One of the issues we’re currently facing is that of overconsumption, which leads to the generation of more waste in our environment. A way out is by living a minimalist and eco-friendly lifestyle. So how can you go about this? Here are 10 tips on how you can start living a minimalist and eco-friendly lifestyle.
1. Start Small
When you’re starting or doing something new or something you’re not familiar with, it’s always advisable to start small. When you start small, you’re taking baby steps and this reduces the chances that you’ll feel overwhelmed in your new journey. As you’re starting your minimalist living, tackle one problem after the other. It helps you plan, understand, and learn more. Don’t go all out and big and you’ll eventually get there. Remember, you’re a beginner.
2. Use What You Have
The best things you need to start your eco-friendly and minimal lifestyle are the things in your possession. You don’t need to purchase new stuff for your journey. Start with the things you have and make the most of them. Use them to the fullest, after which you can then get new ones. This helps you reduce waste and also saves money.
3. 4 R’s
There’s Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. When you add Refuse, you have yourself the 4Rs. These are essential to your eco-friendly and minimalist lifestyle. Work towards reducing your waste at the source, refuse the things you don’t need, reuse your old stuff to eliminate waste and recycle your waste. Your plastic, glass, and aluminum materials are recyclable! Some even like to add a 5th R and that is “rot.” Rot refers to composting, which is another great way to reduce food waste in your home.
4. Embrace Reusables
Another tip on how you can start living an eco-friendly lifestyle is by embracing reusables. Reusables help in reducing plastic waste in the environment. Plastics are non-biodegradable and are contributing to pollution in the environment. A way you can go about this is by swapping out plastic bottles, bags, cutleries, and other products to reusable ones. Take them everywhere you go and keep them within reach.
5. Watch How and What You Eat
A lot goes on behind the scenes of our food and foodstuff. Livestock rearing contributes a lot to climate change. As we are now in a period of climate emergency, it is important to make a switch to plant-based meals.
Eating more plant-based meals is essential in living an eco-friendly lifestyle. Food waste is another major environmental problem. You also need to watch the quantity of food you prepare and eat to reduce food waste in the environment. Proper meal planning will help you do this.
6. Watch What You Wear
From causing various environmental issues to unethical working conditions, fast fashion is doing a lot of damage. With fast fashion on the rise, more of the effect is now felt on the planet. By avoiding fast fashion brands, you’re saying no to fast fashion. Support fashion brands that are out to protect the environment. Pick slow over fast fashion.
You need to also pay attention to the type of clothing you’re putting on. What is it made from? Go for those made from materials that are natural, biodegradable, and organically sourced. Thrifting, opting for rental, and swapping clothes with loved ones are other things you can do.
7. Think Before You Buy
Sometimes, we make an unnecessary purchase and as part of eco-friendly and minimalist living, you have to think carefully about your purchases. Do you need it? Can you do without it? Are there alternatives? If it is something you can borrow from a friend, you can do that rather than buy. You need to be more mindful and conscious.
A lot of times, the things we spend money on end up being thrown away in landfills where they generate more environmental problems. Thinking before buying will not only help you save money but also reduce waste in the environment.
8. Go for Quality
When making purchases, it is also important to look beyond the price and consider the quality. Go for quality over cheap price and quantity. Poor quality products and items tend to have a short lifespan. You find yourself getting rid of such a product very quickly, leading to a waste of resources and more waste generated. By buying quality items, you’re buying longevity.
9. Care for/Use for Life
Every product has its expiration date and we’re required to use them to that point. For your minimal and eco-friendly lifestyle, it is important to do so because lots of resources are used in the production of any and every product. When the life of products isn’t completely used up, resources are wasted.
Caring for your items is a way to prolong their life, which will help you use up the life of such items. The same way we care for ourselves is the same way we should care about the items we own. These two go hand-in-hand.
10. Make Your Own
DIYs are important in minimalism. Some of the things around us can easily be made with just a few resources. Most times, the materials you need to make new ones are in your possession. Remember point 2 – use what you have.
There are lots of DIY videos out there you can check out to see what you can make from the things you already own. You can make decorative pieces for your homes and even personal care products such as perfumes and body wash. Making your products will have you re-using stuff that could have been thrown out, keeping your waste in check. For some simple and effective DIY cleaning sprays, you can check out #7 on my 7 BEST Plastic-Free & Eco-Friendly Sprays for your Home blog post.
With these 10 tips, you can now start your minimal and eco-friendly lifestyle. Share with your friends and loved ones and encourage someone to join you in your new journey. It’s also very important to stay committed to whatever practice or tip you choose.
