Ever wanted to live a bit more sustainably but aren't sure where to begin? These are some simple ways to contribute to the health of our planet from the comfort of your own home.
1. Resell Unworn Clothing
Following the oil industry, garment production is known to be one of the world's largest industries contributing to pollution. Whether that be through emissions from burning fossil fuels to run factories or the dumping of toxic chemicals used to treat and dye fabrics, supporting fast fashion is not in the environment's best interest. Reselling unworn clothing is a great way to live more minimally while donating clothes keeps them out of landfills and allows others to shop secondhand. This makes buying and selling pre-owned clothing one of the more sustainable ways to shop. Although most thrift stores and secondhand shops are closed, there are still many online alternatives such as ThredUp, Depop, Poshmark, and Ebay.
2. Turn Off Lights and Appliances
According to the U.S. Consumer Expenditure Survey, about 20% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. come from household consumption of energy. Turning off lights and appliances not in use lowers your individual energy consumption, reducing the total amount of fossil fuels being burned and cutting down on carbon dioxide as well as other greenhouse gas emissions. A bonus for the environment and your wallet!
3. Plant Seeds
Got any lettuce ends, avocado seeds, or old potatoes lying around? You can plant these! Water, sunlight, and a few weeks will have you seeing results. This is a great way to produce less waste especially if you're not too keen on composting - just make sure to look up the conditions that are best for that particular plant. An added bonus if you reuse single-use plastics like water bottles or old food containers as planters.
4. Cut Down on Shower Time
Reducing shower time not only conserves water, but it also reduces energy use. For a typical U.S. household, each minute you spend in the shower produces up to 0.45 pounds of carbon dioxide. The longer the shower, the larger the dent in emissions. Additionally, typical shower heads use approximately 2.5 gallons of water per minute. Decreasing your shower time by even 2 minutes can save up to 5 gallons of water and almost a full pound of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
