What Does it Mean to Live Sustainably?

You have probably heard a lot about how you need to make changes in your life and home to live more sustainably. But what exactly is sustainability, and why is it important?

What is Sustainability?

When you focus on being more sustainable, you use less of the Earth’s precious resources. People often think these resources are unlimited, but that isn’t true. The environmental impact of using more resources than necessary combined with the large population is taking its toll on the Earth’s precious resources.

Reducing waste and consumption is one of the best things you can do to help protect the environment and give your kids and grandkids a healthy, thriving place to live and grow up in.

Why Do You Need to Live More Sustainably?

Living more sustainably is not just about helping the environment, though that is definitely a big part. There are other benefits for the world you live in, local businesses, and your own family’s health and vitality.

You can first help to protect the environment by being more sustainable. This means using less water, not increasing your waste, and reusing as many materials as possible.

In addition to the environmental impacts, you will also save money by being more sustainable. You save money on your electric bill, gas bill, and water bill. You can buy less and reuse more.

Tips for Being More Sustainable at Home

If you want to have a more sustainable home and life, it is much easier to do than you might think. Once you make this conscious choice to live more sustainably, it will get easier to make intelligent choices. Here are some things you can do to start being more sustainable at home:

• Turn the faucet off when it isn’t in use. There are tasks when people tend to leave the water running even though it isn’t necessary, like cleaning the counters in your kitchen or brushing your teeth. Every time you turn that faucet off, you are helping to save water.

• Use reusable bags whenever possible. There are reusable bags for the grocery store and reusable storage baggies for things like foods and snacks instead of plastic disposable.

• Use less energy in your home. Keep lights turned off, electronics turned off and unplugged, and use your heater and air conditioner a little less.

• Recycle, reuse, and donate. Instead of just tossing things you aren’t using, think if they can be recycled or reused. For example, if you buy lunch meat in plastic containers, you can probably reuse that as a food storage container. This helps you save money and lets you use the plastic for a little longer before recycling it.