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Basket of Organic Vegetables

PERSONAL BEST PRACTICES

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This is one of the simplest ways to help the cause. Practice sustainability in your home and your daily life. This can be done on a small scale, like using reusable bags for groceries, or on a large scale, by supporting candidates for public office and programs that support sustainability.

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SUSTAINABILITY TIPS

A variety of sustainable habits can be easily adopted into anyone's life to help reduce our impact on Earth. Below is a list of sustainable lifestyle tips that we recommend. The list may seem long but the goal behind all of it is to minimize, invest in quality, enjoy the outdoors, and be healthy.

REDUCE (CONSERVE) ENERGY

  • Turn off lights when not in use

  • Unplug appliance when not in use

  • Use natural lighting whenever possible

  • If you have a difficult time remembering to power down devices at the end of a day, consider placing them on a timer or setting them up on a smart strip device.

  • Limit your technology upgrades. By reducing the number of devices (such as computers, phones, and ipads) that we own or upgrade each year, we can significantly reduce our personal demand of fossil fuels for the production, use, and disposal of these products.

  • When shopping for new appliances for your home, compare the energy consumption of each device and include the cost of energy in your decision.

  • Use less heat during winter and wear warmer clothes or use more blankets

  • Use less A/C during summer. Open more windows and wear lighter clothing instead.

  • Turn the TV/electronic devices off and go outside

REDUCE (CONSERVE) WATER

  • Install low flow showerheads, faucets, toilets

  • Limit your shower length to no more than 3-5 minutes daily (or shower every other day)

  • Place a brick or rock in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water utilized per flush

  • If it's yellow, let it mellow (only flush solids or at the end of the day)

  • Use rainwater for watering your plants

  • Turn the faucet off when you brush your teeth

  • Turn the faucet off between washing soap off dishes

  • Sweep up driveway dirt

  • Adopt a storm drain

  • Limit lawn fertilizer

  • Limit lawn watering

  • Replace mowed lawns with native plants for pollinators 

  • Water lawn less often (or not at all)

  • Shrink lawn or have "No Mow" areas

  • Fix leaks

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Use Grey Water:
Collect rainwater or used water from chores such as dishwashing or from the waste tray of your dehumidifier to help facilitate other household needs such as flushing the toilet and watering the flowerbeds. Place a rain barrel under your home's gutters to collect rainwater to use for similar purposes.

REDUCE FOOD WASTE

  • When eating, don't take more than you can eat. A good way to do that is to refrain from using a large plate. Only fill one plate with food.

  • When grocery shopping, make a list of the items you need before you go. Without a list in front of you, you may buy things you already have.

  • Avoid shopping on an empty stomach. It can lead to excess purchases that you may not be able to eat.

  • According to the EPA, 21% of all waste in the landfill is food waste, so limit the amount of food that goes bad by eating what you have first before buying more.

  • Plan your meals ahead of time based on what you already have. If you have some fresh vegetables in the refrigerator that are on the verge of expiring, plan to eat those for dinner instead of heating up frozen food that will last longer or even going out to eat.

  • Purchase bulk foods

  • Purchase local produce

  • Refuse single-use and Styrofoam packaging

  • Attend farmer's markets 

  • Can, freeze, and dehydrate food

  • Learn to cook and bake your own foods

  • Fish or hunt for your own foods

  • Actively eat less meat and more vegetables, whole grains, natural fats, and fruit. 

REDUCE CONSUMER PRODUCTS

  • Purchase less plastic (bags & products)

  • Purchase less decor items for home or office

  • Purchase less kitchen gadgets

  • Purchase less electronic devices

  • Purchase less clothes

  • Purchase less jewelry

  • Purchase less shoes

  • Purchase less makeup

  • Purchase less video games (unless they are streamed online - borrow from a library)

  • Purchase less movies (unless they are streamed online - borrow from a library)

  • Purchase less CD Albums (unless they are streamed online - borrow from a library)

  • Purchase less books (unless they are read online - borrow from a library)

  • Purchase less cleaners (go simple)

  • Have fewer hobbies & purchase less items for your hobbies

  • Purchase less "Memory Tokens" during trips. Memories are not kept in things, they are kept in our hearts.

REUSE/FIX

  • Invest in durable/quality products that will last many years and uses

  • Bring your own bags/containers with you when you shop

    • mesh produce bags

    • cloth bags

    • glass mason jars

    • tin boxes

    • cardboard boxes

  • Invest in a single reusable travel mug and fill with your favorite beverages rather than using a disposable cup

  • Invest in a single reusable water bottle that is made from either glass, plastic, or durable plastic.

  • Invest in high-quality products (clothes, containers, jewelry) that will last many uses

  • Wash and reuse plastic storage bags or containers whenever possible

  • If you no longer want salvageable items (such as furniture, clothing, housewares, jewelry, etc.), give them the opportunity to lengthen their life by donating them to a locally owned thrift store.

  • Purchase second-hand items 

  • Reuse the boxes shipped to your home

  • Invest in durable stainless steel straws, razors, tea strainers, lunch containers, kitchen utensils, etc.

  • Fix broken items before throwing away

  • Sew holes in clothes and continue wearing

  • Refinish old decor items instead of throwing away

RECYCLE

Recycling should always be the second to last-ditch effort. The first is always to own/purchase less. The second is to reuse and fix. The third is to compost. The fourth is to recycle. The very last way is to throw in the landfill. 

  • Instead of throwing all of your waste materials in the trash to be transported to a landfill (or to be burned or thrown into the ocean), recycle everything you can.

    • Paper

    • Cardboard

    • Newspaper

    • Aluminum

    • Glass

    • Plastics (#1-7 depending on your recycling company)

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Compost: 
Avoid a stinky trash can by instituting composting at your home. 

  • Peelings, stems, leaves, and skins from fruits and vegetables and leftovers that cannot be eaten can be added to a mixture of "brown waste" such as leaves, grass clippings, and wood.

  • Proper aeration and mixing of this organic waste can, ultimately, create a nutrient-rich soil used in your garden or landscape.

  • Compost may be managed in a small vessel such as a barrel or in an open-air bin system. 

  • Be sure to check with your town's ordinances to see if they have special requirements for compost piles.

REVIVE

Air Quality:
Improve the quality of the air in your home by instituting a few simple rules:

  • Vacuum regularly using an energy efficient vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.

  • Take shoes off at the entryway and place them on a large mat to avoid tracking in chemicals, dirt and other toxins through your shoes.

  • Keep humidity levels low. This will reduce the mold that develops in the home.

  • No smoking indoors. (Or, at all, if possible!)

  • Nurture houseplants that have air purifying qualities.

  • Avoid synthetic fragrances; use essential oils instead. I love my essential oil diffusers!


Food:

The food you eat and where you shop can have a large impact on the community as well as the global economy.

  • Grow your own: Reduce the stress on the environment from the mass production, packaging, and transportation of most produce by growing your own.  

  • Shop at the farmers market and/or locally owned shops: Support the local economy by purchasing your food products from local merchants. 

  • Preserve your own: During the growing season, when your garden has more food than you can eat, be sure not to let any of it go to waste by canning/preserving produce. 

HOUSE/WORK TIPS

  • Use LED light bulbs

  • Use SMART technology to control heat and AC

  • Have no-mow areas

  • Use windows for fresh air

  • Use high-efficiency appliances

  • Unplug unused appliances 

  • Use natural light over artificial

  • Filter your own water

  • Sign-up for 100% clean energy service

  • Install a clean energy source

  • Set away natural habitat for plants and animals

  • Grow more perennials and natural species

  • Value trees and shrubs for bird habitat

  • Support high-efficiency houses

SHOPPING TIPS

  • Buy only essential items

  • Refuse to buy Styrofoam

  • Refuse to toxic (harmful) cleaners and additives

  • Refuse single-use packaging

  • Support local shops

  • Support local restaurants

  • Telling restaurants, you want recyclable food containers

  • Supporting small businesses that strive for social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency

TRANSPORTATION

  • Bike or walk for commuting

  • Use public transportation

  • Carpool when possible

  • Drive less

  • Invest in a hybrid or electric vehicle

MISCELLANEOUS TIPS

  • Pick-up litter

  • Use a menstrual cup

  • Use reusable feminine pads

  • Use towels over paper towels

  • Use cloth diapers

  • Use glass, wood, metal, or plant-based materials

  • Support local, county, city, state, and national parks, trails, and wildlife areas

  • Support local environmental action groups

  • Volunteer your time to conservation work and education 

  • Participate in a community fruit/herb patch with fruit trees, berries, etc.

  • Self-educate and develop your own environmental actions

  • Actively helping others reduce their ecological footprint

  • Supporting B-Corporations

NATURAL CLEANING TIPS

Store-bought cleaners typically contain dangerous chemicals, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and are packaged in petroleum-based products.

  • Avoid bringing those dangerous fumes and environmental harms into your home by making your own low-impact cleaners.

  • A simple solution of warm water, lemon juice, and vinegar can clean almost any surface. 

  • For additional cleaning properties, add essential oils or baking soda to your cleaner.

 STAYING HEALTHY TIPS

Maintaining personal health and happiness can have lasting impacts on our own personal sustainability and the vitality of our communities, environment, and economy. 

  • Eat whole foods and move your body regularly.

  • Drink plenty of clean water and get fresh air.

  • Take a proactive approach to your health.  Preventive approaches to personal health can reduce your dependency on medication.  The production and distribution of medication have negative impacts on the environment and the medicine in our systems can find its way into local waterways, contaminating the water we ingest and leading to other health issues.​

  • Create boundaries in your life that will limit your stress levels. 

    • Creating filters on your email, practicing meditation, instituting regular personal appointments, and many other techniques can create boundaries that assist in the reduction of stress we experience.

  • Allow yourself to get consistent rest by following a regular bedtime and rising time.

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