What does it look like if we ask ourselves: how can I make life choices more sustainable?
Let me tell you a little story…
It is one of unbelievable adventure…calling…seeking…
It may be a story that is a little hard to believe…
But isn’t that what makes fairytales magical?
Our tale starts in a land far, far away. (well, not really; just east coast America). About 30 years a young girl was dreaming big and knew she wanted to make a difference in this world. Her teachers would ask her and her classmates what they wanted to be when they grew up, and with confidence and a beaming heart she would respond ‘a Marine Biologist’… Images of her working with a marine sanctuary or an international nonprofit fly across her mind as she envisions working hard on research to protect the marine habitats. But little did she know that the planet would evolve into such a more desperate scenario and call for more advocacy in ways she could never imagine…
That little girl maybe didn’t grow up to be a marine biologist, or a traveling oceanographer for National Geographic, but you know what?
That is actually a good thing in this moment…
Because I am here to share with you a lifestyle and behaviors that ALL of us can do and you will learn in this article how to make life choices that are sustainable.
It is NOT out of reach for you…
Let’s learn how!
Disclaimer: This article may contain affiliate links that can help serve you to live a more sustainable life. If you choose to use the links, I MAY receive a small commission and any and all commissions go into maintaining this website and The Earth’s Choice Apothecary for the community. Your act of gratitude is free to you, and is profoundly meaningful to me.
Table of ContentsToggle
Life Choices: What is Sustainability?
to understand how to make life choices and COMMIT to it, we need to understand what sustainability means for us
Most of us have seen all the commercials, logos, and slogans.
“Don’t throw your future away“
“Eat, Sleep, Recycle“
“Green living is a healthy living“
“Can you hear the eco?“
Some we’ve seen and heard more than others, but the message is always the same: embrace and adopt a sustainable lifestyle.
But, HOW do we do that?
How can we make it feel more ATTAINABLE?
First let’s define sustainability:
Sustainability
As defined by Oxford, sustainability is “avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain ecological balance;” or “the ability to be maintained at a certain level or rate.”
For the sake of this article, we will be mostly focused on the former definition.
So, now that we have a definition to work with, when we think of natural resources or ecological balance, that still seems so far away from us doesn’t it?
It may not hit home…or feel intrinsic to us.
So, let’s GET a little closer to home shall we?
Life Choices: Sustainability of Environment
Do our life choices truly matter to the environment?
An Example of Environmental Sustainability
First-the Devastating Reality
According to the IUCN, there are only about 25,000 polar bears left in the world…
Subsequently, by or before year 2050, polar bears will be EXTINCT.
FOREVER.
This is a timeframe that many of us can witness during our own life time.
Take that in…
How many of us grew up on the Coke Cola Polar Bear? Or watching National Geographic or BBC conservation documentaries with all the polar bears and cute cubs?
They have been a staple in our life (just as many others have been).
Second- the Solution
Simple… IT’S YOU & ME
Our behaviors and actions must change in order for the world around us to change (e.g., polar bears going extinct).
Life Choices: Sustainable Mindset Shifts
Life Choices: Paper or Plastic? Off-Grid Living or Green Living?
Not all of us grew up learning from our parents the implications littering had on our planet.
Nor was international warming, a coined term that we could put understanding to and recognize the man-made damages we caused to our planet.
In modern day, we now have thousands of organizations and companies that strive to creative sustainability initiatives which help bring awareness to the current devastation of our wildlife habitats.
What mindset shifts can make our life choices more sustainable?
Supporting sustainable companies and organizations through consumerism or donations (see below for some amazing goodies!!)
Removing plastic from your household
Add a recycle cart to your weekly trash service
Volunteer for a wildlife or conservation fundraiser in your community
Volunteer at a local community garden
Grow your own vegetables and fruits (WITHOUT using herbicides and pesticides)
Adopt a vegetarian or vegan nutrition lifestyle
Here is a quick list of companies and organizations that are already doing AMAZING things for the planet today!
4Ocean
Eco Pea
100% Pure
Lettuce Grow
Life Choices: “Green Living”?
Life Choices- the power belongs and is in within YOU. It’s the consistency that defines success
Has this been one of the buzz words you’ve heard over the years but never really paid much attention to?
I get it, it IS overwhelming, and most of the time, people usually just end up thinking that the only way they can adopt a green living lifestyle is to head to their nearest Home Depot and start purchasing raised garden bed equipment.
While there isn’t inherently anything wrong with raised garden beds, that’s not at the heart of what a green living lifestyle truly is.
Greener Lifestyle
Essentially, in a nutshell, a greener lifestyle or “green living” is that of living in a way that supports and restores ecological systems and is overall more sustainable for the environment.
One thing that you are PROBABLY already doing right now, is using social media. Why not use your voice to help advocate for the environment?
Examples of Sustainable Development
Many companies now, such as Earth Breeze, Blueland, Sand Cloud, (and so many others) are really striving to make a tangible impact on our ecosystems and reversing the ecological damage humans have caused to our planet.
How to Be More Sustainable with our Life Choices
How to make life choices sustainable
By now, we’ve become friends right? So I’m going to let you in on something.
I know what you are thinking right now…
REALLY I do!
(Okay, maybe ONE thing you are thinking).
You are thinking that all of this sounds nice and all, and that you truly do care about changing your behaviors and wanting to understand how to make life sustainable: YOUR life! But… you are thinking it’s EXPENSIVE.
Throughout reading the article, you’ve probably had many critical thoughts go through your mind saying “I could never adopt ANY changes in life, because…
I’ve got kids.
I’ve got a mortgage.
I’ve got debt.
I’ve got medical or health issues.
I am happy to say: these aren’t realities, they are only excuses!
Why should that make you happy? Because it is EMPOWERING to know you’re not a lost cause and you CAN implement these new lifestyle changes.
You CAN live a more sustainable life on a budget!
Here’s how you can start:
Living More, Doing Less
Yes, you read that right. They ARE very different concepts.
Adopting a minimalistic lifestyle can provide you with a MULTITUDE of benefits (cost-effective too!!)
Doing Less does NOT mean you are “less productive” or even “less-than” mentality! That’s what often gets us in trouble when we have that belief, and then we never create the change in our lives that we desperately need!
Adopting even a few minimalistic behaviors into your day can significantly impact the environment and also your outlook on life!
If you don’t really know where to start with adopting a minimalistic lifestyle, I promise you it’s NOT as overwhelming as you may believe!
Declutter your home! This not only helps you reduce anxiety and stress within the home, but it helps to bring awareness to products/objects that you TRULY do not use as often as you THINK you do!
Change Holiday Traditions
By starting with implementing sustainability behaviors during the holidays or periodic celebrations, it makes it feel MORE doable and LESS stressful because these days/seasons are usually only once a year!
Stop buying single-use paper products (holiday napkins, plastic cups, party-hosting products)
Don’t buy NEW holiday decor every single year-reuse and repurpose what you have
Opt for a “no decor” holiday OR DIY holiday decor
Did you enjoy and learn something new regarding how to make life sustainable? Are these ideas mentioned in this post doable and help relieve some misperceptions on the attainability of adopting a greener lifestyle?
Make sure to comment down below if you already do some of these practices or which ones you like the most!
Similiar Resources Mentioned in Article
Ideas for Sustainable Living
International Ideas for Eco-Living
How to Live with Intention
Sustainable Guide
How to Make Life Sustainable. Learn more…
Comments