With a noticeable shift in the public consciousness and a growing trend towards a more sustainable lifestyle, embracing sustainable living techniques, technologies, and blessings is not just a personal choice but a part of a more significant movement that is gaining momentum.
While most UK homes aren't classified as sustainable, this figure currently sits at around 30%; more homeowners are making sustainable changes to their homes and lifestyles to reduce their consumption and enable them to live more consciously.
But what exactly is sustainable living? As described by Oxfam, "sustainable living is making choices today that will positively impact the planet tomorrow."
Essentially, sustainable living is about being more aware of what you buy, the materials you use, the energy you consume, and the waste you produce. For instance, buying locally produced goods, using energy-efficient appliances, reducing water consumption, and composting organic waste are all part of sustainable living. By making small changes like these that accumulate over time, you can significantly reduce your environmental impact and feel empowered by your contribution.
With this in mind, this post will explore some ways you can reduce your carbon footprint, which is the total amount of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, that are emitted directly or indirectly by human activities. In the UK, the average carbon footprint is approximately 12.7 tonnes of CO2e per year per person. Some of these ways to reduce your carbon footprint are free, while others require a hefty investment.
Change energy suppliers
A free and easy change you can make is to switch to an energy supplier who is committed to providing greener energy and is making substantial changes to its operations to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.
For a fully renewable energy source in the UK, you can opt to use 100Green, while Octopus Energy uses up to 100% renewable sources. More and more energy suppliers are integrating renewable sources into their supply, meaning that you can still get the benefits but not totally go green, as what is available in your area is at a cost you can realistically afford.
Draft proof your home
While on the topic of energy use, as well as changing energy suppliers, reducing your in-home consumption is also a great place to start. Draftproofing your home is one of the top ways to reduce your energy consumption.
Drafts can enter your home in various ways, such as gaps in window frames if air is escaping, under doors, or via your roof. Other ways air will enter and escape your home include floorboards or skirting boards.
Take some time to go around your home and check for any air leaks you can fix. You can use a flame or piece of paper and look for any air that will move your chosen avenue of testing. From here, you can look at how you can fix any issues.
You can use the following ways to draft-proof your home;
Use caulk to seal gaps in window or door frames
Use heavy curtains to block out drafts
Use door snakes at the bottom of doors
Use film on windows
Use foam seals to fill in gaps or block them
Fit draught excluders on doors
Recycle
Sadly, around 80% of households are still unclear on exactly how to recycle correctly and what they need to do or recycle. And with different councils across the country offering different types of recycling or refuse collection, so it's little wonder there is confusion.
You can recycle so many things in your home, and as per your directives regarding separating your waste, you have different options, too.
The main thing to remember is that what you recycle needs to be clean and dry for maximum impact and to allow the item to be recycled correctly and not contaminate the rest of your waste, e.g., tins that have contained food or drink bottles or cans.
As a household, you can recycle the following materials (not an extensive list)
Paper
Cardboard
Glass
Plastic
Tin
Toilet roll tubes
Toiletry bottles
Food waste
Metal packaging
Newspapers
Carrier bags
Aerosols
Bottle tops
Batteries
Garden waste
Materials
The more you can recycle, the less waste you will be producing and the lower your carbon footprint will be.
Use recycled materials
Investing in recycled items for your home is a great way to reduce your impact further. For instance, you can purchase furniture made from reclaimed wood or opt for home decor items made from recycled materials. Companies committed to using recycled materials in their packaging or products are a great place to start your search.
When the time comes to buy something new, whether it's clothing, household appliances,a new timber Dining Table, toys, etc., always look to see if any options are made from recycled or renewable materials that you can purchase instead. Most suppliers who do this will make it clear that they have used recycled products; for example, you can get pillows made from recycled bottles, blankets made from recycled materials, recycled toilet paper, and so on.
Reduce single use items
A really easy way to reduce your consumption at home is to use fewer single-use products. This means not using single-use plates or cutlery, avoiding single-use bottles, and using anything else that can only be used once.
The more waste you produce, the higher your carbon footprint; this is obvious, and single-use items are one of the country's most significant contributors to waste. You can significantly lower your environmental impact by reducing your use of these items.
Bring your own refillable bottle, use metal or glass straws instead of single-use plastic or even paper ones, bring your own carrier bags when going shopping, avoid buying items wrapped in plastic where possible, and so on.
Being aware of what you are buying and your consumption habits can help you identify areas where you might be producing excessive waste, allowing you to consider your options and make the appropriate swaps.
Lower your thermostat
Even lowering your thermostat by 1 or 2 degrees can be extremely beneficial. Not only will you consume less energy, but you will also reduce your energy bills. This financial benefit can be a great motivator for homeowners to adopt sustainable practices, knowing that they are not only helping the environment but also saving money.
Well-dressed, healthy individuals should have the thermostat set at 18 degrees. Lowering it to a comfortable temperature can help reduce bills and energy used to heat your home.
Grow your own
If you can, grow your own fruit, vegetables, and herbs home. Typically, growing herbs is the easiest way to start growing your own food as they don't require the space or upkeep other produce does.
The benefits of growing your own food are that you know exactly where it came from, you're cutting down the carbon associated with harvesting and obtaining it, and you're reducing your reliance on commercially grown produce, which often involves the use of pesticides and long-distance transportation. This not only reduces your carbon footprint but also promotes a healthier lifestyle.
Not everyone has the amenities or the green-fingered touch to be able to do this, but not only is it a great way to live more sustainably and become more self-sufficient and less reliant on retailers for items, but it is also a great hobby for people to have, and gardening, especially, can have many physical and mental health benefits, making it a triple threat all around.
Improve your home insulation
In the UK, around 50% of homes have cavity wall insulation, meaning not all residences are insulated enough to keep the air trapped in the homes and provide a more comfortable living environment. Further figures show that around 75% of homes built before 2010 aren't insulated enough to benefit the residents.
Insulation can be added to your home in various ways. You can have cavity wall insulation and floor insulation; you can insulate pipes, your loft, and your basement if you have one, as well as water tanks. The more places you insulate, the more energy-efficient your home will be, and the easier it will be to reduce your energy consumption and provide a more sustainable lifestyle.
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