More and more people are thinking about living more sustainably – the idea of sustainability is becoming part of our everyday lives. All too often we throw things away that we might still need, we use too much plastic and we produce trash unnecessarily. Today we’ve listed a few small habits that you can very easily integrate into your life in order to live in a more sustainable way. Living more sustainably is not difficult – one can just start out with some small steps. To make taking the first steps even easier for you, we got together with the no-packaging grocery market “Das Gramm” and came up with a “No Plastic Bags Challenge”! Your success depends on avoiding the use of plastic bag for two weeks. Of course, it would be ideal if you maintain the habit even after the challenge is over. Let’s get going on the challenge, and remember to also encourage your friends to participate – the more people who take action to live more sustainably, the better for everyone! Each and every person can really make a difference here. Naturally we also have a prize for a lucky someone who completes the challenge: 3 months of Goalify Unlimited!
Click here to join the challenge or enter HJA 2TE AZF in Goalify Connect
Below are a few tips for living more sustainably…
A bottled water here, some kind of flavored drink there: it’s likely that we don’t even think about how many plastic bottle we use, but it is something we can start to change. Replace your plastic bottle with a glass bottle that you can reuse, or choose another sustainable material. As a side tip, keep in mind that you can reuse glass jars like the ones jams or olives are sold in. Instead of using plastic containers, you can fill your own containers with foods you want to save…and you can use containers again and again.
Much too often we throw things away, even though we might be able to repair them. If you’re not naturally talented at fixing things, you might be able to find a so-called “repair café” in your area. In any case, you can always just give it a go yourself, or maybe you know someone who is good with their hands and likes to repair things. That old coffee machine might have two more years of life left in it! If a T-shirt starts to fall apart and you don’t know how to sew yourself, bring it to a nearby tailor or dressmaker. Supporting local businesses is also a sustainable thing to do.
Whenever you go shopping, you can always take one or two cloth shopping bags with you. They’re made for reusing, and you avoid using more plastic bags. Avoiding making more waste is just that easy – using plastic bags is not the sustainable thing to do, and it’s so easy to stop if you plan ahead a little. Click here to take part in our “No Plastic Bags Challenge”.
Every household doesn’t need to purchase household gadgets like a drill or a window cleaning tool, and not everyone has to buy a BBQ grill. Nonetheless, from time to time having just things like this can be downright practical. Consider making such purchases with other people, for example a neighbor or one of your friends who lives near you. Doing this will save you some money, and the household item will be less likely to just sit in a corner unused and collect dust.
Do you like to stop by your favorite coffee shop and get something to go? Unfortunately the coffee cups that many shops use are not sustainable. You can continue to enjoy a delicious coffee without feeling guilty: Just bring your own cup with you. There are even very sustainable options, for example a coffee cup made out of bamboo. You’ll not only look cool with your environmentally friendly mug – it will also keep your coffee hot for longer.
Unfortunately a lot of food ends up in the trash, but if you plan things well you can significantly reduce how much you throw away. Make a list before you go shopping, and come up with a plan for what you’re going to eat when. The food you buy should provide nourishment for your body and not wind up in the garbage bin. Try to avoid wasting food in general, and keep this in mind while you’re shopping at the market. Here’s an someone odd tip: If you try to shop more sustainably when you are hungry, you are almost sure to fail.
Do you have some other tips for living more sustainably? What do you think about this challenge?