As the threat of climate change increases, the world is finally waking up to the dangers our environment and the plant and animal life that depends on it, now face. And that has incited deep interest in the sustainability movement.
But how do you cultivate a truly sustainable lifestyle without breaking the bank? The good news is that there are many ways to embrace sustainability while on a budget. This article describes some best practices for being both earth-friendly and economically savvy.
Choose Budget-Friendly Eco Upgrades
One of the first and most important things you can do to practice sustainability on a budget is to choose a few economical eco upgrades for your home. Swap out your incandescent light bulbs for LEDs, install low-flow faucets, and use a smart thermostat instead of a standard one. These are inexpensive ways to conserve both water and energy.
Transition Your Seasonal Furniture
Household waste isn’t just about the daily refuse families generate. It’s also about the multitudes of seasonal furniture, upholstery, accents, and decor that are discarded each year when the season ends.
Instead of replacing seasonal furniture with new items, select pieces that can be transitioned from one season to the next with just a few simple changes. Furnishings with a more neutral colour palette or style design can provide a base that will take your decor through the entire year simply by cycling through a few decorative accents.
Festive throw pillows and coverings will give your furniture the seasonal appeal you want. Small decorative accents can be stored for reuse the next season. Experimenting with different colour combinations can keep things fresh as you repurpose and reuse your seasonal items. Best of all, you’re reducing waste and saving money.
Make Your Home Snug and Cozy
Another highly effective and affordable way to reduce your energy consumption and be a bit kinder to the planet is to give your home some tender, loving care. Seal any gaps around windows, doors, and floorboards, as well as in your attic and basement, with insulation, caulk, tape, or plastic.
Adding thermal curtains is another ideal way to keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Shades, drapes, and adjustable blinds also enable you to let in lots of natural light when you want it, cutting down on your need for artificial lighting in the daytime.
Reuse, Repurpose, Recycle
There’s no doubt about it: Families use a lot of resources, and they produce a ton of trash. But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, one of the most affordable ways to make a tremendous positive impact on the environment is simply to focus on repurposing, reusing, and recycling anything and everything you can.
For instance, a compost bin can be a terrific way to transform food waste into natural fertilizer for your plants, garden, and lawn. Likewise, rainwater harvesting is an easy way to slash your water consumption while keeping your grass green and healthy and your waterways cleared of dangerous stormwater runoff.
Similarly, building a capsule wardrobe enables you to save money by extending the life of your clothing. This, in turn, has a tremendously powerful impact on the environment by not only reducing the amount of clothing that ends up in landfills but also by reducing the demand for new apparel.
That’s important because the fashion industry is by far one of the world’s most environmentally destructive industries, second only, perhaps, to agriculture. Indeed, the manufacture of clothing results not only in massive volumes of greenhouse gasses but also in tremendous quantities of water being consumed and wasted annually. Repurposing clothing to extend its longevity means significantly less contamination of the soil, air, and waterways and substantially more freshwater available for human and animal consumption.
The Takeaway
You don’t have to have Bill Gates’ bank account to share his concern for the environment. It’s possible to cultivate a truly sustainable lifestyle while on a budget. The key is to make a few informed and economically savvy changes at a time. With commitment and time, small steps can make a big impact.
Image Source: Pixabay
