By Lavleen Kaur,
Everyone wants to change their habits to be more sustainable and healthier, but they don’t know where to begin. People are willing to contribute to improving their own lives, the lives of others, and the environment, but there remains a huge gap between what people wish to do and what they actually do. Therefore, if you wish to live a sustainable lifestyle for yourself, the people around you, and our society, we as individuals must begin making active decisions and modify our lifestyle choices regularly.
While sustainability is often associated with veganism and restricting your diet to only plant-based products, you shouldn’t have to change your entire lifestyle to be healthier and more sustainable. All you must do is be more aware of what you’re eating, where it comes from, and how you deal with the leftover waste. Read on if you want to discover a few simple methods to improve your habits for the environment and yourself.
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- Local & Organic is the way forward – Sustainable living starts with making sustainable food choices. Switch from processed and packaged products to locally available foods. There are lots of places to buy local and organic fruits and vegetables. Prices may be a little pricier, but you’ll know that your money is going to support a local farmer, help the environment and save you from the harmful pesticides and chemicals regularly used in so-called fresh farm products.
- Buy seasonal foods – Instead of buying out-of-season vegetables, find out what items are in season and buy those. Produce that is in season is less expensive and lasts much longer. As science explains, seasonal food has environmental benefits since it uses less energy for artificial heating or lighting, refrigeration, and storage, resulting in lower GHG emissions than fruit and vegetables produced under protection, imported, or stored.
- Switch from plastic to naturally made products – Switching from plastic to natural items may be as simple as using a reusable water bottle or a bamboo toothbrush instead of a plastic toothbrush. Clay pot at home water storage is the best thing you can buy in summers. The same applies to other common household items, such as cups, jugs, shoes, shirts, and rugs, among other things. Not only are they environmentally friendly, but they are also cost-effective and healthful. Also, rather than tossing away the stuff you no longer need, consider reselling or donating them to give them a second life.
- Implement environment sustainability – Start by reducing food waste by shopping carefully and buying only food you know you will eat. You can do this by creating a weekly grocery list and only buying the items that are listed down. Not only will this be economical on your wallet but also be beneficial to the environment. You should also try composting as an option for waste management because it allows the biodegradable waste component to be processed and reduces pollution of the air, water, and land when garbage is converted into compost.
In a nutshell, sustainable eating, making sustainable choices about what products you buy, and sustainably using resources while simultaneously decomposing are the three main pillars that will help you live a sustainable life for better health and a greener environment. And remember, every small step counts!
(The author is Head Dietitian & Founder, Diet Insight. The article is for informational purposes only. Please consult medical experts and health professionals before starting any therapy, medication and/or remedy. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)