{"id":1076,"date":"2021-04-21T13:01:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-21T13:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.global-kite.com\/?p=1076"},"modified":"2023-10-26T12:58:35","modified_gmt":"2023-10-26T12:58:35","slug":"sustainable-living-10-eco-friendly-tips-to-reduce-your-impact-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.global-kite.com\/index.php\/2021\/04\/21\/sustainable-living-10-eco-friendly-tips-to-reduce-your-impact-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainable Living: 10 Eco-Friendly Tips to Reduce Your Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"

Interested in sustainable living, but don’t know where to start? In this blog post we share some easy way you can make a big difference for the future of our planet.<\/em><\/p>\n

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of over 1000 independent scientific experts, there is a 95% probability that human activities over the past 60 years have warmed our planet significantly, both on land and in the oceans. We have seen this impact firsthand with record-breaking wildfire seasons in the West, surges of strong hurricanes in the South, and the freak Derecho storms across the Plains. The United States, which represents only 5% of the world\u2019s population, is responsible for 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions<\/strong>, only second to China. Single-use plastics are also piling up in our oceans, and by 2050, plastic could outnumber fish in the sea. We don’t want to sound all doom and gloom, but this is the reality we face, and it’s the reason why shifting toward more sustainable living is so important.<\/p>\n

With all of this mounting climate evidence, it can feel totally overwhelming and impossible to know what we as individuals can do to reverse or slow this trajectory. While we as individual consumers are not to blame for the environmental crisis and we need change at a systemic level, it is still important to recognize that we can help change the course for future generations. Small actions taken by many can have large impacts. Sustainable living is key for signaling what kind of world we want to live in. If we, as consumers, put pressure on corporations and governments and demand change for unsustainable practices, they are more likely to switch to a more sustainable business model. One of the easiest ways is to make eco-friendly swaps in our everyday lives, however big or small, to prioritize sustainable living and do our part to positively impact the planet.<\/p>\n

Want to learn about sustainable living? Read our eco-friendly tips below to reduce your impact!<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n
\n
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

What Is Sustainable Living?<\/h2>\n

Sustainable living is a lifestyle that aims to reduce an individual\u2019s carbon footprint on the planet by utilizing less natural resources and less fossil fuels. Our carbon footprint is calculated by the amount of greenhouse gases we produce from lifestyle choices such as what kind of food we eat, what kind of transportation we use, and what we buy. You can calculate your estimated carbon footprint here.<\/a><\/p>\n

By consciously consuming goods, or focusing on what we\u2019re buying and using and how it will affect our planet, we aim to reduce the amount of trash that ends up in our landfills or polluting waterways. As more people (and hopefully, corporations and governments) focus on sustainable living, less fossil fuels will be produced, leading to a smaller overall environmental impact and reduction of greenhouse gases.<\/p>\n

\n

How to Be More Environmentally Friendly Every Day<\/h2>\n

There is an infinite number of ways to live more sustainably, however, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. We recommend starting small and deciding on what area(s) you would like to focus on first and building from there. Sustainable living doesn\u2019t mean doing everything perfectly all the time – making a conscious effort goes a long way! <\/p>\n

Here are some of our top eco-friendly tips to live more sustainably every day. <\/p>\n

1. Ditch Single-Use Plastics<\/h3>\n

Single-use plastic has taken over our landfills, our oceans, and our lives as we prioritize convenience and ease over the health of our planet. We\u2019ve all seen the photos of sea turtles with straws stuck up their noses or whales that have died due to eating plastic bags floating in the ocean. As it currently stands, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050, less than 30 years from now. Plastic is so durable that the EPA reports that every piece of plastic that has ever been made in history still exists today<\/strong>. Mindblowing, right? Especially when you think about the lifespan of your plastic fork from take-out or the straw in your cocktail. The simple act of refusing a plastic straw at a restaurant or plastic bag at the store is a small act of resistance that has a big impact.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s nearly impossible to always avoid single-use plastic – from produce stickers to plastic bags, to plastic shipping packaging\u2026 it\u2019s ingrained in our everyday lives. A good experiment to gauge just how much plastic comes into your life is to collect all of the plastic, single-use items you use in a week – even if you consider yourself eco-friendly, we bet you\u2019ll be surprised at how much adds up over a short period of time. Once the week is over, you can spot patterns or areas where you might be able to reduce your consumption.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Stasher<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Loop<\/a> is a brand looking to eliminate single-use plastics and switch common household items (like shampoo, toothpaste, ice cream, laundry detergent, etc.) from a throwaway model to a circular model – you can buy brands like Clorox, Seventh Generation, and Meow Meow Tweet in reusable metal containers, and ship the container back when you\u2019re done! Zero waste achieved.<\/p>\n

There are tons of simple, eco-friendly product swaps you can make that will reduce the amount of plastic you consume – we\u2019ve listed our favorites below:<\/p>\n