8 Ways to Live More Sustainably

Does anyone remember the 3r's campaign of the 90s?

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

I remember that mantra from about middle school on, and now that we're in 2020 and STILL discussing how to reduce our consumption and save the planet, it's pretty mind-boggling. At least in some ways.

People seem to fall into one of three camps when it comes to environmentalism:

• Hardcore environmental activists
• Middle of the road who do what they can
• Don't care at all

It's not surprising that there are people who don't care about the environment. Now that I live in an urban metropolitan area, I see garbage discarded on the streets daily. People in my complex fill the recycling bins with waste or items not recyclable (in fact, there's a list on the container of acceptable items).

While I'm not a hardcore environmental activist, I care about the environment and about doing my part. I take these small steps each day to reduce my impact on our world:

1. Use reusable water bottles

I have a 32 oz and two 15 oz bottles, and all or a combination of them are with me at all times. I refuse to buy or use single-use plastic bottles, and I travel with these bottles on both domestic and international trips to refill on the go. Not only does it save me money, but I also use far less plastic in return.

2. Use reusable utensils

I used to use plastic utensils daily at work. Breakfast, snacks, and lunch usually consisted of at least one utensil (if not more). One day, I counted how many forks, spoons, and knives I used and then multiplied that by the five days I worked. The number astounded me. I immediately purchased a reusable bamboo set to keep at the office, and eliminated single-use plastics from my workday. Sure, I had to get up and wash the utensils after each use, but what's a little effort compared to a massive reduction in plastic?

3. Set my thermostat to eco mode

Since COVID-19 sent us all to work from home, it's harder to implement eco mode during the workweek. Eco mode keeps the temperature higher in the summer when I'm not home, but being home all day due to the pandemic prevents that mode from working. I do my best to monitor when the air comes on and adjust it depending on my own body temperature.

4. Bring reusable canvas grocery bags to the store

Everyone seems to be giving these away for free, so while I purchased a few initial bags, I received a handful for free. These help me save on plastic and paper bags, and most of these are sturdier and can carry more weight (thereby needing less). I always keep a handful in my car, so I don't have to worry about not having them when I go shopping.

5. Recycle as much as possible

Anything recyclable in my city goes straight to recycling and avoids the garbage bin. I try to have the least amount of waste possible, and my recycling is typically overflowing. I spend a few moments rinsing out cans or containers, and then they go straight into recycling.

6. Drive as little as possible

Los Angeles is not a walkable city, so I'm almost always driving somewhere. And if you know anything about LA, it's the awful traffic we deal with every day. I learned that I needed to be strategic about any trip in the car to 1. save on gas and 2. maximize my time. Now, I combine any trip out with other errands for the day. I'll go to the gym, the bank, and the grocery store in one trip, and I plan the route to avoid driving all over the city. My Camry also has excellent highway gas mileage, so if an unclogged freeway is close by, I'll head onto it instead of using surface streets.

7. Eat less (or no) meat

I've been a vegetarian for about 11 years, though I'll admit while it was a preference, it does help the environment. Studies state that by reducing our meat consumption, we reduce our carbon emissions. Now, there are some studies and articles about how we should all be vegan to help the planet, but even one or two meatless days a week could have a significant impact. According to an article on economist.com, "going vegan for two-thirds of meals could cut food-related carbon emissions by 60%"! Of course, every study is different, and there are dissenting articles, but what if everyone went vegetarian for even one day a week?

8. Reduce spending on fast fashion or non-essential items

If the global pandemic taught me anything, it's that I buy far more than I need. I rotate through the same shorts and tank tops each week, get a workout from home or outside, and entertain myself without spending hundreds of dollars. I don't need to go to the mall to keep myself busy and, now that I'm considering a digital nomad life, don't need unnecessary trinkets or tools.

It's nearly impossible to live 100% sustainably in this world (though there are people who do!). I do or consume things that aren't the most environmentally friendly, but what if everyone could take one or two of these actions each day or week? Think of the potential impact we would have on our local or global environment if everyone could at least try. We might live in a much different world.