Sustainable Living Intro

When some people think of sustainable living they think of people living off in the woods with no power, no running water, and eating nothing but mushrooms and berries they find in the woods. While that may be a form of sustainable living, you do not have to go to such extremes to help the environment and also to help your wallet.

In these difficult and uncertain times, a lot of people are looking to go a more sustainable route mainly to help fight back against rising costs of pretty much everything and also to help with the uncertainty of the understocked shelves at most grocery stores. When you are looking up how to start this journey into sustainable living it can seem like it is impossible to get started, but don’t worry, this lifestyle is achievable on any budget with any skillset. Here are some ways to help you get started:

1. Remember that you don’t have to be perfect

You don’t have to go all in right at the beginning. No one expects you to be able to ditch the grocery store completely or to never treat yourself with your favorite pre-packaged snacks or to eat out once in a while. Start out small, don’t get discouraged, and remember that your mental health is the most important thing. Sustainable living can be a lot of extra work and some days are going to be worse than others. If you need a break, then take a break. No one is going to condemn you for it

2. It’s not just about food

While your grocery budget may be taking the hardest hit right now, don’t limit your sustainability to just your pantry. Making small switches like using those dish towels more instead of paper towels or using washable and reusable plates and cups instead of buying disposable will help save you money in the long run. I know start up costs on certain things can get expensive especially when you are just starting out, but try searching garage sales around you and secondhand stores to get them at a discount. Make the switches small and over time instead of all at once. If there are single-use disposable items that you use everyday, see if there are reusable items that you can get and make the switch when you can.

3. Only buy what you need

I know this one seems like a given, but you would be surprised how much food waste occurs on the consumer side. Don’t splurge on $50 worth of fresh produce when in reality you are only going to use one onion. I know making big changes to your diet all at once sounds like a good idea at the time but you are more likely to fail when making drastic changes than smaller, incremental ones. If you want to start eating fresher food maybe start with some items that don’t go bad within a few days of their purchase.

4. Use what you have

This kind of goes along with number three, but make use of the things you already have before buying new. Learn new recipes that allow you to use things in your pantry that have been in there a while. Learn ways to turn old clothes into something new, whether it be using a needle and thread to make them into something different or even just tearing them up to make reusable rags to use around the house. Cut up empty plastic bottles to use as seed starters instead of buying a tray. Learning to DIY things you need from things you have is a big part of sustainable living.

The journey to sustainable living is one that can be a lot of work and requires learning how to do things in a different way than what you are used to, but it can be fun and rewarding in the end. Take it slow so you don’t burn yourself out and also so you don’t burn through your budget. Let’s take this trip together.