Did you know that the United States is the second-largest contributor to CO2 emissions in the world? In 2019, more than 6.6 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases were emitted.
Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to reduce your carbon footprint. For example, you can always switch to a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.
Interested? Want to know how to live sustainably? If so, you’re at the right place. We’ll be going over a few tips on how to go green below.
Find out what they are by reading the rest of the post!
Context
- Ways to Live Sustainably
- Replace Incandescent Bulbs With LEDs
- Air Dry Your Clothes
- Install Solar Panels
- Reduce your carbon footprint
- Shopping for groceries
- Reduce your food waste
- Travel less
- Have a garden
- Recycle
- Unplug the device when not in use
- Conclusion
Ways to Live Sustainably
1. Replace Incandescent Bulbs With LEDs
Incandescent light bulbs are inefficient from an energy usage perspective. For one thing, nearly 90% of the energy is lost as heat. Not only that, but they also emit substantial amounts of carbon dioxide.
LEDs, on the other hand, are one of the most energy-efficient lighting technologies available. Compared to conventional lighting, they draw up to 85% less power. For example, a 10-watt LED bulb can deliver the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb.
That’s not all—they also last 25 times longer so you won’t have to replace them as often.
2. Air Dry Your Clothes
The dryer is the biggest energy hog in the average home with annual electricity consumption of 900 kWh. Don’t forget, they also emit carbon dioxide, which contributes to the greenhouse effect.
Considering that, it's best to skip the dryer altogether. Allow your clothes to air dry instead. It might take longer, but it’ll be much better for the planet, in more ways than one.
For example, you can hang your clothes outside in the sun. Not only will it whiten your laundry, but the sun’s UV rays will also help disinfect the fabric. To prevent bright colors from fading, you can always turn the items inside out.
Related: Top 10 Common Affiliate Marketing Myths Busted
3. Install Solar Panels
Installing a solar panel will allow you to take advantage of the sun’s energy. Not only is it sustainable, but it’s also much cleaner. For one thing, the panels won’t emit greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. Not only that, but they don’t require water either to generate electricity.
The only thing is that they can be expensive. On average, they cost about $12,000 after federal tax incentives. And while it’s cheaper to install the panels yourself, it’s best to hire a professional (e.g. https://blueravensolar.com/state-ohio/columbus/) for the job.
That way, you won’t have to worry about hurting yourself or damaging your home in the process.
4. Reduce your carbon footprint
Your product's impact on the environment can be significant. When you buy products, you’re supporting companies that are creating carbon emissions. You can reduce your footprint by avoiding the use of products that create carbon emissions and instead of purchasing products that don’t.
You can go one step further and reduce your footprint even more by using a reusable water bottle or other reusable containers for your water or other drinks. You’ll also reduce your own carbon footprint by choosing products that are not manufactured in countries with poor labor systems.
Related: Top 10 Easy Ways To Cope With Essays Faster
5. Shopping for groceries
One of the most common questions asked by new people in our community is about buying groceries. The first thing you need to understand about buying groceries is that grocery shopping doesn’t have to be complicated.
If you’re like most people, you’re probably moving to new places and starting new jobs every few years. You’re constantly moving and changing, and you need to make sure that you’re buying the right food.
When thinking about what to buy, it helps to think about how long your meal lasts and how often you eat that meal. You’ll need to make sure that you buy a lot of different kinds of food. This will depend on the type of meal that you’re going to be eating.
6. Reduce your food waste
When you buy food, you have to store it, prepare it, and then eat it. If you don’t store your food properly or if you waste it, then you’re also wasting your money. Don’t buy food that you won’t eat unless you can eat it all. And when you’re not going to use something, get rid of it. That way, the money that you spend on food isn’t wasted. If you’re going to eat something, make sure that you have it for a specific amount of time.
Related: Top 10 Reasons to Choose Career in IT
7. Travel less
If you’re just starting out, the best thing you can do is to get rid of those unnecessary things. The less stuff you have, the more money you’ll save. You don’t need a lot of stuff. There are lots of ways to make your life more sustainable. One thing is to travel less. This doesn't mean that you need to stop traveling.
You can do a lot for the environment by taking fewer trips. If you’re considering a vacation, try to find one that uses public transportation instead of flying, or even driving. Plus, use reusable grocery bags instead of disposable ones. If you live in an area where it’s easy to bike or walk to work, then at least try that.
8. Have a garden
A lot of people think that they should have a garden because they want to be able to eat fresh food, but that’s not a realistic goal. They need to first start by putting in a few plants in pots and then move into using their yard.
It is important to take small steps at the beginning in order to grow a huge garden. If you can get one or two plants going, you can start building your soil, water, and nutrients. If you don’t have the money to start a garden now, you can make your own compost. You can buy it at the grocery store or make your own at home using this recipe.
Related: Top 10 Ways to Get the Best Air Conditioner
9. Recycle
Recycling is a great way to stop wasting natural resources. You can reuse bottles or cans by taking them to your favorite grocery store for recycling. You can also bring your used paper and plastic recycling to a place like a municipal dropoff site, or put it in your curbside recycling bin.
Even better, use refillable containers for everything from water bottles to coffee mugs, and always take your own reusable bag when you go shopping.
10. Unplug the device when not in use
One of the easiest ways to reduce your carbon footprint is to unplug. When you don’t need an electric device, turn it off and put it away. When it’s not in use, it’s just wasting energy. When you unplug, it means that you’re saving energy.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are several things that you can do to live sustainably—from using LEDs to harnessing the sun's power. If we all work together, we'll be able to reduce our impact on the environment.
Did you find this article helpful? For more content like this, check out the rest of our knowledge section!