Have you always wanted to make informed lifestyle choices but get too overwhelmed with the amount of information there is to process? Most of us don’t want to cause conscious damage to our environment, but we resort to it because it feels like a sustainable lifestyle is unattainable. How much could you keep track of? If this sounds like you, you may have stumbled upon the right article.
Sustainable living isn’t as complicated as it seems. Indian households have been practising it for generations. Be it the usage of cloth bags, or stainless steel utensils, we’ve always found safer alternatives. Of course, that was until manufacturing plastic became easier and cheaper. Not only has plastic found its way to our supermarkets and homes, but the mountains and ocean as well. While regulations and policies need to be in place for sustainable development, it shouldn’t stop us from doing our bit.
Here are 5 easy ways you can reduce your carbon footprint starting today:
1. Reduce plastic usage
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Although this is a no brainer at this point, you’d be surprised to find out how many of our weekly groceries come packaged in plastic. Take a cloth bag for your grains and look for alternative brands that have eco-friendly packing. Don’t use plastic straws, or buy water bottles. (If you do, use the right disposal method)
Brown Living, is a great portal that curates eco-friendly, plastic-free products in India.
2. Say no to fast fashion
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In a time where every occasion demands a new outfit, it’s hard to convince people that they don’t need 30 pairs of trousers or shoes. Repetition of clothing needs to be normalised. You also don’t need to invest in brands that use cheap, toxic dyes, or support sweatshops to look fashionable. Buy from homegrown, slow fashion brands who are conscious of what goes into their fabric and ensure their employees are paid a fair price for it. Alternatively, if you’re on a budget, the Instagram thrift store saves the day! You find affordable clothing without compromising on fashion or the environment.
Here are a few you can check out:
Thrift India, Panda Picked Store, Mumbai Thrifts, Assortments 2.0, Thrift N Thrive, and Super Vintage to name a few.
3. Conserve energy
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If it’s impossible to install solar panels on your roof, consider reducing unnecessary usage of electricity. We are all guilty of charging our devices overnight or running the a/c when it is avoidable. Switch to lesser energy-consuming appliances and limit your usage. Read more about energy sustainability here.
4. Regulate your meat intake
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You don’t have to be vegan or vegetarian to reduce the harmful impact of the meat industry - which is one of the highest contributors to methane emission. It has been estimated that over 200 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents are released by Indian livestock each year. This results in an energy loss increase in the surface temperature and harms the environment. Try limiting your consumptions few times a week and exploring alternative recipes that are still exciting.
5. Avoid personal transportation
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It’s almost everybody’s dream to own a car. With private (school, college and office buses) and public transportation increasing connectivity, usage of personal vehicles lean towards luxury rather than sheer necessity. If cycling is too extreme for you, settle with carpooling or taking private or public transportation to your destination. You could even consider investing in an electric bike or car.
Where do I begin?
Keeping up with a sustainable lifestyle involves unlearning consumer conditioning. That means, taking the time to change your buying behaviour.
1. Be conscious of what you consume. Take the time to evaluate its necessity, and what goes into making it.
2. Support local markets, brands and restaurants.
3. Find sustainable alternatives. Know that not everything ‘green, ‘eco-friendly’, or ‘non-toxic’ is sustainable. While these are good, to begin with, sustainable products and businesses emphasize not compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. The jargon associated with this concept has been used to its marketing advantage and to provide the consumer with superficial satisfaction, rather than doing good. Learn more about these classifications here.
4. If the market fails to provide you with viable options, make your own. Yes, that means you don’t need to buy cloth bags to take to the supermarket. Find a sturdy, old t-shirt, and customise your new shopping bag. This is also a great way to keep kids engaged and cultivate the habit when they’re young.
5. If something’s broken, it can be fixed. Wabi-Sabi - a traditional Japanese aesthetics is a worldview centred on accepting imperfection. Not everything needs to be thrown away and replaced. Be mindful of where you’re disposing purely for the sake of convenience.
6. If you’re visiting home and happen to find spices stored in tiny coffee jars, your parents are already doing it right. When you stop buying products with plastic packaging, you will notice that a lot of them come packed in glass or other high-quality materials. These can be reused as storage containers.
7. I can’t emphasise the need for recycling. Not all of us can afford to buy sustainable alternatives to all our groceries. But if we can regularly recycle the plastic bottles or containers, food and beverage cartons or even our cans and tins, we would be making a significant difference. Always ensure you minimise and segregate your waste responsibly. Here’s a list of organisations that are making recycling easier.
Most importantly, understand that this lifestyle change is a huge step. It needs to be inducted gradually, to you and your family. The progress isn’t linear so don’t be discouraged or be afraid to make mistakes for as long as you learn to make better ones in the future. And remember, every bit helps.