot about sustainability this semester and
doing some extra research on the internet, I have come up with 10 small things
that we can give up (or use less of) in our everyday lives as individuals in
order to better our future:
1. Highly processed/ packaged foods
-
Buying locally grown foods benefit those local farmers as well as reduce
transportation and packaging.
2.
Bottled Water
-You
can use a refillable water bottle to cut down on plastic water bottles.
3. Plastic Bags
-
Bringing your own reusable bags to the grocery store can cut down a huge amount
of waste.
4. Unnecessary driving
-Carpool
with friends or walk when possible in order to reduce the amount of pollution.
5. Paper Receipts/ Bank Statements
-Many
places offer these things via email nowadays and this will reduce waste as well
as make it easier for yourself with less papers to keep track of.
6. Keeping The Heat and Air Conditioning
Blasting in Your House or Apartment
-Turning
your thermostat down a few degrees can save you a lot on energy costs.
7. Throwing Away Old Clothes
-Donate
your old clothes instead of throwing them away so that they can be reused.
8. Disposable Batteries
-Try
to buy items with rechargeable batteries. Batteries are a huge issue when it
comes to pollution so cutting down on as many as possible can really help.
9. Harsh Cleaning Chemicals
-Nowadays
there are a lot of eco friendly cleaning choices that you can either buy or
make at home.
10.
Paper Towels
-Use
reusable towels to clean up when possible to reduce the amount of waste. ( I also found a company called People Towels that makes a reusable paper towel alternative made from 100% organic fair trade cotton.)
These things are all small changes to your daily lifestyle
but they are all things that really do help to make a difference for a
sustainable future. Many people do not want to give up their lifestyle but you
don’t have to do anything crazy… by changing some small things, (as
insignificant as some may seem) we really do have the power to make a
difference.
Sources:
