Sustainable living should be a priority for most people nowadays. After all, if we don’t start putting the planet and sustainability first, we could end up in a position that there’s no turning back from.
Fortunately, millions have already taken responsibility for their personal sustainability and made significant changes to their lifestyle. As more people adopt these transformations, greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental dangers will start to lessen. There’s always more that can be done to help move things along quicker, though.
For those who have already embraced this lifestyle, the new year is an opportunity to take your personal sustainability to the next level. You can help make a big difference to the world by doing these four things.
Invest In Renewable Energy Sources
In their journey for personal sustainability, some people will have already invested in renewable energy sources for their homes. However, these still aren’t the norm in households around the world, a fact that needs to change relatively soon.
Given the pandemic and the fact that so many people are spending time at home, it’s more important than ever that changes are made to the way houses use energy. Renewable sources like solar power have come a long way since they were introduced, and using these to generate electricity is far safer for the planet.
It’s believed that over a million homes in the UK now rely on solar energy, while in the US, the figure surpassed 2 million in 2019. The more properties that implement renewable energy sources, the less reliant people will become on fossil fuels. Not only is this a limited resource, but it’s also a danger to the atmosphere, so cutting down our use of it is essential.
Track Your Personal Sustainability
In 2020, a group of people realised that for people to improve their personal sustainability, they need to be able to measure it. If you can see the impact your actions are having, it’s a lot easier to bring about change.
That thought process is what led to the development of PerSus; an app dedicated to tracking a user’s personal sustainability and showing them how to do better. Although it’s in early access at the moment, the app will play a pivotal role in teaching people the importance of changing their lifestyle. It will provide actions to promote sustainable living and allow users to connect with others and follow their sustainability journey. Before long, there should be a whole community of people on the app doing everything they can to save the planet.
Removing Meat From Your Diet
A lot of people associate vegetarianism/veganism with sustainable living. It’s true that there’s a lot of crossover with these two things, and for a good reason. Aside from keeping animals alive, a diet without meat is one that’s also good for the planet. That’s because the production and preparation of meat results in a lot of greenhouse gas emissions. The same goes for dairy too, hence the growing interest in veganism.
This doesn’t mean you suddenly need to ditch all animal products if you’re an avid meat eater. However, it’s definitely a smart idea to cut down on how much of this you consume on a regular basis. Given that meat and dairy are the biggest problem factors for carbon emissions in the agricultural industry, the less of this stuff that’s produced, the better.
Switch Travel Methods
There are over a billion cars in the world, and these vehicles account for almost a tenth of global greenhouse gas emissions. Throw in the emissions from public transport, too, and it’s clear that we need to do more to make travel sustainable.
There are several options available for people right now, one being switching to electric driving. Unlike regular cars, these vehicles are powered by a battery that needs to be recharged every so often. The fact that they don’t require fuel means that carbon emissions aren’t an issue, making them a lot safer to use. Unfortunately, these cars haven’t been adopted by the masses yet because they’re more expensive and charging ports aren’t commonplace.
If you’re not yet convinced to switch to electric driving, you might want to try another travel alternative. There are many instances in our lives when we can get from A to B by walking or cycling instead of using a car. While this might already be something you do as part of your sustainability journey, it’s vital that you rely on these safer mods of travel at every opportunity. If you only use cars or public transport when it’s absolutely necessary, you’ll really be doing the planet a favour.
No-one ever said that sustainable living was easy, but we need to make these changes if we want to do right by our planet. If you’re not currently doing anything suggested above, then 2021 is the year to start.
Read More:
Eco-friendly camping gear: the ultimate sustainable camping packing list
What are sustainable use practices?
Sustainable looks: how to develop eco-friendly beauty routine this year
The social impact of sustainable fashion
