A BRIGHTer FUTURE

When I think of the future,I think of the future generations and in what state we leave our planet on their hands.
Environmental sustainability doesn’t mean living without luxuries but rather being aware of your resource consumption and reducing unnecessary waste.

Sustainable living is a lifestyle that attempts to reduce an individual’s or society’s use of the earth’s natural resources and personal resources. Practitioners of sustainable living often attempt to reduce their carbon footprint by altering methods of transportation, energy consumption, and diet.

So what we can do?

REDUCE HOUSEHOLD ENERGY USE by turning off appliances and lights you are not using,use a programmable thermostat that lowers or raises the temperature when you’re not home,open windows to allow breeze in instead of using air conditioning,hang clothes to dry instead of using a dryer,replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs).

BUY FOOD LOCAL AND IN SEASON The convenience of supermarkets has changed how people think about food. You can stroll through aisles stocked with fruits, vegetables, and other products from all over the world any time of year. But these products consume huge amounts of fossil fuel energy to get from those global locations to your corner supermarket.

DRINK TAP WATER Dependence on bottled water has added more than a million tons of plastic to the waste stream every year. One reason people rely on bottled water is because they believe it’s safer and better tasting than tap water. But most municipal water supplies in the U.S. provide safe, clean, fresh water (and many bottled waters are just bottled from city water supplies anyway).
If you don’t like the flavor of your tap water, consider the one-time investment in a filtration system. If you like the convenience of bottled water, purchase refillable bottles and keep one in your fridge, one in your car, and one at the office. Encourage your employer to install filters and offer glasses or reusable bottles at work, too.

Applying a ZERO WASTE LIFESTYLE,which is a highly booming trend,that I currently also try to achieve.The Zero Waste consists and reducing waste,and living as minimal as possible. That means to STOP BUYING PLASTIC if possible,and RECYCLE all the plastic you bring home(so yes,you do have to check all the products containers if they are recyclable in your area). Plastic is highly toxic,so try to avoid it at all costs.So pretty much invest in reusable instead of disposable (razor,plates,forks,cups,plastic bags,etc)

SAVE WATER An easy way to live more sustainably is to conserve household water use. Consider installing water-efficient toilets or dual-flush toilets that let you choose whether to use a full flush (for solid waste) or half-flush (for liquid waste). Newer clothes washers can automatically sense the smallest level of water needed for each load.
Smaller changes, such as switching to water-saving shower heads and adding aerators to your sink faucets, are also effective ways to significantly reduce household water use.
To conserve water outdoors, use landscaping adapted to your local environment. When buying plants, look for drought-tolerant species and varieties and be sure to plant them in proper soil and sun conditions to reduce their need for excess watering. Set up sprinkler systems so they don’t water the sidewalk, the driveway, and other paved, impermeable surfaces.

COMPOST if is possible,all biodegradable waste.

BUY durable products,invest in quality over quantity.

REUSE and REPURPOSE as much as possible,don’t just buy new.

Try to RESELL clothing and children’s things through a secondhand or consignment retailer or consider to DONATE all unwanted items.There are many donations centers that take a lot of items,and some of them even come pick them up for free if they are bigger(coach,car,fridge,etc).I even noticed at Walmart few days ago,that you can donate eyeglasses,for people who can’t afford them.

RECYCLE everything possible.Check what your local recycling program take, if not try to find centers for other items(electronics,batteries,etc)

I recycle my clothes to H&M and I get a 15%coupon and I buy new ORGANIC CLOTHES (buy organic cotton and other sustainable fiber as lyocell,bamboo,etc)

BUY HANDMADE AND ARTISANAL GOODS Handcrafted Products Are Green.Work done by hand takes less energy than a mass production assembly line, which makes it more environmentally sustainable(unless shipped overseas).It also creates jobs.It’s also better quality,unique, and it makes you appreciate more,and make it last longer.Buying local goods,builds a stronger community.

handmade in Mexico handbag by Hand Of The South

handmade ethnic Indian shoes by Shoe O’Clock

Stormie Dreams handmade of recycled plastic

PURCHASE FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS When you purchase items that are imported from all over the world — particularly coffee, cocoa, sugar, tea, chocolate, and fruit — look for the fair-trade certification. This designation tells you that these items were grown using sustainable methods of agriculture and that local people are receiving fair prices for the goods they produce.
Items that don’t have the fair-trade certification may have been produced unsustainably and may be the product of exploitative labor practices that don’t benefit the local people.

PLANT A TREE As you probably know,currently,we cut more forest than it grows,so any tree you’ll plant,is making oxygen for us to breathe.Also plant seeds and grow your own food if possible.Simply plant a few seeds in a corner of your yard or in a container on your porch or windowsill. A few square feet on a patio, along the driveway, or in a window box can provide enough space to grow edible herbs, fruits, and vegetables.I live in a building so I grow my own herbs.

EAT LESS(OR NO)MEAT Going vegetarian has the same impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions as if you trade in a regular car for a hybrid. The process of making a pound of commercial meat uses ten times more energy than making a pound of beans or grains.