Living Sustainably- It’s Easier Than You Think!

Sustainable Living. These two words can be daunting to hear. Feelings of Eco-guilt arise as we wonder what we are doing wrong that someone will judge us for. It’s more than that though, because it’s not about people judging you for not recycling or buying that product in eight layers of bank-vault-grade plastic at the store. What matters is that we all understand how our actions will affect the quality of life on this planet for future generations and all life on Earth. 

It is common to think we will kill the planet with our actions, but that's not necessarily true (Pending all-out nuclear war). However, after we cause the extinction of thousands of beautiful and vital species, our species will also go extinct. We are on track to make this planet unlivable for us in the very near future, and unless we all start taking steps to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, it’s almost a guarantee. 

My goal is to help everyone understand that sustainable living is more straightforward than you think and better for us too. There are some important things to call attention to first. 

1. It is not an overly expensive and unattainable lifestyle.

2. You don’t have to jump into it all at once. Start small in one area of your life and slowly build on it.

3. You can start to feel healthier because things that are good for the Earth are often good for us. 

4. Your actions matter because every time you buy or participate in something harmful to the environment, you support companies that knowingly cause irreparable damage to the Earth. 

5. We must become conscious consumers because going about our lives as mindless zombies consuming every product pushed our way is toxic for us and the environment. 

Here, I provide resources to learn how to live sustainably. I’ve sorted these resources into Living Sustainably on a Budget, Driving Sustainably, Buying Food Sustainably, and Shopping Sustainably. Not every option will suit your lifestyle or be possible immediately. However, I challenge you to pick at least one thing to start with and decide to change today. It doesn’t matter how small because even a small change is better than no change. 

Living Sustainably on a Budget:

-10 Budget-Friendly Sustainable Living Tips to Use in 2023

Great for a simple list of examples of changing small things in your life to be more sustainable. This article highlights things you can change easily in your lifestyle without much effort or extra expenses, 

-Living Sustainably on a Budget

Check out this article for great examples of easy things to switch out in your daily lifestyle. Not only are you given things to change, but you are given examples and options to replace daily-use products and services with! 

-How to be Sustainable on a Budget

Many college students think living sustainably is difficult because they don’t have money or must use what the campus provides them. This article gives some easy things you can do that apply to college student's daily life.

Driving Sustainably: 

-13 Ways to Make Your Car More Eco-friendly and Fuel-efficient

Not everyone can afford an electric or hybrid vehicle, and it's unrealistic with current systems in place for everyone to be driving electric vehicles right now anyway. This article gives you some great, simple ways to drive and make your current vehicle more eco-friendly. 

Buying Food Sustainably: 

-Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Grocery Shopping & Eating Green

This guide is an excellent introduction to why and how you should develop more sustainable food habits. Not only are you given things you can do, but with this article, you can start to understand why it is vital for the planet, us, and our families. 

-Sustainable Grocery Shopping Starter Pack: 12 Simple Tips

Do you want an easy-to-digest list of things you can do to grocery shop more sustainably? This article is excellent for 12 quick and easy tips on changing your shopping habits. We must learn to be mindful consumers and not simply buy things that stores push us to buy. 

Shopping Sustainably:

-How To Sustainably Shop For Your Clothes

This article addresses something many people don’t realize is a sustainability issue, buying clothes. You can learn to be mindful about the clothes you buy and where you buy them from. I guarantee many of you did not realize the impact this has on our environment. 

-What Is Sustainable Shopping? Tips for Making Responsible Purchases

Do you want to learn how to shop sustainably as a whole? Our society is built on the premise of consumption, and many things we buy are full of compounding damage to the environment. Here, you can learn the effect of your choices while buying something and how to make smarter choices. 

Living Sustainably:

Both of these articles are great in-depth lists of how to live sustainably. If you are interested in all the ways you can lead a more sustainable lifestyle for yourself and the environment, I highly encourage you to start with these articles to learn how. 

-Sustainable Living: 65 Ways You Can Start Living More Sustainably

-100+ Simple Tips To Live a More Sustainable Lifestyle

My goal in providing you with this information all in one place is that you can choose to take this opportunity to make a conscious effort to change. There are so many things we do daily that cause harm that we are unaware of. I’m not trying to guilt you into changing because that would never work. My goal is to open your eyes and bring you into the conversation on why change is crucial to the survival of our species and for all species on Earth to thrive.