25 Sustainable Living Tips

By David Anderson, Guest Author

Millions of Americans are getting turned on to the concept of sustainability. People are doing their part to save the environment. They are changing the way they live in order to produce less waste, create less pollution, and use less energy. Below you will find a compilation of 25 of the best tips on sustainable living out there. In making this list, I chose tips that would be easy and cheap to follow. Follow these simple steps you can lead a more sustainable life! Best of all, most of them will actually help you save money!

1. Hit the switch! Turn off all lights that are not in use.

2. Install CFL light bulbs. They use less energy and last longer than traditional light bulbs, saving you money on two fronts.

3. It takes energy to make hot water! Take shorter showers and turn the shower off while you shampoo and lather up.

4. Set your hot water heater to the lowest possible setting.

5. Use cold water to wash your laundry.

6. Turn your thermostat down when you leave the house during the winter.

7. Turn your thermostat down at night. Use extra blankets to stay warm.

8. Shrink-wrap the windows in your home during the winter. This prevents unnecessary heat loss, so you’ll save a lot of money on your heating bill.

9. Use a fan instead to keep cool during the summer. Fans use dramatically less energy than air conditioners.

10. Turn your computer off when you are not using it. Even when in “energy saver” mode computers continue to use a lot of energy.

11. Use your microwave. They use less energy than ovens.

12. Rethink your kitchen layout. Make sure your refrigerator is not located nearby any heat source, like ovens or heating apparatus.

13. Plug computers, appliances, and other consumer electronics into power strips. These are devises that may continue to siphon valuable energy even when they are turned off. By flicking the switch on a power strip to the off position you ensure this waste does not occur.

14. Eat less meat. Meat is the least energy efficient type of food.

15. Buy in bulk.  Bulk packaged goods produce less waste by using fewer packaging materials.

16. Buy local. The food you find at the grocery store has been shipped an average of 1500 miles. That’s a lot of gas!

17. Wash and reuse zip lock bags. Don’t toss them out after one use.

18. Invest in Tupperware. By making a relatively cheap one time purchase you can end your reliance on wasteful disposables like tin foil, plastic wrap, and paper bags. Since you only have to buy Tupperware once, you’ll be saving money within a few weeks.

19. Compost. You’ll be sending less waste to the dump. Plus the process of composting produces fewer methane emissions than the process of waste disposal that takes place at your local landfill.

20. Rake your leaves in the fall. Do not waste energy using a leaf blower.

21. Use bags of leaves for insulation! By placing the bags of leaves you rake up each fall around your foundation you can provide your home with natural insulation all winter long!

22. Walk or ride a bike. Be healthy!

23. Carpool to work or when running errands. You’ll enjoy the company and save money on gas!

24. Make sure you the tires on your vehicle are full. This will lead to increased fuel efficiency.

25. Turn your car off when parked. Don’t leave it idling.