8 Easy Ways To Be More Eco-Friendly

There are many simple ways in which you can be more sustainable. Most of them don't even cost a penny. Try them out. They'll soon become second nature to you.

1. Go strawless

When at a restaurant or party ask for your drink without a straw. Refusing to use that one bit of plastic every time you go out really makes a difference (search YouTube for "straw in turtle nose" to see what a single straw can do to harm sea life).

2. Bring reusable bags to the grocery (or any other) store

If you don't already do this, you should really start. It's extremely simple to do and greatly reduces your environmental impact. They are sometimes giving reusable bags away at big events (like outdoor events where different companies have booths) or you can ask your friends and family if they have any extras that they would be willing to give you if you don't have any already and don't want to purchase any.

3. Eat less meat and other animal products

Being vegan, vegetarian, or pescatarian is a big lifestyle change so, if you are unable to/not willing to do that, try reducing the amount of animal products that you consume. Before I became vegetarian (technically pescatarian, but I only eat fish occasionally) we had meatless Mondays, where, as the name suggests, we didn't eat any meat on Mondays. If you are vegan for 30 days (either separate or in a row), you save 33,000 gallons of water, 1,200 pounds of grain, 900 square feet of forest, 600 pounds of CO2 (a greenhouse gas), and 30 animal lives. If you are vegetarian for 30 days (either separate or in a row) you save 17 animal lives and 134 pounds of CO2, plus lots of water, grain, and forest, although not as much as vegans.

4. Don't use single-use plastic bottles

Instead of single-use plastic bottles, try to remember to always bring one from home. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just any random water bottle you have lying around your house. If you don't have any and don't want to buy one, refer to number two on this list for places where you may be able to get one for free.

5. Bring Tupperware with you to restaurants

When you go out to eat and know you usually have leftovers, bring some Tupperware from home to pack it up instead of using the disposable containers they give you. Like with the water bottles, they don't have to be anything fancy, just what you have lying around.

6. Use reusable cutlery instead of disposable plastic cutlery

To avoid having to use disposable cutlery, keep some reusable ones in your purse, backpack, or other bag you take almost anywhere with you. It doesn't have to be a special travel set, only a random fork, spoon, and optional knife or chopsticks from your silverware drawer. Also, when you order takeout, try asking for it without any cutlery. Although they won't always listen, it'll make a big difference when they do.

7. Take shorter, cooler showers and turn of the water while brushing your teeth

Although it doesn't see like much, taking shorter, cooler showers and turning of the faucet while brushing your teeth will save water, energy used to heat the water, and of course, it'll reduce your water bill too.

8. Walk, bike, take public transit, or carpool when you can

Obviously, most cars burn fossil fuels and produce greenhouse gases in the process. Reduce your emissions by walking or biking when you can, and carpooling or taking public transit when going somewhere farther away. This reduces emissions because walking and biking don't emit any greenhouse gasses and public transit or carpooling while still producing some greenhouse gasses, splits the emissions between many people.

Now that you know some simple ways to reduce your environmental impact, I hope you apply them to your daily life in an effort to make our future more sustainable. Please subscribe so that you get notified whenever I publish a new post. You can leave a comment down below if you have any suggestions for what I should post next. Also, I would greatly appreciate it if you shared this blog with your friends. Each additional person that this blog reaches is another step in the right direction towards a more sustainable future.