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Tired of hearing the word "sustainability" or "eco-friendly"?
It seems everyone has jumped on this bandwagon, but the jury is still out whether those who yell the loudest are actually making much of a difference.
Social media has made it all too possible for anyone to be an ambassador of the environment, but impossible to actually track whether their speeches result in any change.
Instead of taking to a soapbox, employ these changes into your daily routine/lifestyle and rest easy knowing that seemingly small, consistent contributions often go the farthest.
1. Sell your car/downgrade to one car
Cars are expensive. Taking into account fuel, regular oil changes, maintenance and monthly lease/finance payment - it adds up.
Not to mention the damage to the environment if you're a family who owns two vehicles.
While it'll take some planning and organization, downgrading to one (or even better, zero) car will make a huge impact environmentally as well as on your pocketbook.
2. Move to a smaller space
We've been conditioned to think we need huge spaces - it's become a status symbol in our society. But what's the purpose, really?
Inevitably they become breeding grounds for dust collectors and endless items made in China - rooms filled to the brim with "stuff".
While it takes some discipline to live in a smaller space, ultimately you consume far less, your heating bills are cheaper, and you'll probably be far more at peace.
3. Purge your closet every quarter and donate
Trends and seasons change - so should your taste and closet.
Every quarter, go through your clothing, and anything you haven't touched in 6 months to a year, should be donated to a local Good Will or consignment store.
Better yet, do a clothing swap with friends - what might be old to you will seem exciting to someone else.
4. Shop vintage
I don't know about you, but whenever I visit the mall now, all I can think about is the mass consumerism, waste and destruction these stores are doing to the planet.
Why not opt to support a local business, find gently used, and likely higher quality clothing?
6. Eat seasonally
We've become accustomed to finding tropical produce year-round - this comes at a cost to our planet.
Take some time to research what grows seasonally in your area, and try to eat more of it.
Come summer and fall, freeze, can and a stew as much as you can, to last you through the winter when more bountiful produce isn't as widely available.
7. Decorate for holidays with items sourced from nature
Decorations are some of the most guilty culprits of waste - often they're fabricated cheaply, come from China and are made of plastic.
Because they're so inexpensive to purchase from places like the dollar store, we've adopted an apathetic attitude to tossing things, even if we've only used them once.
Next time you plan to decorate your house for the holidays, try using reusable or natural items only like tree branches, clementines, cranberries or pine cones.
8. Convert your yard to a garden
So much water is wasted in the pursuit of perfectly green grass - again, at what cost?
A very small plot of land can yield an overwhelming amount of produce that will feed your family for an entire year.
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