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Sustainable Lifestyle Tips
economic | energy | food | fuel | raw materials | social | social/economics | social/resources | toxicity | waste | water |Economic
Successful businesses support the local tax base and economy. Go ahead, making money contributes to sustainability!
Energy
Consider washing most loads of laundry in cold water. This uses much less energy than using hot water, and your clothes still get clean!
Replace your light bulbs with CLF or LED bulbs. They last longer, and use less energy.
Lucky enough to have a dishwasher? Try out the air-dry option instead of the heated dry option, and you reduce your carbon footprint significantly.
Microwave, toaster and convection ovens use much less energy than full-sized ovens. If you have one of those smaller ovens, use it instead of the big oven whenever you can.
A full refrigerator uses less energy than an empty one, since energy is used to keep the air cold. So keep it reasonably stocked, add some pitchers of water if you need to fill space. And there is your emergency water supply!
No room for an outside clothes line? Invest in one or two foldable drying racks and you will save energy. Plus, air-drying is gentler on your clothes, so they last longer!
Unplug appliances when not using them, such as coffee makers or DVD players. This reduces your "phantom power" electricity use. If you use a power strip, you can switch lots of things off at once.
Boiling some water for tea or soup? Once it is boiling, it will not get any hotter, so you can turn down the heat, to keep it bubbling until you use it, and conserve energy.
Ever wonder if your home is using energy efficiently? Consider an energy audit, either from your utility company (possibly free or low charge) or from a professional.
Replacing appliances such as your dishwasher, oven, dryer, washing machine? Shop for the Energy Star rated items, and choose items with the best ratings.
Not too hot, not too cold, but just right. Install a programmable heater thermostat so you reduce the energy used to heat your home, by automatically lowering the temperature when you are asleep.
Energy may be leaking out of your electrical outlets and light switches. Insulating them is super easy, if you can use a screwdriver, you can do it with simple kits available at home improvement stores.
Food
Enjoy red meat? Try out the tasty kind that comes from grass-fed animals, and smaller, owner-operated farms. You can often find this at natural foods stores or local farmer's markets.
Cows, pigs, goats and chickens all contribute to global warming in their own special way. Eat less factory-farmed meat by having at least one or two meat-free days a week. Explore other tasty protein sources on the other days.
When possible, choose and enjoy organic foods. Not only is it healthier for the planet, it is better for growers of the food to avoid pesticides.
Cooking and eating at home with friends and family is a good thing.
If growing your own garden is beyond your available time and skill set, consider partnering with other households on a garden project. Or just grow your own tomatoes!
If you are tempted by junk food, consider the true cost. Read Michael Pollan or Eric Schlosser.
Obesity has become a huge national health crisis. Seek high quality, balanced protein, vegetables and whole grain meals rather than high quantity sugar, fat and empty carb meals.
Fuel
For a more enjoyable commute, consider car-pooling. Besides reducing carbon emissions, you may find some new friends.
Explore the world around you. If possible, walk or bicycle instead of drive to work, school or to run errands. It is good exercise for you, and better for the Earth.
Getting a different vehicle? Check out all the new and used options that are hybrid, electric or can use bio-diesel, or get the very best gas mileage.
Lighter vehicles get better gas mileage. Better gas mileage means less harmful emissions being released into the environment. So empty out the trunk or your back seat, and don't use your vehicle as storage space.
Raw materials
Explore buying second-hand items. No new resources are used to create them, so they have a gentler impact on the planet.
Add an eco-festive note to your gifts by wrapping them in non-traditional wrap such as newspaper comics or old maps.
Ask for recycled paper (the higher the Post Consumer Waste content, the better!) when you shop. Retailers want to carry items their customers want to buy.
Forgot your reusable bag while shopping? Go for the paper, as paper bags can be more easily recycled.
Switch out paper towels for cloth napkins at meal time. Cloth napkins are small, so they really don't add much extra laundry, and they save paper.
Move paper towels out of reach and out of sight. Soon, you will find that you are using cloth towels to clean up more often, and using much less of the paper towels.
Say "no thanks" to bags when shopping, when it is something you can carry, and you don't have your reusable bag with you.
Enjoy reading magazines? When you are done with the magazine, instead of recycling it, share with a friend or donate it to places with waiting rooms. In fact, you could split the cost of subscribing to it! Save money and the planet!
Print double-sided whenever possible, and use less paper! Many newer printers can be set to do this very easily, and automatically as a default.
Ever forget your reusable bags in the house after carrying in the groceries? Try hanging them on the door handle of the door leading outside, so you can easily grab them on the way out!
Social
Give "experience" gifts, such as trips to museums, aquariums and parks. The happy memories of time spent together may last much longer than a material item.
Act locally. Let your local officials know that you want them to act with sustainability in mind by attending public hearings, writing letters, or sending emails.
If you are in a position to do so, hire local workers, expertise or services.
True sustainability integrates the triple goals of economic success, ecological health and community benefit.
Living in the Central Coast of California? Consider learning or improving your Spanish/English bilingual language skills.
Social/economics
Money spent at locally owned businesses stays in your community in a bigger way than dollars spent at chains. Strong, local economies help us all.
Social/resources
Libraries offer a great way to share resources like books, magazines, and DVDs. Instead of buying your own copy, why not drop by your local library and just borrow?
Toxicity
Save money and the planet! Try cleaning with vinegar and baking soda, and other natural things instead of toxic or petro-based chemicals.
Time to paint? Look into zero or low-VOC (volatile organic chemical) paints, they release less toxins into your home and the environment.
Invest in rechargeable batteries. Why keep buying and tossing, buying and tossing, buying and tossing?
Already using recycled paper toilet tissue? Great, why not take it to the next level and choose brands that are "processed chlorine-free, unbleached, or totally chlorine free"? This helps keep chlorine out of the environment.
Most child and pet accidental poisonings involve household items. Don't buy or use toxic products such as cleaners or pesticides for your home.
Conventional new carpets and pads, paints, cabinets, glues and wood surfacing products can release high volumes of VOCs (volatile organics chemicals) in your home or office. Choose one of the many green furnishings or products available today.
Remember hemlock? Just because a product is natural doesn't guarantee that it is non-toxic. Be sure you understand the properties of the herbs, vitamins, and animal products you use. And stay away from those rhubarb leaves!
Waste
If you can't find a place to recycle a can or bottle, just take it with you and recycle it at home.
Think about how things are packaged. The less packaging, the better.
Paper or plastic? Neither, bring your own reusable bags as often as you can.
Love to eat out? Bring your own take-out containers to carry home your left-overs!
Enjoy coffee to go? Try a reusable coffee cup with a lid of its own, and you can keep hundreds of paper coffee cups out of the landfills.
If you work somewhere that supplies disposable cups for coffee or water for the staff, ignore them. Use your own reusable mug. Less items in the landfill!
There is no "away". Find ways to reduce what you throw "away". Waste generation at the "source" when you first acquire things. So choose carefully.
Water
Love gardening? Add a drip irrigation system so less water will be needed or wasted by evaporation.
Brushing your teeth is a great thing! Make it even better by not running the water while you do so, saving not only the water but the resources it takes to process the water.
Replacing your washing machine? Consider a water-saving front loading machine.
Eating lots of fruits and vegetables? Good for you! Try washing them in a basin of cold water, instead of running water over them. This saves water.
Enjoy watering your garden with a hose? Attach a shut off nozzle, so you can stop watering easily for a moment when you need to without wasting water.
Plants that are native to your area will require less care, and less water. And they are beautiful!
Plants that are native to your area will require less care, and less water. And they are beautiful!