You don't have to live on a farm or in a rural area to enjoy the benefits and rewards of living an eco-friendly, sustainable, and green lifestyle. For the past decade or so, people have decided to toss aside their store dominated lifestyle and reduce their use of Earth's natural resources. Most of the people who are choosing this alternative lifestyle live in the city and suburbs, and have chosen to not rely on store bought goods as much. However, you may be asking yourself this question: How do I live a green and sustainable lifestyle in the city or suburbs? How can I start to move away from consumerism? In this article, we will give you tips and advice on healthy living, as well as guide you through making the transition from consumerism to sustainable living.
What Exactly Is Sustainable And Green Living?
Before we start, you're probably wondering what exactly sustainable and green living is. Sustainable living involves reducing your intake of natural resources and causing the least amount of environmental harm. The idea of sustainable living can be applied to almost every aspect of your daily life. There are many parts involved with living a sustainable and eco friendly lifestyle, and it can affect how and where you live, what kind of food you eat, how much energy you consume, and what kind of things you buy.
As far as housing is concerned, most people who choose to live green construct their homes with renewable and environmentally friendly materials, such as adobe, straw bales, wood, or reclaimed brick and stone. However, when you are living in the city or suburbs, some of those type of building materials may not sit well with the rest of the neighborhood, which means you may need a more urban friendly alternative. You can do this by making your house as energy efficient as possible. Try to add solar panels to your roof and side paneling; it will catch power from the sunlight during the day and release it into your home in the evenings and at night. You can also search for appliances that use less electricity, such as appliances that are marked with the Energy Star mark of approval. You can also use wind power as an alternative energy source
Another aspect of sustainable living is to only use energy that can easily be recycled. You should avoid energy sources such as fossil fuels, which cannot be easily recycled back into the environment. Instead, stick with wind, solar, geothermal, and water power. Make sure that you use the energy in a way that is safe and is not damaging to the environment. Remember, you must leave as small a foot print as possible on the Earth.
Finally, living a green lifestyle requires that you make a major change to your diet. You will need to cut out most store bought food items and instead settle for foods that are lower on the food chain. That means cutting out most meat and dairy products, and also avoiding foods that are heavily processed, such as pre packaged meals. In other words, ditch the cold cuts and stick with a more vegetarian diet. It is best to grow your own food to ensure that the vegetables are free of pesticides and other harmful substances. You can also go to the local farmer's market, but make sure you select vegetables that are organically grown only. By eating locally, you also reduce the chances of pollution by trucks that are carrying food from long distances.
Is Sustainable And Green Living The Right Choice For You?
Choosing to go green is a major decision to make, and requires quite a bit of careful planning. However, it will settle well on your conscious. You are not only helping to preserve the environment, but you yourself are choosing to live in a more healthy and meaningful way. Your contributions to the environment will benefit you in the present time, and will benefit others in the future
If you are someone who doesn't mind cutting back on shopping at food stores, or who doesn't mind trading a healthy vegetarian meal for pre processed fast food, then sustainable living is right for you. If you want to make a positive change on Earth, you can start by living green.
