Estimates show that this year will be exciting because more people are finding out ways to live eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyles that can reduce carbon footprint and ensure environmental sustainability.
Nobody is left behind; large industries, small businesses, and individuals alike are all taking steps to become more eco-friendly and sustainable as more information comes out about the economic benefits of sustainable green initiatives.
Human-related methane emissions from solid waste landfills are the third largest in the United States, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). There has been a link between methane gas and global climate change.
Living a more sustainable life in 2023 is as simple as making small changes to your lifestyle. By reducing food waste, millions of hungry people around the globe will have more food to eat and the ecosystem will be healthier as well.
What does it mean to be Environmentally Friendly and Sustainable?
An eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle involves minimizing the environmental impact and preserving and regenerating resources proactively.
We can be eco-friendly and sustainable in a variety of ways. Find out more here.
If we continue to extract and consume Earth’s resources as we do now, we will not have enough for future generations.
It is therefore important to become more aware of waste management, recycling, environmental-friendly products, and energy conservation.
People can lead more sustainable lifestyles in many ways. Being truly sustainable requires even small changes such as switching to LED bulbs or taking public transportation.
A sustainable lifestyle focuses on minimizing the impact you have on the planet while also replacing the resources you use.
How to be more Eco-Friendly and Sustainable in 2023
Once you analyze how much waste you produce each day, you will find it overwhelming to change your habits so you can reduce your carbon footprint.
There’s no need to worry! To become more eco-conscious in 2023, here are 20 easy steps you can take.
1. Shop at second-hand stores
Our closets change almost every season due to fast fashion addiction. The fast fashion industry might be trendy and cheap, but it produces a huge amount of waste.
Toxins are produced, water is wasted, greenhouse gases are produced, and workers are underpaid.
Don’t buy fast fashion in 2023, but buy pre-loved items instead. You can find many unique, high-quality items at your local second-hand shop instead of at your nearest retailer.
2. Don’t waste paper and electricity
Increasing sustainability at your workplace, home office, and school is critical in 2023. Digitalize your notes, books, and documents to save paper and ink.
Your business can go paperless too, just like many schools and offices. You can recycle the paper you use and give it a second life in someone else’s office or home.
Switch off your devices when not in use and stop charging them if possible to reduce passive electricity usage.
3. Consume less meat
Increasing your vegetarian diet would reduce your carbon footprint and reduce food waste in 2023, but many people are unwilling to eliminate meat from their diet.
Carbon emissions can be reduced significantly by switching from red to white meat (such as chicken).
You can reduce your annual carbon footprint by about 882 pounds if you replace all your beef consumption with chicken for one year, according to a University of Michigan study.
4. Use less single-use plastic
Reduce your single-use plastic consumption as another way to reduce landfill contributions. Several of us carry reusable water bottles and cloth grocery bags, but there are other alternatives.
By reducing single-use plastic waste, you can:
- Bring your coffee cup to the cafe of your choice.
- Shop in the bulk aisle at the grocery store with your container.
- Avoid taking takeout with plastic utensils.
- Bring your containers to a restaurant for leftovers.
- Eat out with your bamboo straw.
5. Smart buying lasts longer
Globalization in the world of global commerce means that competition is fierce across all price ranges and product categories.
It is important to do proper market research and pay attention to product reviews before buying anything, especially if you wish to ensure sustainability in cities.
When you buy something cheap to save money, these products tend to break down more quickly and do not last as long as they should.
After that, you will need to replace it and dispose of the old one. Alternatively, if the effort and cost are worth it, there is a sustainable scenario to consider.
6. Seek out eco-labels
You can become more eco-friendly by looking for eco-labels. A product’s eco-label indicates that it meets certain environmental standards, such as reducing its carbon footprint.
These eco-labels are created by independent organizations for a wide range of eco-friendly products.
Making eco-labels a priority allows you to support companies that are actively working to minimize their environmental impact, and commit to sustainability.
7. Become vegan
Consider becoming vegan at least once or twice a week. The human diet is responsible for more than 30% of all carbon emissions, and animal-based products account for 80% of those emissions.
A large amount of water and fertilizers are used in the production of animal-based foods, which pollutes groundwater and deforests land.
The meat industry has also been criticized for animal cruelty and poor working conditions – all of which are questionable ethically. You’d be surprised to discover how easy it is to reduce your intake of animal products.
8. Choose local products
Suppose you live in Finland and you want to buy a mango. The plant must be imported from somewhere far away, which adds to your large carbon footprint.
Buying less-exotic fruits for your location and avoiding imported goods will help you reduce this senseless pollution.
In addition to requiring less packaging and labeling, regional fruits and veggies require shorter transportation and less pollution.
You should buy from small, organic growers at your local farmer’s market.
9. Take a walk or ride a bike
Aside from being extremely expensive, driving today is also bad for your health and the environment.
A greener future can be created by reducing driving, which can lead to cleaner air, healthier soil, and fewer traffic jams.
You can walk or cycle instead of taking your car everywhere you go. It is better to take the bus or train for longer trips.
As you walk and cycle, you will be reducing your carbon footprint, getting more exercise, enjoying more sun, and fresh air, and even meeting new people.
10. Always use natural light
When architects design a home or business office, they make sure that there is adequate natural light. Rooms with natural light are more visible.
Using natural light saves energy since artificial lighting is not needed. Because of the warmth of the sun, natural light is even more useful during winter as it reduces the need for HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning).
11. Install energy-saving light bulbs
Light and electricity are two of the greatest comforts of the 20th century. Nightstands, hanging lights, and other light sources in every home require a lightbulb to operate.
An average home uses about 9% of its energy for lighting, depending on the type and usage of lightbulbs.
Light bulbs that are energy efficient can save you up to 80% on your next electric bill. Incandescent bulbs use 90% more energy, while compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) use 25-35% less.
You can save money by remembering those stats next time you shop for lightbulbs.
12. Compost to lower food wastage
Instead of throwing away your food scraps, compost them. A study by the UN Environment Programme found that 17% of all food is thrown away.
Worldwide, 11% of food stored in refrigerators and cupboards ends up in the trash, which further contributes to the food waste problem.
By composting food waste, you can reduce or repurpose it. Composting prevents soil erosion, helps manage storm water, promotes healthier plant growth, and combats climate change.
Have no garden? For personal use and community gardens, compost can also be donated.
13. Backyard Rewilding
Make your lawn, flower beds, and gardens more natural by rewilding them. You can make your yard a bird and insect habitat by reducing the size of your lawn and adding native plants.
The rewilding and restoration of urban ecosystems can have impressive benefits including reversing biodiversity loss and mitigating climate change.
14. Clean with eco-friendly products
Detergents, preservatives, and foaming agents commonly used in mainstream cleaning products are made from a variety of toxic chemicals that pollute streams and rivers with pollutants that negatively affect ecosystems and biodiversity.
The use of sustainable ingredients and non-synthetic chemicals reduces exposure to toxic chemicals that are harmful to humans and the environment.
Mix vinegar, lemon juice, and bicarbonate of soda to make your natural cleaners. Using this method reduces toxic chemicals in your home and packaging waste.
15. Don’t over-wash your clothes
During washing, synthetic materials shed microplastics which end up in the ocean. Over 14 million tons of microplastics are stored on the ocean floor. Textiles contribute 500,000 tonnes a year to this number.
Approximately 16% of microplastics released into the ocean come from washing synthetic clothing. Sea life and mammals ingest the toxic fibers, which degrade ecosystems.
You can also reduce the quality of your clothes over time by washing them too often at high temperatures. It also wastes a lot of water and energy.
You should also use nontoxic detergents and avoid using tumble dryers excessively.
16. Maintain a sustainable tourism practice
Travelers are now more aware of the cultural, economic, and environmental impacts of their actions as tourists, so they think sustainable tourism is vital.
People are increasingly engaging in sustainable tourism, which involves reducing their carbon footprints, being strategic with their spending power, and looking after the natural environment that they visit.
By doing so, we can prevent over-tourism, a phenomenon that disrupts the local way of life through rising housing and rental costs as well as the commoditization of local traditions.
Water, soil nutrients, and biodiversity are depleted due to pollution, particularly through excess waste.
For your next trip, consider these eco-tourism tips:
- Using a reusable bottle
- Consider tour operators that invest in local communities
- Don’t travel during peak season
- Visit locations with fewer tourists
- Avoid littering
- Always use public transportation
- Stay on footpaths
- Replace disposable paper plates, cutlery, and cups with reusable containers and bottles
- Take shorter showers and lower the use of A.C. in your accommodations
- Invest in local restaurants and shops
- Travel with eco-friendly products
17. Take the time to educate yourself
Education is the key to sustainability! When trying to live a more sustainable lifestyle, there’s nothing worse than not knowing what you’re doing.
Take into account your own needs and wishes when aiming to live more sustainably, not the needs and wishes of others.
If you know your own needs, you can identify which areas of your lifestyle need to be changed. You cannot become sustainable in everything you do, so make wise choices.
Having a better understanding of what to focus on and what not, just by reading books and articles, can help you make the most positive impact on your environment possible!
Read here on why eco-friendliness and sustainability have become so important!
18. Often make use of cold water
About 20% of your home’s energy consumption is accounted for by water heaters. Cold washing reduces energy consumption, keeps clothes vibrant, and reduces CO2 emissions by over 860 pounds per year.
You can boost your immune system and metabolism by taking a shower with cold water! All those benefits come with the bonus of reducing energy consumption!
19. Don’t leave your devices plugged in
Are you prone to unplugging your device from charging, but leaving the charger plugged in? Even when not in use, electronics still use energy, including devices left at charging stations.
The process may appear harmless, but it wastes energy, destroying the battery of your device.
While unplugging your devices may seem tedious, it can reduce energy consumption and waste significantly.
Adding smart outlets and/or smart plugs to your home in 2023 will help you regulate how much energy is used and when.
20. Volunteer
The benefits of volunteering include connecting with your community and helping fill in the gaps. Join a friendly group and pick up trash from roads and parks that are heavily used.
Become a volunteer at a local shelter or non-profit to help them achieve their goals. The best way to live sustainably and give back is to volunteer your time.
Bottom Line
When it comes to tackling climate change, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. Throughout the year, however, you can make a positive impact by making small changes to your habits. Sustainability isn’t about perfection.
Your efforts to live eco-friendly will help the environment even if you take the smallest step. Creating an environmentally friendly daily routine helps the planet, but it also helps you physically, mentally, and financially.
Although big companies produce the most pollution, what you do at home, at school, and work does matter. Invest in your health, the environment, and green living in 2023!
