Be environmentally woke-how to ace sustainable living like a boss

You have already heard it far & wide as every other social media influencer brags about leading a more sustainable lifestyle which might lead you to believe this is another of those pretentious and fancy fads that will go away with time. But imagine a lesser cynical scenario, where you might be convinced about the usefulness of a sustainable lifestyle but in your eyes, it requires investment in terms of time and money. You assume you need to buy a solar panel or plant your entire produce requirement in the backyard. You don’t have to do either, let’s take you through a rather practical approach all round the clock.

Brush off the plastic!

Quite literally, before you start brushing your teeth, just take a look at your toothbrush. You’re going to dispose off this toothbrush after a couple of months and then this toothbrush is going to stay on this planet, till doomsday. Plastic takes forever to break down, a pretty big outcome for something as simple as getting rid of a toothbrush right? That’s exactly what the deal is, even the smallest of our actions can have a detrimental impact on our planet that we cannot fathom. Instead, make a shift to a more sustainable alternative, say a wooden toothbrush so that even when you dump it, it degrades and gets absorbed by the soil over a period of time. And hey! Don’t forget to turn off the water while you brush your teeth.

Breaking a sweat is easier

Plastic is not! The majority of activewear is made using synthetic fiber spandex & polyester. However largely brands advertise that these fibers are recyclable, the truth is far from reality, as just because something can be recycled, it doesn’t mean that it will be recycled. Moreover, each wash of clothes releases microfibres which ultimately end up in the ocean as microplastic. To your surprise, the variety in the organic alternatives of activewear is more than the existing options. Take Bamboo, TENCEL, Eucalyptus, cotton & more which are not only breathable and biodegradable but also durable. On top, its time you effectively ban polyester from your entire wardrobe!

Is that plastic in your breakfast!

So you are done with your morning routine, and it’s time for breakfast and you take out that cereal box, wrapped in plastic, carton of milk (tetra-pack-ed), and packaged shiny apples that you got from the supermarket. Sure, it is a healthy breakfast, but can you make it healthy for our planet as well. Now there is no alternative to breakfast cooked by your mom, but you can still opt for a brand offering minimum or recyclable packaging. Tetra packs, on the other hand, are not recyclable as opposed to popular opinion. The mix of material used to make these packs are impossible to separate & hence they can only be down-cycled to another plastic by-product. Purchasing such goods from the local dairy, fruit, and vegetable vendor or farmer's market will not only get you absolutely fresh products but you can also cut down on the excessive packaging as well as the carbon footprint of transport.

Make your own Fashion Trend

As Edith Head says “You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it”, you can accomplish a sustainable lifestyle if you simply dress sustainable. Thanks to our awaken conscience, we are aware of all the adverse effects of fast fashion on the environment. The debate of defining a completely sustainable clothing piece is evolving every day, meanwhile, you can switch to the closest alternative. A shedload of brands are making beautifully designed garments using organic fabrics that can appease any fashion-forward soul. At the same time, any mass-produced garment has mass production of cut-outs, so choose a fabric instead & get a one-of-its-kind dress tailored.

Taper the emission

When you know better, do better. Despite hearing the term car-pooling for over a decade now, if you haven’t put it into practice then let’s talk about the monetary benefits you would gain. With the recent spike in fuel prices, just imagine how much you can save if you ditch your personal cab or car and opt for a shared cab or carpooling. Further, carpool websites & apps have made it a piece of cake with the introduction of petro card recharges that enable us to share fuel prices without even indulging in awkward conversations.

Try to go as vegan as possible

Don’t let this scare you into thinking that you immediately have to throw all your meat and dairy out of the window and go tofu shopping. Veganism isn’t just contained to the dietary aspect alone. In fact, we believe if you can lay hands on ethical dairy farming, wherein animals are well taken care of, there’s nothing like it. Moreover, on a daily basis, we use a lot of products ranging from shoes to cosmetics which not only inflicts cruelty on animals but produces a huge quantity of waste as well. The first step is to switch to the vegan alternatives of these products. The increasing consciousness around sustainable living and veganism is compelling major lifestyle brands to come up with sustainable product range, so don’t worry about running out of options in your pursuit of a more earth-friendly lifestyle.

Nobody ever loved Paperwork

Now you’re in the middle of a super busy day and you print out some really important documents for your presentation, but before you press the print button, just sit back and think, do you absolutely need to print the document? Can you not refer to it on your laptop or tab? And even if you have to share it, can you not do it via email? If you can actually do without printing the documents, maybe don’t go for it. Giving up physical books in favour of kindle, or making oneself digitally literate to reduce the consumption of paper are not changes that can be done overnight. Make your transition to a sustainable lifestyle an incremental one.

Make your Laundry Green

This weekend before you tackle the heap of laundry, give a thought to the type of washing machine you are using. A top load washing machine uses 4 times the water used by a Front-load machine. Don’t let a teeny difference in cost weigh you down considering the energy you will save using a front-load machine. Studies also show that front-load machines are gentler on clothes than top load, which means your favorite dress will be with you for longer.

Recycling: A moral Code

It is the demand of consumers that makes suppliers work in a particular direction. If you have doubts about a brand advertising sustainability, ask away, no genuine brand will shy away from being transparent with their customer. Be active & aware of where the waste from your locality goes & how it is treated. More you ask, the more it gets done!

So you see even the most preliminary part of our routine can be made more sustainable by merely tweaking some of our daily habits. Don't be too hard on yourself immediately, take it slow so that you’re able to sustain this transition in the long run. Always keep yourself motivated by recognizing the fact that even the simplest step you take towards a sustainable lifestyle, makes the world a better place to live in.