To many, it may seem that living a life that is environmentally conscious means that you have to sacrifice much of what you may enjoy or consider luxuries. Eating and travelling in ways that reduce your carbon footprint, avoiding companies or products that harm the environment, or even avoiding modern technology, can prove too much for the average person who may fail to see the effect they alone could have. However, we have seen recently the almost undeniable results of climate change, largely caused by humankind’s “progression”, and living a more environmentally conscious life doesn’t have to be painful. Below, we look at a few ways you could change and live a life that has less of a detrimental effect on the environment.
1) Eat less meat (specifically beef)
A huge percentage of greenhouse gases produced globally comes from livestock. The entire process of raising them for human consumption requires so much of our natural resources, and the methane they produce contributes heavily to global warming. The world’s population is rapidly increasing, and so is our insatiable appetite for meat. If everyone was to reduce their consumption of meat by even one meal a week, that could have a profound effect on the environment, allowing these resources such as water more time to recover from the current pressure it is under.
2) Recycle as much as you can
Even if your local government doesn’t provide complete services, make an effort in order to improve your waste recycling. Think twice about whether or not you throw that bit of plastic or paper into either the recyclable bin or into the general household waste. The earth only has a finite amount of resources so it is imperative we get the most use out of what we currently have, rather than constantly extracting raw materials.
3) Walk or cycle more
Or basically travel around in any way that doesn’t produce or contribute to more greenhouse gases. The great thing about travelling in such a way is that not only are you reducing your detrimental effect on the environment, but you are also improving your own fitness. Consider walking or cycling short journeys instead of taking the car and not only will the earth be grateful, but so will your body. In a time where sedentary lifestyles are becoming the norm, we have to start taking action to reverse this trend.
4) Watch your energy consumption
By this I mean specifically energy that is generated using fossil fuels. Your home power is likely to be generated by fossil fuels down the line, so do your bit for the environment and save yourself some money in the process by switching off and unplugging your devices when not in use. Leaving the TV on standby over time wastes a lot of electricity, meaning you are ultimately also left with a higher bill. If everyone were to unplug their devices that are not in use, this could have a profound effect on our energy needs, and therefore its effect on the environment.
So here we have four simple ways you could begin living a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. If that isn’t enough reason alone to change, consider the benefits it has on your health and your bank account!
