Let’s really talk about an eco-friendly lifestyle. After decades of talks on going green, there seems to be a growing interest worldwide. Finally to actually embrace an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Thankfully, politicians, business enterprises, and activists are taking steps to enable people to initiate a sustainable existence. From switching your transport medium to growing your own food, there are several ways for you to reduce your carbon footprint. If you live a greener life, you not only help the climate but also enhance your wellbeing. In this article, we take a look at five excellent ways to lead an eco-friendly lifestyle.
1. Grow your own food
Food purchased from grocery shops go through various sorts of preservations, flavorings, designing, and packaging in the factories before they are sent to travel hundreds of miles and reach storage houses or your local grocery store. Besides reducing the freshness of the food, this tedious process causes huge carbon emissions and produces wastes like the packaging material.
Producing your own food permits you to stop depending on processed food available in the stores and lead a greener life. It helps lessen the burning of fossil fuels in the process of importing food through the commercial chain. Moreover, by producing your food, you know what ingredients have gone into the production. You don’t need to worry about harmful pesticides and chemicals used in commercial farming or plastic packaging. Therefore, you also reduce the risks of diseases like cancer, which is associated with pesticides. The process of harvesting brings you closer to nature and becomes a learning experience, which you can pass onto the next generation.
2. Utilize natural remedies for health issues
According to the NHS carbon-reduction strategy for England, pharmaceuticals cause upwards of 4 million tonnes of CO2 emission per year, which is equal to the CO2 emission of 750 thousand cars on the track. Pharmaceutical products intrude into the environment in their production phase by discharging antibiotics in the air and water near the production facilities.
In the past decade, people have drastically increased pharmaceutical drug consumption, mainly due to the surge in mental disorders. Thankfully, there is enough evidence that natural therapies can be effective for common mental health disorders. In addition, a person should switch to natural remedies for issues like anxiety, depression. Natural remedies such as cannabis, shrooms online can be used to address mental health problems. Herbs like St. John’s wort, maca root, and valerian are also very potent for mood disorders and sleep issues.
Moreover, natural remedies are far more sustainable and more pro an eco-friendly lifestyle. This is because they require fewer resources to produce. So minimal preservation, low waste and therefore a lower cost.
3. Minimize paper use and recycle more
Paper manufacturing causes the felling of 40% of trees globally. Besides fresh paper, used paper accounts for a large part of all waste. The machinery, accessories, energy required in the production of paper also has a massive bearing on the environment. Even the printing industry associated with paper is a source of extensive pollution and waste.
The world we live in today is growing more and more digital. It is easy to pass a day without touching a piece of paper. From exams, payments to the propagation of news, everything has been happening paperlessly. The amount of paper you use directly impacts the number of trees cut. By recycling or not using 10,000 sheets of paper, you’ll save one average size tree. Going digital not only helps the environment, but it also saves you money, which you can use in other eco-friendly causes.
4. Switch to renewable energy
Most people in the world use electricity generated from conventional and perishable sources of energy like coal. Coal power plants are a massive contributor to environmental pollution. They release nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, heavy metals, and particulate matter, resulting in acid rain, smog, and the presence of toxins in the air. Coal mines cause air and water pollution by emitting methane, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter.
Either lowering your conventional energy usage or replacing it with solar power will be a win-win situation for your pocket as well as the environment. Installing solar panels is a one-time investment that will lead to savings for years to come. Moreover, you won’t have to worry about occasional power cuts. Even if you are using conventionally generated power, for the time being, minimize your usage by switching off unused appliances.
5. Stop using disposable plastic
Disposable or single-use plastic is one of the many harmful elements that the world has gotten addicted to, leading to serious environmental consequences. People buy 1 million drinking bottles made of plastic every minute, and 5 trillion disposable plastic bags are sold every year. Plastic remains in the environment for a long time, spreading toxins and threatening wildlife. According to scientists, plastic waste has become so omnipresent that it could act as a geological indicator for the Anthropocene.
Use the best alternative to disposable plastic, which is a jute or canvas bag. A canvas bag will last longer than a plastic bag, and you can use it repeatedly. Always carry your bag when shopping and visit shops that do not deal with plastic bags. Reuse the plastic bags you already possess instead of throwing them away.
Conclusion
Leading an eco-friendly lifestyle isn’t difficult, but you need proper knowledge and resolve to bring positive changes in your life.
This article was written by Lisa Dinh
