8 Things We Can Do Today at Home to Be More Sustainable

These days, it’s all about being sustainable. After all, the future of the earth depends on it. Most people think that their actions might not be enough to make a change. Yet, we all have a role to play in the war against climate change. Habits begin at home, here are 8 things you can do to promote sustainability within the home:

• Start a Compost

Why throw away food scraps when they provide needed nutrients for the earth’s soil. By composting food waste, yard trimmings, and other scraps, you assist in the reduction of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). The Environmental Protection Agency of the United States estimated that 25 million tonnes of MSW were recovered through composting in 2018. Gardeners and farmers benefit from compost because it is incorporated into their farming thus improving physical soil quality. 

To start your own compost:

1. Combine food scraps and yard trimmings into piles or rows
2. Add bulking agents like wood chips to speed up the breakdown
3. Allow it to stabilize over time

• Wash Smarter

Washing larger loads of clothes maximizes the use of energy and water from your washing machine. Use your dryer sparingly, sunshine is the most eco-friendly source of heat. Hanging your clothes outside gives you vitamin D and exercise while saving energy.

• Save Water

Without even realizing it, we consume and waste a lot of water! Water is such a precious resource, here are some tips to save it

1. Turn off your tap when brushing your teeth
2. Time your showers
3. Use buckets to collect water as you wait on it to heat up

• Recycle

The landfills are already overburdened by MSW, help them out by recycling. Find a local company that accepts materials like cardboard, metal cans, and plastic then begin to recycle. You may even earn a little extra change while reducing your overall household waste

• Eat Good Food

Regenerative agriculture is on the rise to growing strictly organic foods. Its “do no harm” promise is that chemicals are not used in the production of food, but rather restorative techniques. Composting, crop rotation, and mobile animal shelters are among the elements of organic farming. By purchasing good food, you support small farmers and generate income for them to continue their path to sustainable living.

• Say No to Plastic

Many countries have implemented a single-use plastic ban to combat the plastic apocalypse. However, where these items are still available, refrain from accepting them. Invest in reusable bags, reusable items like metal straws, and reduce your plastic use. 

• Read your labels

The search for the right products among countless options can be a lot at times. Beyond looking at the nutritional facts, consider reading more about the production process of foods. 

For example, coffee lovers should look for Shade Grown Coffee. This means that the coffee plants were grown under a canopy of trees and are of high quality. In fact, wildlife thrives on shade-grown coffee farms and pollinators like bees are also sustained on the farms.

Choose Fair Trade Certified labels to show that workers receive fair wages and production methods are sustainable 

• Save Energy

Saving energy in the home is simpler than you think, here are some ways to do so:

1. Choose energy-saving light bulbs: ENERGY STAR is a world-renowned brand for producing energy-saving products
2. Turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms
3. Unplug small appliances and devices when not in use
4. Consider investing in devices with Energy Saving LED-LCD  like televisions or computers