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3 simple things you can do to be more sustainable

BY READERS DIGEST

17th Oct 2019 Environment

3 simple things you can do to be more sustainable
Leading a sustainable lifestyle doesn’t have to entail you making wholesale changes to your home, nor does undergoing this kind of transformation have to be an exhaustive exercise. Here are three easy and simple things you can do to be more sustainable 
While you might have good intentions, trying to lead a more sustainable lifestyle can sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. To make the transition as stress free as posible, here are three simple things you can do to be more sustainable whilst still doing the things that you love. 

Convert to solar energy

Credit: bodnarchuk
By converting to solar energy, you will make your home far more sustainable. This is because you will be harvesting natural resources to power your home, rather than using and exploiting non-renewable resources that are now dwindling fast.
"So long as there is sun in the sky, the solar panels atop of your property will catch the rays and then harvest them into electricity"
So long as there is sun in the sky, the solar panels atop of your property will catch the rays and then harvest them into electricity. By continuing to use a finite source of energy such as coal, you will just continue to waste valuable resources.
Click here for more information on grid trade incentives and the exact benefits that you stand to reap from making the switch to solar energy.

Make changes to your water consumption habits

Credit: robynleigh
Have you ever stopped to think about how many single-use plastic bottles you drink water out of a year? Chances are, should you ever perform such a count, you’d find yourself well into three-figures, or maybe even four.
"Drinking water like this might be quick, easy, and convenient, but it’s not sustainable"
Drinking water like this might be quick, easy, and convenient, but it’s not sustainable. To be truly sustainable in this instance, you have to make changes to your water consumption habits.
Fear not, this doesn’t necessarily have to entail you drinking tap water! By investing in a water filtration system, you will be able to drink clean, toxin-free, nice-tasting water without having to waste copious amounts of plastic day in, day out.
Another change that you can make in this instance is to avoid drinking out of plastic straws. More often than not, these types of straws are used only once before being banished to a life of taking up valuable landfill space or contaminating the sea.

Reduce your transport emissions

Credit: Halfpoint
If you want to be a more sustainable traveller, you should seek to reduce the carbon emissions that you produce while transporting yourself from Point A to Point B.
The best thing that you can do in this instance is avoid driving or riding in motor vehicles entirely — if you can cycle, walk, jog, or run somewhere, do that instead.
"If you can cycle, walk, jog, or run somewhere, do that instead."
Of course, avoiding motor vehicles entirely isn’t always going to be a feasible option for you. However, there are still things that you can do to be more sustainable despite the fact that you have to drive or ride to work every morning. Two options that you have when seeking to clean up your commute include:
  1. Carpooling (either with a co-worker or through the use of a rideshare app).
  2. Taking public transport (don’t worry, most buses now accept card payment which means you no longer have to scramble for change).
You have the power to make a sustainable change to your lifestyle — take the above advice and don’t waste it!
Banner credit: photoguns
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