How To Be More Sustainable At Home: Top Ten Tips

Yep, the rumours are true. It’s cool to be kind… to the environment. From our oceans to trees to the fresh air around us, our daily lifestyles make a bigger impact than you may think. That’s why making a few home sustainability changes is one of the best things you can do for our world.

Now, we’re not talking about massive changes like decking your house out with solar panels or never using air conditioning again. There are plenty of sustainable choices you can make in your day to day life that are quick and easy to implement and make a huge difference.

Need some inspiration? We’ve got you covered with 10 ways to be more eco friendly at home.

1. Less single use plastic

Single use plastic is one of the top contributors to landfill around the world. Plastic straws fill our oceans and empty water bottles and take-away containers float in the wind. Plastic, unfortunately, isn’t biodegradable, so once it’s out there, it’s out there forever. That means that eventually, there’ll be more rubbish-filled areas than not.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to avoid using single-use plastic throughout the day. Try carrying around a metal reusable straw or cutlery set for those takeaway treats, bringing your own cup when you get your morning cold-brew or latte, or making it a habit to carry around a refillable water bottle so you don’t have to buy bottled water on the go.

2. Switch to energy efficient light bulbs

Energy efficient light bulbs are one of the easiest switches for eco friendly homes. Because they use less electricity to emit the same amount of light as your average light bulb, they last up to twelve times as long. So, you’re saving money spent on electricity, time spent changing light bulbs and reducing your carbon footprint! Win, win, win.

3. Send digital birthday cards

We love celebrating special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, or the arrival of a new baby! And what better way to celebrate someone than with an adorable greeting card?

Unfortunately, as much as our cards are appreciated, they inevitably end up in the trash once the celebration has died down. This ultimately creates a lot of unnecessary landfill as they often aren’t, or can’t be, recycled properly.

Instead, send a digital birthday card with Feel Good Ink. Save trees, reduce waste and donate $2.00 from every card to a charity of your choice. Plus, we bet you’ve never seen designs this good.

4. Shop on marketplace and second hand stores

Moving into a new house or upgrading your furniture? Instead of buying a brand new product from a big brand furniture store that’s made and shipped from overseas, check out some second hand stores or jump on facebook marketplace.

Marketplaces and antique stores are often home to unique, pre-loved furniture that have years of life left in them. And what’s better than a special piece of furniture none of your friends have, that’s also levelled up yoursustainability at home?

5. Ride a bike short distances instead of driving

Did you know that if you chose to ride a bike instead of driving even just once per day, you’d be reducing your transport carbon emissions by 67%?

Riding is a great way to reduce the amount of air pollution you’re creating and live a more sustainable lifestyle. Plus, it’s great exercise, allows you to enjoy fresh air, and you’ll never sit stuck in traffic.

6. Hang your clothes to dry

If you have a backyard or a balcony, and live in a warm enough climate, line-drying your clothes is a no-brainer sustainable switch. You’ll be saving tons of energy by opting out of using a tumble dryer, and your clothes will stay in tip-top shape for longer.

Already switched to line-drying and looking to take a step further? Try washing your clothes on the cold water setting to reduce the amount of energy your washing machine consumes by up to 90%!

7. Use green cleaning products

Every house and business in the world uses cleaning products. That’s billions of litres of chemicals contaminating our wastewater every year, and unfortunately, these chemical compounds won’t break down. Eventually, waterways become too polluted and other areas of the ecosystem such as air, soil and wildlife begin to suffer as well.

If you’re wondering how to be more sustainable when it comes to cleaning, try eco-friendly home cleaning products. These are products that are biodegradable and free from harsh chemicals, as well as usually sold in compostable or reusable packaging.

8. Use your leftovers

No need to toss out your veggie scraps or your browning bananas - repurpose them instead. Got carrot tops or vegetable peels? Use them to make a veggie stock. Excess onions, cabbage or cucumbers? Time to get pickling! As for those bananas? Freeze them to pop in a smoothie or make a delicious banana bread that’ll have you waiting for your next bunch to go brown.

9. Compost your food scraps

For those food scraps that you can’t repurpose, using a compost bin is one of the most eco-friendly choices you can make at home. Pop in things like fruit and veggies, nut shells and coffee grounds, and you’ll soon have the basis for healthy soil for use in your garden or house plants.

If you’re not sure what to do with all the fertiliser you’ve created, you can plant your own herb garden! You’ll save yourself having to buy plastic-packed herbs from the supermarket and always have fresh herbs ready to go.

10. Take it one step at a time

So, you’ve read all about how to be more sustainable at home and you’ve got a bunch of great ideas. But remember, you don’t have to do everything at once. Even just one small change can do wonders for the environment and help you be a little more eco friendly at home.

Once you’ve got one thing down pat, try another and so on. Before you know it, you’ll be teaching your friends how to be more eco-friendly at home!