Eco-friendly living is fast becoming a lifestyle choice that many of us are wanting to adopt. It’s no secret that the impact we’re having on the planet today is causing all sorts of issues that future generations will have to pay for – reason alone for all of us to do our bit in helping the environment any way we can.
So have you been wondering how to live an environmentally-friendly life? Wonder no more. From ditching plastic and eating less meat to going solar and choosing sustainable clothing, we’ve rounded up the key ways to nail eco-friendly living with ease. The planet will thank you for it.
1. Ditch plastic
We all know by now how using plastic has a detrimental impact on the environment. Most big supermarket chains have banned single-use plastic bags, encouraging us all to invest in a trusty tote. If you haven’t done this already, make this the year you do so. There are so many gorgeous reusable shopping bags out there to choose from whether they’re made from recycled materials or organic fabric. Bonus: they fold up easily in your handbag so you’re always prepared for a spontaneous supermarket trip.
Reusable coffee cups are another quick and easy ticket to eco-friendly living. The handy alternatives to disposable coffee cups allow you to have your daily caffeine hit guilt free. Plus, most coffee shops give discounts when you bring your own cup. There’s no reason to not take the leap as you will save money in the long run. Still using plastic straws? It’s time for those days to come to an end. Bamboo or metal straws are the way forward when it comes to how to live an environmentally-friendly life!
2. Wash clothes using cold water
Ok, maybe not all your clothes. It's important to ensure underwear and towels go through a hot wash to ensure all bacteria is killed, but that's not to say all your clothes need a hot wash every time. Washing clothes using cold water will not only save you money, but it will use less energy too.
3. Eat less meat
We’re not saying you have to give up meat altogether (although to all the vegans out there, we applaud your dedication!). But according to Greenpeace, even cutting down on your meat intake can have hugely positive effects on the environment. Greenpeace states the “livestock sector – raising cows, pigs and chickens – generates as much greenhouse gas emissions as all cars, trucks and automobiles combined.” Surely that fact alone is enough to prompt us to switch to a predominantly plant-based diet?
So what exactly can you eat on a plant-based diet? Well, we’re glad you asked. There are heaps of delicious foods that can remain in your diet when you decide to eat less or ditch meat completely. Fruit, veggies and whole grains should make up the majority of your diet, while nuts, seeds and legumes should also be part of your daily eating habits. If you do decide to remain eating meat, fish and dairy, cut down your intake and see if you notice any difference in how you look and feel.
4. Love your leftovers
It's no news that we're a wasteful world. How many times have you been in a cafe or restaurant and noticed people leaving half their plate? Or what about your food at home? Stocked up on veggies for the week and by the time you go to eat them it's time to throw them away because they've gone bad? It's time to start buying less and eating fresh. Leftovers? Great, that's lunch for tomorrow sorted.
5. Go solar
We should all try to use less energy than we do, but to really nail eco-friendly living we suggest going solar. If you haven’t already, why not invest in solar panels for your home this year? While the installation fee will set you back, this sustainable choice will cut down your electricity bills substantially and save you heaps of money in the long run.
But these days, solar panels on your roof are just the beginning. Here’s a list of other ideas you could incorporate into your home when wondering how to live an environmentally-friendly life.
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Solar water heater
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Solar cooker
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Solar-powered mobile charger
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Solar-powered refrigerator
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Solar-powered air conditioner
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Solar energy-based water pumps
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Solar energy-based water purification system
Obviously, investing in all the above would make it a very expensive year! Dip your toes in by picking one or two ways to incorporate solar power into your life. If solar power is just financially out the question this year, try to at least limit your energy usage. A great starting point is compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, which use roughly 80% lesser energy and can last 20 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
6. Repair, reuse, recycle
There are so many ways to reuse and recycle our belongings and the things we consume before simply throwing them away. So what, your jeans have a few holes in them? Rock the look, or freshen up on your sewing skills. Had a wardrobe clear out recently? You’ll likely discover a heap of old gems, perhaps some you haven’t even worn, which you can give a spin this year.
Aside from clothing, coffee grounds are something else you can reuse in countless different ways when focusing on eco-friendly living. Their gritty texture makes them perfect for mixing into a bar of vegan soap and creating a heavy-duty body scrub. You can also add leftover coffee to your compost bin to create a rich mixture that will help your garden thrive.
7. Reduce your carbon footprint
When considering how to live an environmentally-friendly life, reducing your carbon footprint is one of the most significant changes you can make. Transportation generates the largest share of greenhouse gas emissions, which is what makes public transport such a great choice for the environment whenever you can take it.
We’re not saying ditch your car altogether, but why not leave it at home during the week and catch the bus or train to work? Sure, it can get a bit cramped at rush hour. But think how great it’ll feel not getting stuck in traffic when you catch the train. Even better, if you don't live too far from work, why not cycle, jog or walk?
Another great way to reduce your carbon footprint is to support local producers. The food you buy in big supermarket chains has often travelled thousands of kilometres, whereas local producers will have hardly any carbon footprint at all. Not to mention buying local is fresher and healthier!
8. Switch to paperless
If you haven't already, it's time to jump on the digital train and switch your post to paperless. There's simply no need to be getting all that junk mail you're only going to throw away (well, recycle, we hope!). These days, pretty much all banks, internet providers and other companies you receive those beloved bills from will be more than happy to see you switch from paper bills to digital. So, what are you waiting for?
9. Choose sustainable clothing
When it comes to eco-friendly living, the benefits of wearing sustainable clothing are endless. It can reduce the number of pesticides released into the environment. You can support fair trade. You can reduce toxic waste. You can use less of the world’s resources. The quality will be higher. The list goes on and on.
Here at Boody, we’re committed to maintaining a responsible process when creating our garments. We only use certified organically-grown bamboo fibre, which has no pesticides, fertilisers or insecticides. The bamboo plantations we use produce 30% more oxygen than an equivalent area of trees and use 0% of the water required to grow cotton – yes, that’s correct! We only use rainwater to grow our bamboo. Bamboo also happens to be the fastest-growing woody plant in the world – some species shoot up as much as a metre a day!
On top of all this, we use eco-friendly packaging, a closed-loop system that recycles all the water used to make our fabrics and we have a smaller carbon footprint by delivering our items by sea freight. Phew, finally clothing you can feel good about wearing! Shop our women’s, men’s and baby collections now.
Whatever you decide to do to tackle eco-friendly living, just be sure not to be too hard on yourself. You’re doing the best you can, which is more than enough. Just imagine if everyone did their bit to make the planet a better place? We have a feeling we’d be well on our way by now...
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What is Plastic Free July and why is it important?
Plastic Free July is here again. But what exactly is the global movement and what makes it so important? Well, anyone who tries to live even the slightest bit of a sustainable life, will know the importance of cutting down single-use plastics. So, what better time to cut down or cut out plastic altogether? We take a look at what Plastic Free July is, why it’s important and how you can get involved. Why not get into the habit of reducing single-use plastic waste every day, whether it’s at home, work or your favourite place to go for lunch. By taking part in Plastic Free July, you’ll be doing something that challenges people and yourself, but gets others to take part in slowing down and ultimately ending the process of plastic production. What is Plastic Free July? Plastic Free July is a global movement that allows millions of people across the world to be part of the solution to plastic pollution. From cleaner oceans to streets, Plastic Free July is the perfect opportunity to commit to refusing single-use plastics. Plastic Free July is an important initiative of the Plastic Free Foundation, an independent, not-for-profit organisation working towards a world free from plastic waste. From humble beginnings in 2011, the award-winning Plastic Free July campaign has been born from years of hard work and dedication. Why is Plastic Free July important? We produce an estimated 300 million tonnes of plastic each year. Let that sink in for a few moments. Once it has… process the next part: roughly half of it is disposable! Sadly, only 10-13% of plastic items are actually recycled. And, because of the nature of petroleum-based disposable plastic, it is almost impossible to recycle it and chemicals have to be added in order to do so. These same degrading chemicals make their way into our food and water supply. And this is just some of the terrible impacts plastic has on us. When it comes to the environment, we’ve all seen devastating images of sea creatures tangled in plastic. We’ve also seen what climate change does to the planet, a concept that plastic waste contributes to. How you can get involved Whether you’re an eco newbie on the hunt for a few single-use plastics to avoid or are a more seasoned sustainable warrior, there are many ways you can feel inspired to live a plastic-free life. Here are just a few to get you started. Switch to reusable coffee cups If you haven’t already, it’s time to ditch those disposable cups and opting for reusable versions. Ours is the perfect option for your favourite morning beverage. Refuse pre-packed fruit and vegetables Buying fruits and veggies wrapped in plastic packaging is convenient but bad for the environment. Avoid single-use plastics and refuse pre-packed groceries. Get some reusable straws Sometimes a straw is the perfect accompaniment to a nice, cool drink. But if the straw’s plastic, you’re better off going without. The solution? Carry a reusable straw with you so you can refuse plastic. Replace plastic bags with a tote Choosing to refuse single-use plastics is a bold and effective step to a better planet. Plastic shopping bags should be instantly cut from your life. Always carry a reusable tote with you. Say no to plastic water bottles Single-use plastic water bottles have no place in today’s world. A simple and sustainable solution is carrying a reusable flask with you. Easy. Effortless. Eco. Head to the Plastic Free July website to find out more ways you can help.
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What is World Environment Day and how can you get involved?
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Eco
How to create a sustainable home one room at a time
It’s April. Which means it’s nearly Earth Day again. Except, this year we’d hardly notice because we have so much else going on. Social distancing. Self-isolating. Trying to keep our spirits high during a time filled with so much uncertainty. But there are some positives that have come from this unprecedented time. You might have seen the satellite photos displaying how the COVID-19-led lockdowns across the world have lowered global emissions and giving Mother Nature a well-earned rest. What better way to celebrate Earth Day later this month? And, while we spend more time at home than ever before, we find ourselves finding time to focus on things we rarely have time for. Our physical and mental wellbeing. Creative hobbies and outlets. Spending time with loved ones we live with, albeit at a distance. Another thing we might find we have extra time for at home is catching up with some bits around the home we’ve put off. And, seeing as it’s Earth Day later this month, what better time to figure out how to create a sustainable home one room at a time? Sarah Pelham, the Beauty & Wellness Expert for Bookwell, offers some of these handy tips which we hope help to take your mind off the never-ending stream of news right now. Over to you, Sarah. Make your home eco-friendly Sustainable living is something that’s becoming more and more important to a lot of us, and we might have already started to make simple lifestyle changes such as walking more rather than using the car, or taking our own reusable shopping bags with us when we head out. And that’s great! But it’s time we all went a little bit further; it’s time we start shifting from a sustainable lifestyle to a sustainable house. Eco homes can massively minimise our impact on the environment. And don’t worry – creating eco-friendly homes isn’t quite as daunting as it sounds! There are lots of ‘basic’ changes you can make instantly, such as swapping out incandescent bulbs for LED lighting or getting a recycling bin, for example. But if you’re keen to delve into the world of eco-homes, even more, there are lots more ways that you can make a difference, making positive changes around your home, one room at a time. Here’s a bit of room-by-room inspiration to get you started: Bathroom National Geographic estimates that 91% of plastic isn’t recycled. This is why to have a truly sustainable bathroom, it’s best to try and avoid products that are made of, or are packaged in, plastic. Here are some great plastic-free bathroom alternatives to get you started. With bathrooms often being warm and steamy from a hot bath or shower, they’re the perfect environment for germs to thrive. Cleaning a bathroom is never a pleasant job, and many of us automatically choose the strongest cleaning solutions to make sure we kill any nasties lying around. Unfortunately, these chemical-filled cleaners get flushed away, filtered, and are back in the water supply… even if some chemicals still remain. Instead, try to use natural cleaning products. You can even make some yourself using white vinegar, lemon juice, and baking soda. Kitchen One of the best ways to get the ball rolling on an eco kitchen is to invest. Invest in high-quality cookware and durable plates and bowls, rather than always selecting the cheapest options. Why? Because investing in quality means investing in sustainability. High-quality cookware and dishes are more likely to withstand frequent use and washing, and less likely to deteriorate or break from everyday use. Cookware that lasts for years can significantly reduce demand for manufacturing, and all the byproducts of manufacturing such as energy, water, and fuel. If you’re not quite a dab hand in the kitchen, you may want to look away now. Believe it or not, cooking at home is actually one of the best ways to create a sustainable kitchen! Pre-packaged ready meals have probably done more travelling than you and me combined. Each step of the process will usually be handled at a different facility, really clocking up those food miles. Cooking from scratch not only means you can reduce your carbon footprint, but you can also be sure that the ingredients have been sourced sustainably. Don’t forget to use green kitchen appliances, too. Bedroom Could your bedroom do with a lick of paint? If you’re redecorating, try to use eco-friendly paint that’s much better for the environment (and for your own health, too!). Look for ‘low VOC’ or ‘zero VOC’ paints, which have fewer volatile organic compounds that can be released into the air. Low VOC paints typically have less than 50g per litre, while zero VOC paints have less than 5g per litre. It’s always best to check the labels to know for sure, but as a general rule of thumb, flat latex paints that are light in colour usually have lower VOCs than glossy, oil-based paints. If you’ve chosen cotton sheets for your bedroom, good for you. You probably know that cotton is a pretty good choice for a sustainable bedroom. But it’s not the best choice. The problem with cotton is that fertilisers and pesticides are often used in the farming processes, which aren’t great for the planet. If you’re looking to make a quick and simple swap, switch to organic bamboo sheets, which look and feel really similar. Bamboo holds the world record for the fastest-growing plant at a rate of 91cm per day, so there’s always a constant, renewable source. Here’s some more benefits of bamboo. Living Room Think the perfect couch doesn’t exist? Think again. Steve Jobs’ wife Laurene Powell once said that it took the Apple Co-Founder eight years to decide on a couch, but we think it’s much easier to find the right one… especially if you look at sustainable options. A sustainable couch really can be whatever you make it. You could choose second-hand furniture, with absolutely no new resources used, or you could buy new. When buying new, look for couches made using sustainable wood (with FSC or AFS certification), or try to buy from a local manufacturer. Need new furniture for your living room? Here’s a bit of a crazy idea, but it’s one that could help you create a unique space and the sustainable living room of your dreams. Instead of buying new, how about trying to build new furniture from items already in your home? This is also ideal now it’s hard to get out much! For example, you could create a side table by stacking books, or a box shelf from an old desk drawer. Upcycling is a fantastic way to minimise the amount we send to landfill and create one-of-a-kind spaces. And best of all, you’ll be reducing the piles of clutter that you just don’t know what to do with! There’s no rush The thought of what could happen if we all carry on as we are is terrifying, but the truth is that the world isn’t going to implode tomorrow. Don’t try and implement all these changes at once, or you may end up feeling overwhelmed and wanting to give up. And that’s not doing the planet any good! Instead, approach sustainable living from a ‘one room at a time’ perspective. By working in bite-sized, manageable chunks, you’ll soon find that you’ve created an eco-home that really makes a difference. And right now, this could be time well-spent indeed. Sarah Pelham is the Beauty & Wellness Expert for Bookwell.com.au, an online platform for instant bookings for hair, nails, beauty & massage appointments. For nearly four years Sarah has worked closely with hundreds of salon owners within the beauty and wellness industries. She has her finger on the pulse of new trends in this growing market.
