Sustainability A-Z: Your Guide to Sustainable Living

I am a firm believer that sustainable living does not have to be hard.

I also believe that starting small is better than not starting at all.

For those of you who want to take strides towards living more sustainably but aren’t sure where to start, here’s an A-Z list of jumping-off points that are so easy to implement, you’ll find yourself wondering why you weren’t doing them already.

Alright, let’s dive in…

Sustainability A-Z

A - Awareness

Know where the things you consume come from and end up.

B - Beeswax wraps

Swap out plastic wrap and aluminum foil for these.

C - Clotheslines

Put one up and hang your clothes to dry. Don’t have the space? A collapsible drying rack will also get the job done!

D - Dishes

When you wash your dishes, fill the sink with water instead of leaving the tap running

Pro tip: If you own a dishwasher, don’t feel bad about using it. Dishwashers are actually generally more water-efficient than hand washing... just make sure to only run it when it’s full.

E - Electronics

Unplug those bad boys when you’re not using them.

Pro tip: look up “phantom load”, “idle current”, or “vampire power”

F - Food waste

Finish your meal or take it home. Try to only order meals that you can still enjoy as leftovers!

G - Gifts

Consider regifting items that don't suit you, and start wrapping gifts using things you already have, like tote bags, scarves or newspapers.

Pro tip: instead of a card, try writing a heartfelt message inside the cover of a book

H - Home decor

Ditch your knickknacks and decorate with plants. Purify the air while adding some pizzazz to your home.

I - Insulate

Grab a gun and get caulking to reduce wasted energy dollars.

J - Jars

Dollar store, tomato sauce, mason... choose one and use them for storage to reduce the amount of zip-loc bags that end up in landfills.

K - Kettle

95% of people use one every day. If this is you... you might as well invest in an energy efficient version!

L - Lights

Turn them off & switch to energy efficient bulbs.

M - Meat

Eat less of it.  

N - Natural cleaning products

Make them or buy them, your choice.

O - Organize

Take inventory of what you already have and use it up before buying more. Check out the book, "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" if you need a little help getting started.

P - Public transportation

Don't be afraid to use it! Download a podcast, buy a bus pass and befriend google maps.

Q - Quantify

If you need a little motivation to become more eco-conscious, calculate how much money you can save by reducing your carbon footprint.

R - Reusable water bottle

Get one and never let it go.

S - Shavers

Or razors. Whatever you call them, ditch the 10 pack and switch to a safety like this!

T - Toothbrush

Switch from the classic plastic brush to a bamboo option, like bambrush!

U - Urban eco-lunch kit

Carry a kit of bamboo utensils, a metal straw and a stainless steel lunch box.

Check out tips on building your own here.

V - Vegetables

Eat more of them.

W - Walk

Whenever, wherever and as often as you can.

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--- Okay, so the next one doesn’t really toe the line alphabetically, but "X" is a challenging letter, okay? ---

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X - eXpiration dates

Pay attention to them and put perishable fridge items in a triage box.

Y - Youth

Kids are super innovative; teach them to love their planet and let them show you new ways to do so too!

Z - Zero Waste Lifestyle

Look up this lifestyle for inspiration. If they can do all of this, you can do something.

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Cheers to baby steps and incorporating sustainable practices into your daily life!

Want to learn more about how you can travel more sustainably with Under30Experiences? Check this out!