There’s no shortage of ways to have a positive impact on the world. In this day and age, it’s becoming more and more important that we find ways to limit our impact on the natural world. While the majority of the responsibility for avoiding the worst effects of climate change lies with the most polluting corporations, individual citizens have a responsibility too.
And happily, that couldn’t be easier than it is right now. There are a bunch of ways to live in a more earth-friendly way without compromising your quality of life. Let’s take a look at some of the most effective methods for living a more sustainable existence.
Travel Local
It can be nice to think of traveling to far-flung corners of the world. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that flying is extremely damaging to the environment. Even one long journey — say, flying to London and back — equals the equivalent of each person’s allotted “share” of natural resources.
The good news is that you don’t have to look to distant lands to have a fun travel expedition. Regardless of where you live, there’ll be plenty of interesting places within easy driving distance of where you live. Why not travel there, and support the local economy at the same time?
Products in the Home
You’ll need a lot of products in your life. Just think about how long your monthly shopping list is, for instance. But here’s the thing: your shopping list can be damaging to the environment, or it can be good for the environment. It all depends on what type of products you’re buying. To keep your carbon footprint as low as possible, look at buying sustainable products whenever you can. The eco-friendly product market is bigger than ever, so you should have no trouble finding the items you need.
Grow Your Own Vegetables
Many people are often unaware of how far their food has traveled to make it to their kitchen. While vegetables are good for the body and the environment, that good work is undone if they’ve traveled a thousand miles or more to make it to the supermarket where you buy your food. So why not consider growing your own vegetables? This is much easier than you might think, and it’s fun and satisfying work, too. While it requires some effort, there’s nothing more delicious than eating a vegetable that you have brought into this world.
If you’re a meat-eater, then look at buying from local farmers. The quality will be better and it’ll be infinitely better for the natural world.
Repair Broken Products
We live in a consumerist age. It’s just a fact that you need things like smartphones, laptops, and other essentials to exist in the modern world. Try to get into the habit of repairing broken products, rather than simply throwing them away and buying a replacement. Most products can be saved with a little know-how. Plus, it’s just an effective way to save money. It’s much cheaper to repair an item than to buy an expensive replacement!