This beautiful little blue-green planet is the place humanity calls home, and doing your part helps keep Mother Nature green and glowing. With concerns regarding climate change, there is a push to go green and live a sustainable life, and that’s beneficial for the environment.
However, “green” and “sustainable” are often used as interchangeable terms when it comes to leading an environmentally friendly lifestyle, yet the two aren’t mutually exclusive. Going green is more of a step toward leading a sustainable lifestyle, advocated commercially to buy green products that have less impact than those made with harsh chemicals, for example.
Choosing an eco-friendly labeled product is helpful to Mother Nature, but sustainability challenges you to take a closer look at your everyday routine and lifestyle.
What is Sustainability?
The main idea behind sustainability is the concern that future generations will be able to meet their needs and your use of a product won’t compromise that, when it comes to purchasing products that make your life easier. In terms of leading a sustainability lifestyle, many have adapted this to mean adopting a way of life that leaves little to no impact on the environment.
Bicycles, for example, are sustainable as they do not have a carbon footprint and are powered by your active energy of pedaling to get to your destination. You also get amazing calves and healthy exercise as a bonus. Hybrid cars would be considered a green option, which minimize impact compared to the standard, but still have an impact when it comes to the production of the vehicle.
Self-education when it comes to sustainable consumption becomes an important part of shifting green practices to daily routines, as a part of a sustainable lifestyle. It’s looking beyond the natural and eco-friendly label to learning about the status of current resources and where and how a company sources these.
Is your “green” bamboo floor actually covered in harsh chemicals? Shipping from overseas takes up resources and produces a hefty footprint on the environment. Your economic choices have environmental impact, and leading a sustainable lifestyle may shift your economic choices to making goods at home rather than buying local.
Leading Sustainable Lives in Modern Times
Of course, not everyone has time to farm the land and make their own goods. So, when you’re leading a busy life, how does that translate into a sustainable lifestyle?
Keep in mind that green products and going green are a component of sustainability, but leading a sustainable lifestyle focuses on consciously choice for waste elimination and the best, or most efficient, use of energy:
1. Commit to Green Transportation on a Schedule
Instead of occasionally taking the bus or carpooling, commit to a sustainable transportation schedule, or ditch all forms of gas-guzzling vehicles unless it’s absolutely necessary. Incorporate green transportation into a sustainable routine.
Will it take up more resources or energy to get to your destination by biking, walking, or taking public transportation? Pick the destination you will you commute to, and remember it could be as simple as regularly biking to and from the grocery store once a week.
2. Nearly Everything is Recyclable or May be Repurposed
That’s right — plastic, paper, metal, glass, aluminum, clothing, computer parts and more — are recyclable or may be repurposed. You probably already do your best to recycle plastic products, such as water bottles, but consider what ends up in the wastebasket.
Make sustainable consumption decisions before you buy. If jam comes in glass mason jar, consider how you may repurpose it or recycle it. Would it make a great container for a holiday gift, or inspire you to start canning your own food? Clothes may be repurposed into cleaning rags, and paper products may be completely replaced if you dare.
Many people are slowly making the shift to living a zero waste lifestyle, eliminating waste completely from their lives one routine, product and item at a time.
3. Decorate With Sustainable Furniture
Unless you’ve made your own furniture with untreated palette wood, chances are your furniture may be sourced from materials that have had a negative impact on the environment. Responsibly sourced materials are important to sustainability, but it’s more essential that the piece will still be high quality for everyday use and not waste away in a landfill or gobble up resources in production.
Size matters in this case, because the physical footprint of your home has an impact on your resource consumption. Aside from choosing a smaller home, choose furniture that focuses on multiple functions as a major way of reducing your carbon footprint and ensure the longevity of a piece in your home. This will improve the efficiency of your home and everyday life as you lead a more sustainable lifestyle.
Leading a sustainable lifestyle is about making sustainable consumption choices and ingraining these into your everyday routine. Get back to basics as much as possible, eliminating or reducing waste, while thinking consciously and more deeply about your personal impact on the environment.
About the Author: Ka
cey is a lifestyle blogger for “The Drifter Collective.” Throughout her life, she has found excitement in the world around her. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations, cultures, and styles, while communicating these endeavors through her passion for writing and expression. Her love for the world around her is portrayed through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts.
The Drifter Collective: An eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Follow on Twitter , Pinterest , Instagram
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Alexis is an investigative chemist sharing her expertise in cleaning, skincare, gardening, and home hacks. She personally tests out products like the best skincare products or home products then shares not only the science behind how it works, but also her personal results. She is the mom of two living in Texas with her husband. Find her on Instagram for fantastic videos, tips, and behind the scenes.
Very interesting post about sustainability. I thought “green” and “sustainability” were similar, but the author gave me more info.
It is interesting to see the difference!
Interesting post – it’s nice to get more of an idea of the difference. Thanks for sharing!!
I though so too!
Sustainability is definitely so important. The other stuff doesn’t matter if it’s not sustainable. Loved this article!
So true!!