At Elyn we’re committed to creating sustainable lifestyles through small steps, every day. As described by Wikipedia, sustainable living is a lifestyle that attempts to reduce an individual’s or society’s use of the Earth’s natural resources, and one’s personal resources. If you’re not sure how to start to cultivating a more sustainable life, we hear you! We’ve curated 10 Tips for a More Sustainable Lifestyle to help you to take one small step today, another tomorrow.
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BYOB
Bring your own bag. While the option of using a paper bag is good, it’s even better to bring your own reusable grocery bags to the store. Many stores also sell reusable produce bags for all your fruits and veggies. -
Power Down
Turn off the lights when you leave a room and turn off your electronic devices when you go to bed at night are two great ways to live more sustainably. It’s even recommended to power down your wi-fi system to decrease energy consumption. -
Just Say No
To straws, paper cups, and plastic lids, that is. Make your morning coffee treat a more sustainable option when you bring your own mug or glass. Many coffee shops offer stainless steel, bamboo, or even glass straw options. -
Buy in Bulk
Shopping at a local co-op or grocery store with bulk bins cuts down on packaging and save on food waste. When you can buy only what you need your food stays fresh. Bonus points for using your own containers. -
Low Flow
Water is one of our most precious resources and by investing in low flow, eco-friendly shower heads you’re creating a sustainable lifestyle. Decreasing your time in the shower can save even more water and electricity. -
Eat Plant-Based
Eating meatless on Mondays and more plant-based meals, in general, can go a long way to creating a more sustainable lifestyle. Less meat means less greenhouse gas emissions - all-around better for our climate! -
Water Off
Turning water off while you brush your teeth, wash your face, or shave not only saves you money, it also saves around 4 gallons of water per minute. -
Recharge your Technology
Making the switch to a more renewable source of power for charging home and office technology can make a significant difference. Try using rechargeable batteries, solar-powered keyboards, speakers or cell phone chargers. -
H2O to Go
Creating the habit of using your own water bottle makes a significant contribution to decreasing the single-use plastics ending up in our landfills. An easy tip is to keep a reusable bottle at your desk, in the car and even in your gym tote bag. Having them handy makes it easier to to use. -
Less Paper
When you can, opt for an email receipt at the checkout counter, this not only saves a tree, it saves water. Another way to decrease paper in your life is to opt-out of junk mail by checking out these resources at EcoCycle.