5 steps to live a sustainable life

By Alicia Life

Living a sustainable life can be difficult when today’s society focuses more on receiving than giving back. Conserve Energy Future says that living a sustainable life is practicing reducing your demand on natural resources by replacing what you use. 

Climate change, global warming, depletion of the ozone layer and natural resource depletion are issues that are affecting the lives of everyone. These issues are the perfect reason for individuals to begin living a sustainable life so that they may reduce their carbon footprint. 

The thought of changing a lifestyle may seem extremely scary, but so does the thought of planet earth not being liveable. 

There are easy everyday steps that can help an individual, even a college student, live a sustainable lifestyle. 

1. Grow Your Own Food

Growing your own fruits and vegetables is a great way to have what you want when you want it. It allows you to know where your food is coming from, stops the use of fossil fuels to transport the food and most importantly it allows you to know what is being put on your food as well as what is being put into the planet. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved the use of many pesticides that were not yet extensively researched and were later linked to cancer and other diseases,

Our Green Planet says that pesticides and synthetic fertilizers affect humans, animals, insects and the planet. By growing your own crops and using natural fertilizer you are giving back to the planet. 

2. Unplug Electronics When They Are Not In Use 

The vampire effect is when unused electronics are left plugged in and are draining energy. As a nation that takes resources for granted, individuals don’t realize how much energy and money their turned off electronics are wasting. By unplugging a television, lamp, microwave and more, you can stop the use of energy. You can also put money back in your pocket by unplugging your unused electronics, which can also reduce your electricity bill. 

3. Recycle

There are many benefits to recycling materials. Recycling is using waste materials to create new materials. This process keeps trash out of the landfills and reduces the need to extract new raw materials from the earth. Recycling also saves energy. Making products from recycled materials requires less energy than making them from new raw materials. 

4. Change Your Washing Habits

Using less water not only saves money, but it keeps water natural and on the planet. The planet’s water supply is not infinite and there are many places with water shortages. Reducing water usage can be done simply by taking shorter showers, changing your laundry routine and fixing how you wash dishes. Water conservation also means to protect water from pollution. Protecting water benefits everyone and everything. 

5. Ditch The Plastic

Plastic takes millions of years to decompose, so when plastic is used, it is polluting the planet. Tons of plastic ends up in the ocean each year. This endangers the inhabitants of the water and also pollutes the water. Easy steps to ditch plastic is using stainless steel straws, using reusable cups and refusing plastic cutlery.

These steps are just the beginning to a sustainable life. Step into the “Green life” and make the Earth happy.