50 Easy Ways to Be Sustainable

I love lists! Lists saved my life in college, between juggling being a student, an RA, an active student leader and involved in lots of organizations, I made weekly lists of what needed to get done that week. I have a list of New Years Resolutions for the year 2017. So yes, I'm a "list person."
There are many people, like me, who feel soothed when they see a list, so I made a list of ways you can be sustainable! (Please do not be overwhelmed by this large number, start small!)

1. Use a reusable water bottle, or be fancy with a mason jar and opt out of plastic water bottles.
2. Compost your food waste to divert it from a landfill.
3. Shop local, support small business and the local economy instead of large corporations.
4. Buy Fair Trade products like clothing, coffee or chocolate.
5. Donate your cloths, toys and household items rather than throwing them in
the dumpster.
6. When you go to a coffee shop, bring your own reusable mug.
7. Go vegan or vegetarian, if that's too much, go meatless one day a week...it makes a difference!
8. Unplug your electronics when you're not using them, it still uses electricity when plugged in.
9. Start going electronically rather than using paper for taking notes or doodling.
10. Do not use Styrofoam products, they are the absolute worst for the environment!

A meatless, locally sourced meal. Yum!

11. At the very least, don't litter...pick up trash on the side of the road or a beach clean up.
12. Skip the plastic bag, invest in a reusable cloth bag.
13. Skip plastic utensils and paper plates, but a sturdy pair of reusable kitchen utensils.
14. Have your own garden and grow your food.
15. Support local farmers and check out a farmers market, lots of good foods.
16. Eat your leftovers or make something new of them, don't just throw it away if it's still good.
17. Recycle...it's really easy and anyone can do it. Just learn how to do it properly.
18. Carpool, bike, walk or use public transportation to reduce carbon emissions.
19. When fishing, do so sustainably and don't spread aquatic invasive species.
20. Cook more...take out less. Take out equals more waste from packaging.
21. For gifts, choose a bag that can be reused over wrapping paper that gets immediately thrown away.
22. Cook with more fruits and veggies, fresh foods, and less from a can.
23. Skip bottled water, drink tap water.
24. Conserve water, don't have the faucet unnecessarily have the faucet running.
25. Try making your own shampoo, laundry detergent and other household items using natural ingredients and skip the chemicals.
26. When you buy honey, ditch the bear from the store and buy raw honey at a farmer's market.
27. Buy your meet locally, even better, from someone you know...better to know where your food comes from.
28. Don't use pesticides on your lawn and plants, it's bad for bees that can naturally help your garden.
29. Use LED lightbulbs.
30. Take your shower in five minutes or less, that's all it really takes to get the dirt off and soap up.
31. Try canning your food...jams, pickles...everything tastes better when you make it yourself.
32. Become a minimalist, do you really need to take all those freebies from places you know you'll never use?
33. Printing something, think first. Does it really need to be printed?
34. Ditch plastic...reuse as much as you can.
35. Set goals to reduce how much you waste each week, get as close to zero waste as you can.
36. Think simple, instead of spending lots of money and buying gifts that might not be used a lot, think of creative activities and experiences you can do with your loved ones, like camping or nature walks.
37. Watch documentaries like "No Impact Man" or "Cowspiracy" to inspire you.
38. Eat less packaged food, not only less waste, but typically food that is not packaged is better for you.

Most places make it easier

to refill you water bottle with

hydration stations.

39. Try to cut out fast food restaurants, their practices are typically not sustainable. For fast food try Chipotle, good for you and tastes great!
40. Simple, but turn of the lights when you leave a room. At night dim your lights and use less lighting to get ready for bedtime, even use candles to save even more electricity.
41. Invest in more efficient appliances that save water and energy.
42. Fix things that are leaking, that will save a lot of otherwise wasted water.
43. Smart landscaping, think more natural and less atheistic. Natural looks better anyway.
44. Properly recycle your electronics and batteries, they will take them somewhere-just do your research.
45. Borrow more, buy less. Books, check out a library. Clothes, swap with your friends or siblings.
46. Wash with cold water when possible when doing your laundry, to cut back on heating costs.
47. Adjust your thermostat appropriately to cut back on heating and cooling expenses.
48. Attend educational events that provide tips on being sustainable and share that knowledge with friends, the best thing to do is pass on the knowledge to others.
49. Do your research and learn from others, constantly improve your lifestyle to be more sustainable.
50. Get involved, be an active member in your community and advocate for the environment!

My tip: start small, choose three of these ways that you currently don't do, but could easily fit into your lifestyle. Try adding one a week, and by the end of the year you will have completed all 50 and will be living a much more sustainable lifestyle! There are definitely more than 50 ways to be sustainable, and as long as you're trying to help the planet, that is a big difference.