Sustainable living is not one-size-fits-all. When I first decided I wanted to live more sustainably I turned to social media and got a very ~curated~ picture of what sustainability looks like. In reality no two sustainable lifestyles look the same. This post includes 100 different big and little things that you can do to live more sustainably. Most of these ideas don’t require buying anything new (and most of these ideas will actually save you money).
Something to keep in mind before reading through all of these tips is don’t try to boil the ocean. The most effective way to live sustainably is to make sustainability a habit. Start small, pick a few areas or tips where you want to start, and build up from there.
My golden rules
1. Use what you already have (if there’s anything you take away from this post, make sure it’s this tip)
2. Take care of what you have
3. Swap before you shop
4. Buy used
5. Buy only what you need
6. Remember your reusables
Sustainable Living In The Kitchen
7. Eat the food you buy (reduce your food waste!!)
8. Eat less meat (try meatless Mondays or eat one meal a day without meat)
9. Eat food grown locally
10. Eat produce that’s in season
11. Buy loose (package-free) produce
12. Get mesh bags for your produce if you like you stay organized
13. Shop the bulk bins for dry goods (bring your own jars/containers if possible – if you can’t, try to use paper bags instead of plastic)
14. Get creative with food waste recipes (beet green, carrot top or celery green pesto is my favorite)
15. Learn to recycle responsibly in your area
16. Try composting (read my post about how I compost in college here)
17. Learn to cook your favorite snacks and foods package-free (make popcorn in a pot, make your own granola or granola bars, make your own trail mix – all with ingredients from a bulk section)
18. Use reusable “paper” towels instead of paper towels
19. Use cloth napkins instead of paper napkins
20. Buy concentrated cleaning products
21. Use beeswax wrap instead of plastic wrap
22. Reuse plastic takeout containers
23. Collect film plastic (what bread comes wrapped in) to recycle it. Find where to do it near you at plasticfilmrecycling.org
Sustainable Living In The Bathroom
24. Take shorter showers
25. Turn off the sink when you brush your teeth
26. Use a bamboo toothbrush
27. Use bar soap instead of foaming hand soap
28. Buy package free shampoo and conditioner (read my honest review of LUSH bars here)
29. Or buy shampoo and conditioner in bulk
30. Try package free face & body products (I like Little Pot of Energy and Amazon Primer from LUSH)
31. Buy TP wrapped in paper, not plastic
32. Use cotton swabs with paper sticks instead of plastic
33. Use a safety razor
34. @ period-having humans: use tampons with cardboard applicators instead of plastic
35. @ period-having humans: use organic cotton tampons
36. @ period-having humans: use a menstrual cup
37. @ period-having humans: use period underwear (like Thinx)
Living Sustainably At Home (In General)
38. Buy furniture/decor secondhand (I got these Anthropologie pillowcases from the Goodwill Outlet and saved over $100)
39. Turn off the lights when you leave a room
40. Use natural light during the day instead of overhead lights or lamps
41. Unplug appliances and chargers when you aren’t using them
42. Keep your thermostat at a consistent temperature each season
43. Use matches instead of lighters
44. Get bills delivered electronically
45. Unsubscribe from junk mail (learn more here)
46. If you have a pet, use compostable poop bags
47. Have pollution-fighting plants (like pothos, snake plants or spider plants)
48. Use rechargeable batteries
On The Go Sustainability
49. Use reusable straws
50. Use your own to-go cup / mug for coffee or tea
51. Bring a utensil kit (make sure it’s bamboo if you want to take it on a flight!)
52. Use toothpaste tabs or tooth powder so you don’t need travel-sized toothpaste tubes
53. Use a reusable liquids bag when you fly (I love my stasher bag)
54. Bring tupperware when you go out to eat to take leftovers home with you
55. Be conscious of Instagram Tourism
Transportation
56. Walk
57. Bike
58. Carpool
59. Take public transportation
60. If you use ride-share apps, use the carpool option
61. Consolidate your transportation needs (run all your errands in one trip instead of a few trips throughout the week)
62. When flying: take direct flights to reduce your emissions (takeoff and touchdown take much more fuel than cruising at altitude)
63. When flying: pack light (more weight = more fuel = more emissions)
Sustainability In Your Closet
64. Wear what’s already in your closet
65. Buy secondhand
66. Swap with friends
67. Rent instead of buy
68. Donate responsibly when you no longer want your clothing
69. Sell your old clothing to friends
70. Sell your old clothing on apps like Poshmark or DePop
71. Recycle your clothes when they’ve reached their end of life (read my blog post about brands who ~actually~ recycle your clothes & reward you for it here)
72. Only wash your clothes when they need to be washed (spot clean, hang to air out, or hand wash instead)
73. Wash your clothes in cold water
74. Hang dry your clothes
75. Wash synthetic materials in mesh bags to catch micro-plastics (or try a cora ball)
76. Learn to mend your clothing
77. When you buy new, try to buy natural materials (cotton, linen, hemp, etc.) that will eventually decompose
78. Support brands that are transparent about their sustainability initiatives
Live Sustainably Through Learning
79. In college: rent textbooks
80. In college: buy online textbooks
81: In college: buy used textbooks
82: Take college courses related to the environment (environmental policy, oceanography, sustainable business, intro to environmental studies, etc.)
83: Read books about the sustainability (I’m reading “This Changes Everything” by Naomi Klein right now, but I also loved “Give A Shit” by Ashlee Piper)
84. Listen to Ted Talks about sustainability, sustainable innovation, the climate crisis or the power of individual action (I like the Ted Talks Daily podcast on Spotify)
85. Listen to podcasts on sustainable lifestyles or sustainable shopping (I love Live Planted and Conscious Chatter)
86. Watch documentaries about sustainability and the climate crisis (check out some of my favorites here)
Other
87. Register to vote
88. Vote for candidates with comprehensive climate agendas
89. Communicate with your elected officials (national, state, and local) about why sustainability is important to you and what changes you’d like to see
90. Volunteer with environmental organizations in your area
91. Volunteer at local beach cleanups (if you live by a beach)
92. Talk to your family about sustainability (or share this post with them!)
93. Talk to your friends about sustainability
94. Talk to your coworkers about sustainability
95. Work sustainability into your job, whatever your position or company may be (print less documents, encourage meeting snacks/drinks to have less packaging or be recyclable, start a company-wide recycling program if there isn’t one already, etc.)
96. Buy products from companies with sustainable practices
97. Buy products with sustainable packaging (reusable, compostable, or recyclable packaging)
98. Ask companies about their sustainability practices
99. Download Ecosia (a search engine that uses their ad revenue to plant trees)
100. Practice #Take3ForTheSea whenever you are outside
I hope this post gives you some inspiration to make some sustainable changes to the way you live! Remember that nobody is expecting you to do all of these 100 things by tomorrow morning. Look through this list, pick a few things you can see yourself working into your routine, and then commit to making them habits.
6 Responses
Such a good post!! Will *try* to start on some of the points I haven’t done yet.
So glad you found this helpful!
I love this post & how you broke it up into categories! I will definitely be implementing many of these in my daily life.
http://alexagmarsh.blogspot.com
So glad you found it helpful!
These tips are a great reminder for me.
Thanks for sharing such valuable tips! However, it appears that you didn’t include tips for reducing water consumption, which is one of the most crucial steps towards sustainable living. A leaking toilet is one of the most common reasons for using too much water, and sometimes, there is no clear sign of a leaking toilet – not all leaks are that obvious. One thing you can try is adding some food coloring to the tank before you go to bed. When you use it in the morning, check if any of the colored water has seeped into the bowl. If it has, there’s a hidden leak that needs to be fixed.