Environmental degradation has been a subject of interest to many globally. There is a constant push for earth sustainability through living an eco-friendly lifestyle, in order to control the adverse effects of pollution on the environment. People are continually looking for ways to be eco-friendly and sustainable.
Material on the practice of environmental sustainability is massive and initially overwhelming. However, you will be glad to know that there are several easy ways to be eco-friendly. Such deeds require minimal effort but enable one to go green.
1. Stop Contributing to Fast Fashion
In the world today, fashion trends change in the blink of an eye. Many people try to keep up with the trends as the seasons change. Unfortunately, keeping up with some fashion drifts comes at the detriment of the environment. Fast fashion is one trend that contributes to waste. This fashion trend aims to mimic designer attire but manufacture them with inferior, environment-unfriendly materials.
Manufacturers of fast fashion attires take advantage of the masses who would like to adorn themselves with designer wear and bask with the association of designer labels but cannot afford them. The manufacturers create cheaper imitations to satisfy the trendy market. You can, however, be trendy without indulging in fast fashion. There are alternatives available like thrift buying or buying sustainable clothing.
To go green and be part of the Eco-Friendly lifestyle community, you must know how to distinguish between biodegradable and non-compostable material in clothing. There are vital tips in discerning the materials, i.e., looking for organic cotton labeling in clothes. Fast fashion manufacturers attempt to confuse the market by substituting organic labeling with other descriptions like “sustainable” or “conscious.”
2. Reduce Kitchen Waste
The kitchen is one room in the house where waste can occur daily. Excesses in the kitchen are numerous, i.e., leftover food, paper products, used tins, used oil, among others. In instances where you can use recyclable products in the kitchen, do so, and where food waste is unavoidable, compost to go green.
While cooking, you may often find yourself with an excess of oil that needs to be disposed of daily. The used cooking oil turns into an environmental hazard after trashing, compromising the ecosystem. Fortunately, collecting used cooking oil will help you save the environment and make money in the process.
Used cooking oil is convertible to biodiesel and hence on demand by industries. The used cooking oil market was valued at $ 6,041.2 million in 2018 and is projected to reach $ 8,886.7 million in 2026. Monetizing your used cooking oil is a big bonus to the green lifestyle choice.
3. Reduce Energy Use
Energy is constantly in use in people’s daily lives. Many people inadvertently waste energy and consequently damage the environment. Simple acts like turning off lights and using water only when necessary can help save energy. As a single act, they may appear inconsequential but, energy and money savings result from the continuous practice of such eco-friendly lifestyle activities.
You can also reduce energy use with the kind of products you use in the house. For example, using eco-friendly light bulbs with compact fluorescent light ensures you conserve energy and spend less. The bulbs last five times longer than ordinary bulbs and have a brighter light. Using cold rather than heated water in washing machines also conserves energy and saves you high electricity bills.
4. Stop Buying Bottled Water
Every day, millions of used plastic water bottles are trashed and degrade the environment. You can make a conscious effort to alleviate this degradation by reusing water bottles. You can purchase a water purifier that eliminates the need for buying drinking water in small bottles every time you need to quench your thirst.
Other energy wastes result from the manufacture and access of drinking water to the consumers. Energy is needed to produce, transport, and chill bottled water before availing to the market. If you stop buying bottled water, you reduce demand for the commodity and conserve energy for a greener environment.
5. Eat Less Meat
Producing meat requires plenty of greenhouse emissions hence high energy use. In the U.S., the production and supply of food use approximately 19 percent of the total energy. Eating less meat reduces demand for meat hence less production and energy waste.
There are other benefits of eating less meat, such as decreasing the risk of stroke, obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type two diabetes, and obesity, among other health conditions. This energy-saving habit is an added benefit to your health too.
Create an Eco-Friendly Lifestyle
The habits of going green are achievable through small steps each day and, before you know it, it becomes a lifestyle. The rewards are also numerous. Not only do you live with a clean conscience of contributing to environmental sustainability, but you also make money. There are savings for going green and also earnings from recycling in the long run.
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