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Living sustainably is something we all aspire to, but what exactly does that mean, and what changes can we make to live a more sustainable life? From diet and energy consumption to methods of transport and product choices, here are our tips on how to lead a sustainable life.
How can we be more sustainable? Defining sustainability
Let’s start with a definition of sustainable living. Put simply, it’s a lifestyle in which you attempt to reduce your usage of the planet’s natural resources. This is achieved by reducing your carbon footprint.
Sustainable living tips
There are some key areas in your life where you can make changes:
- Diet
- Waste
- Energy consumption
- Transport methods
- Product choice
Let’s take each of these in turn.
How to live more sustainably through diet
You are what you eat, or so the saying goes, and your diet has a big impact on your level of sustainable living. Examples of sustainable food choices include:
- Reduce the amount of red meat you eat – it’s more harmful to the environment than other food.
- Eat locally produced food – it will have lower food miles.
- Eat seasonal produce – it won’t require as much growing assistance or transportation.
How to be sustainable at home through reducing waste
Reducing the amount of waste which you produce is one of the key ways to be more sustainable. Buy less in the first place, reuse instead of throwing away, and choose items that can be recycled. More sustainable living tips like this include:
- Reduce food waste by doing a stock check, making a meal plan, writing a shopping list, buying only what you need, using leftovers, and putting scraps in the compost.
- Reduce water waste by having quick showers instead of baths, turning off the tap when brushing teeth, collecting rain in a butt to water the garden, and using the washing machine only when there’s a full load.
- Reduce what you put in the bin by learning how to fix faulty items rather than replacing them, how to mend clothes, and how to upcycle furniture.
How to be sustainable at home through energy consumption
You can also make sustainable choices at home through your energy consumption. Sustainable living examples in this area include:
- Switching to energy suppliers that are working towards 100% clean, renewable energy sources.
- Installing insulation for more energy-efficient heating.
- Unplugging electrical devices when not in use.
- Turning off lights when not in the room.
- Using LED bulbs instead of halogen.
- Using manual devices rather than electrical devices e.g. a dustpan and brush rather than a vacuum cleaner.
How to become more sustainable through methods of transport
How can we be more sustainable through our transport choices? You can reduce your carbon footprint by doing the following:
- Only use your car when you absolutely need to.
- Use public transport.
- Take fewer flights.
- Cycle or walk when you can.
How to lead a sustainable life through product choice
The products you use each have an impact on the environment, from their design to their packaging to their transportation. Here’s how to live more sustainably through what you buy:
- Choose products from businesses that are committed to being more sustainable.
- Opt for products that come in recyclable packaging made with recycled materials.
- Only use what you need, by choosing products that are appropriate sizes.
- Go for more sustainable versions of products where possible e.g. products with a lower carbon footprint
Tip
Choose Plenty Handy Towels kitchen paper, so you only use what you need.
How Plenty is helping you live more sustainably
At Plenty, we’re taking action to reduce our environmental impact. We’re working towards ways to be more sustainable in the key areas of our activity, with innovations in product, packaging, and the way we produce and deliver.
With our packaging we’re working towards 100% recyclability and use of 85% renewable or recycled materials by 2025. When it comes to our energy use, Essity as a company also aims to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions from energy and electricity in our production sites by 25% by 2030 from a 2016 base-year. This will further contribute to a lower carbon footprint for our paper products.
Now you have some ideas on how to become more sustainable you can put them in place and start leading a more sustainable lifestyle.
