Make this year the year of doing better for the environment, one lazy little move at a time. Trust me, it’s actually a lot easier than you think to be environmentally friendly. I’ve got the easy, lazy, and even unusual hacks to prove it to you! Live more naturally as you follow these ways to be more eco-friendly and sustainable.
Note: Some of the links below contain affiliate links. This doesn’t increase the cost of any item to you, but simply means that I’ll receive a small commission of any sales from those links. Thank you!
Throw your food scraps outside.
Okay, you’re probably looking at the screen a little funny right now. What I mean is that you should find a more sustainable solution for your food scraps. Food scraps are a vastly overlooked driver of climate change.
While food waste is biodegradable, it cannot break down in the same way it would if it were put into soil. Instead, bacteria consume the food and result in the release of methane. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is shown to have a warming potential of 21 times that of carbon dioxide.
On the other hand, food waste and organic matter that is composted can be used as a fertilizer, improves soil health, and overall helps the planet take its natural course.
So, how can you easily compost food scraps? Put it in your backyard! Dig a hole and bury your food scraps. You’ll be helping the environment and soil, and all you’ve had to do is dig a small hole. You can also buy some worms to help speed up the biodegrading process. Here are some tips for the dig and drop method.
Instead of digging a hole, you can also purchase an outdoor composter or indoor compost bin. It’s a simple, lazy method once you have the composter!
You can then use the fertilizer for your plants or garden or even sell your compost (side hustle, anyone?)
The last option for getting rid of your food scraps is to keep a sealed container in your kitchen or even in your freezer and then take those scraps to a composting facility near you. ( This is the less lazy way because you have to get out and take the stuff ;D ).
Pee in the shower.
Hear me out, okay. Pee contains very little bacteria, less than what is normally lingering on our skin. So, if you’re willing to shower among the bacteria on your skin, you should have no problem peeing in the shower. Plus, let’s be honest — you’ve probably peed in the shower before.
“But wait, Christa. How is peeing in the shower a sustainable solution?” The answer is simple: you will be saving water! Using less water is important because it keeps water pure and clean while protecting the environment. Plus, we don’t have a lot of freshwater as 97.5% of water is salt water.
So, every time you flush the toilet, you are using 1.6 gallons of water. Then, you’re likely washing your hands afterward which uses another little chunk of water. Add those up and you’re using quite a few gallons of water just to go pee every day.
When you pee in the shower, you are eliminating unnecessary water consumption (& paper waste!). Don’t just take my word for it, see what others have to say about peeing in the shower.
Ditch the plastic bag.
The plastic bag has got to go! One, it’s ugly. Two, it takes centuries to decompose, and three, there are better alternatives. This is one of the easiest ways to be environmentally friendly. All you have to do is choose not to use or accept plastic bags.
Instead, keep reusable bags in your purse, backpack, or car so that you can always have them handy. If you forget a bag, most stores carry paper bags even if they don’t advertise them and you can almost always find reusable bags available for purchase, too.
Easily ditch the plastic bag with these reusable canvas shopping bags on Etsy.
Delete old emails.
Emails stored in your inbox are consuming energy because a physical server is running to keep them there. So, you’ll be shrinking your carbon footprint and helping out the planet by deleting old emails. This is one of the easiest ways to be environmentally friendly!
While you’re at it, unsubscribe from content you don’t read or need anymore, so you can keep your inbox from filling up too quickly.
Choose aluminum cans over plastic.
When doing your routine grocery shopping, make a conscious effort to choose aluminum above all other packagings. Aluminum can be recycled endless times, so it is one of the most sustainable packaging options.
After that, choose glass or carton before a plastic alternative. So, when you are purchasing items like orange juice or jam, think about switching to glass or carton instead of buying the item in a plastic bottle.
Make smaller portions of food.
While we can definitely compost our food scraps, why not just start making smaller portions of food that you know won’t go to waste. This helps prevent throwing food scraps in the trash, it stretches out your grocery budget, and means you’ll have more food to cook later! This is an easy, lazy, and sustainable way to be environmentally friendly!
Unplug items you’re not using.
Even if whatever is plugged into the wall is not on, it’s still consuming some energy. Some countries, like the UK, have this handy on and off switch for sockets, but if yours doesn’t, you should just unplug the item.
You’ll be lowering your carbon emissions, saving energy, and saving money on your electricity bill along the way!
Turn off the heat and air conditioning.
Save money and energy by using less air conditioning and heat. Open the windows, use the heat from natural light, or put on an extra layer (or take off a layer if it’s summer).
Many countries around the world are used to living without air conditioning, so I assure you that you can, too! I’ve lived in Barcelona and spent two months in Costa Rica without air conditioning and I completely managed with the help of opening windows for a fresh breeze and the occasional floor fan.
I even have an article about how to keep your home warm in winter, the sustainable way!
Order eco-friendly laundry strips.
Ever heard of these bad boys? Well, they’re the next big thing when it comes to easy ways to be eco-friendly. They don’t use any plastic and the ingredients are clean, fresh, and non-toxic. Plus, they’re extremely lightweight and take up NO space in the laundry room (unlike those bulky plastic bottles). So, if you’re looking for how to be more sustainable, definitely give eco-friendly laundry strips ago. They come from a brand called SaltyLama, and if if you use my link and use promo code CHRISTA at checkout you can save 10% (+ free shipping!)
Switch to a bamboo toothbrush.
Roughly, 3.5 billion toothbrushes are sold every year. What’s your typical toothbrush made out of it? Yep, you guessed it — plastic. Luckily, there’s a beautiful alternative to the traditional toothbrush: bamboo toothbrushes. Coming from the fastest growing plant in the world, it is extremely sustainable and bio-degradable.
READ MORE: How to Be Eco-Friendly While Traveling
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