Sustainability is a big buzzword that you often hear in environmental newsletter, posters, and other platforms. But what does it really mean? Does it simply mean to sustain? And what does it have to do with the environment?
Sustainability is a word that pertains to meeting your everyday needs without creating a negative impact to the future generation. It means that you are making better decisions for a better future. You’re not only thinking about yourself but also the people of tomorrow. A way to have a sustainable lifestyle is through taking care of the environment. It is, after all, the only constant property that the youth of tomorrow will inherit. And we don’t want them to inherit a wasteland filled with damages and regret, right?
The next 22nd of April is the International Mother Earth Day, that’s why we tackled different ways that can help you achieve a sustainable lifestyle right in the comforts of your home. Stand up and make a change today!
1. Better landscaping
The change begins in your backyard. Turn your backyard into a garden where you can plant vegetables, flowers, and even trees. You can do so by starting a compost pile. Take dead leaves to start layering. After that, collect your vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, and other garbage that can be put in a compost pile. By creating a compost pile, you are now making a land that only needs a minimal amount of water and is good for planting vegetables that you can harvest and eat.
2. Better transportation
Gas emission is very harmful to the environment. Your car may be your best friend but it can have a bad impact to the world. It’s bad for the air and it also adds traffic to EDSA. Don’t you just want to wake up and breathe fresh air even if you’re living in the city?
Fortunately, our government have pledged to the United Nations to cut down 70% of its carbon emission by 2030. You can help the government with its mission by making minor lifestyle changes. If your workplace is just a 15-minute ride from home, then why don’t you replace commuting or driving with bike rides. Bike rides will not only help you save money, it can also help you become more physically fit. If riding a bike is not your thing, then opt for carpooling. Ask your office mates if they want to carpool. This saves time, gas, energy, and you can even get to know your office mates better.
3. Better insulation
We live in a tropical country. Even though this means that we have access to the most breathtaking marine life, it still comes with a cost. The heat in our country is a huge tormentor. It’s tempting to just go to the mall, buy an air conditioner, install it, and enjoy a whole afternoon refreshing your news feed in the comforts of cool air.
Though an air conditioner will definitely solve the hot summer weather, the electricity bill after using it will cause a hole in your pocket. Add to that are the many bad effects of using air conditioner to the environment.
Believe it or not, there are ways in which you can have a cooler house without hurting the environment. The first thing that you can do is keep the blinds close to keep the heat from coming in. Next is swap your sheets every now and then. New sheets can keep the freshness in your room. You should also ditch incandescent lights. Incandescent lights are known for wasting 90% of their energy in the heat. Sustainable furniture is also great in conducting better insulation to your home.
4. Better materials
Recycling is still one of the most vital sustainability move. Recycling helps us reuse the waste that we just consumed, decreasing the amount of garbage that we see in the landfill. Renovating is so much easier (and also, cheaper) when you reuse old furniture tools that are lying around in your house. Store up your plastic, papers, tapes, and folder because you might use them again the near future. Google up DIY projects to learn how you can reuse these items.
5. Better choices
Making better consumer choices is another factor to consider. Do you really need to use tons of paper towels for the mess in your kitchen sink? Do you really have to use your air conditioner the whole night? Why don’t you replace your paper towels with a washable cloth? Buy biodegradable trash bags and cups to help us solve our issue with landfill. Those simple baby steps can make a huge impact tomorrow.
6. Better community
Now that you learned some tricks, it’s time to share them with the whole community. Hold a community garage sale where everyone can sell their old things instead of throwing them to the garbage. Spare a piece of your land and turn it to a community garden where kids and adults can both plant and harvest. Making the world a better place will be a lot easier if we are together, hand in hand.
We hope that after reading article, you’ll start making changes for the sake of your son’s son. Again, have a wonderful International Mother Earth Day!
