Regardless of what New Year’s resolution you decided on this year, it’s fair to say that most of us want to incorporate green practices in our life. Choosing to be sustainable is not something easily done, as often there are more steps added to your day-to-day tasks, and sometimes ethical choices are actually more expensive. If you are committed to cultivating sustainable practices at home, here are some tangible ways to make that happen.
Seek out green brands
If your lifestyle does not permit too many changes, then you might find that simply buying eco-friendly brands is the best way you can be sustainable at home. Do some research to find sustainable brands in Australia, and find them at your supermarket and specialty store. The beauty of these brands is that they use ingredients, materials and environmental packaging so that you can consume and waste with total peace of mind that you are doing the right thing and it is going to be broken down or recycled.
One thing to note is that descriptive words like ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ do not necessarily make them sustainable, or even true. Use platforms that audit the sustainability of brands, like Sustainable Choice, so that you can shop confidently and spend your money on the right brands.
Education is key
Most people will incorrectly recycle because they don’t have the education on how to do so correctly. Now that some states have introduced more bins to separate glass, plastic, and soft plastic, it’s even more complex. Take the time to understand how to recycle the right way and make sure everyone in your household is on board and knows what to do. Knowing how to recycle is a very serious issue and one that needs to be acted on immediately as a society. If you have little ones or teenagers you can even put up some fun signage so it makes it easier and you get greater engagement from the family or roommates. The local council might also be able to provide more detailed information and even better systems for you to implement at home.
Composting
Composting isn’t just the right thing to do in your household, it actually very convenient. Instead of throwing your food waste in the bin to smell, put it in the compost bin outside and let it turn into nutrient-dense soil before your eyes. Once again, it’s important that you educate yourself on what can actually be composted, like fruit waste, vegetable waste, eggshells, brown serviettes and certain compostable packaging. This is one of the easiest ways to reduce your impact, and you will never have a smelly indoor bin again or have to buy a bag of soil.
Technology hacks
A connected household doesn’t necessarily have to be an unsustainable household. Most technology and hardware will have an energy-saving mode, and if it doesn’t you can get in the habit of turning things off when idle. This also has the added benefit of saving you money, so it’s well worth the trouble! If you really want to save money you can switch to solar power and really eliminate that guilt of using all your power at once.
Another habit that more of us have to adopt is safely disposing of technology. Old mobile phones, used printer cartridges and any other technology should be disposed of at technology waste spots so they can be delivered either back to the manufacturer, or on a new production line to be used in future tech. There are precious metals and minerals in most technologies, and by reusing them we do not have to harvest virgin materials.
Plan for incidentals
No one sets out to use plastic and single-use items, but sometimes circumstances make avoidance impossible. You can plan for these moments by equipping yourself with reusable utensils for when you are out, environmental shopping bags, Keep Cups, and even reusable masks. These items do not cost a lot and they can be tucked in your car or bag so that you are always prepared. With more brands and retailers cutting their reliance on plastic and single-use items – this hack will ensure you are never left in the lurch without bags or eating utensils either.
