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50 Ways to Live a More Sustainable Life

50 Ways to Live a More Sustainable Life

Going green can seem like an impossible challenge. How do you lower your carbon footprint whilst still living life to its fullest? We know that it can sound tough, but it’s actually pretty simple! 

There are so many teeny tiny changes you can make to your everyday life that have a big impact on the world but cause less change in your world. To prove it, we’ve put together 50 easy ways to live sustainably. Take a peek and see how many you could try!

1. Use a Refillable Water Bottle
Cut down on plastic use when you’re on the go with a reusable water bottle, so that you (hopefully!) never have to buy a plastic bottle again. From cafes to pubs, there are plenty of places that will refill your bottle free of charge. Refill have a handy website/app to find your nearest refill stations.
 
2. Switch Your Car For a Bicycle
It’s no secret that cars are a major polluter. If there’s a distance you could cycle instead of drive, give it a go! This isn't just good for the planet, but for your own health, too.

 

3. Switch Your Car For your Feet
Along the same line of thought, get out of the habit of driving to places you could walk to. Save the planet one step at a time, literally. It's great for your mental health and physical wellbeing - an all round win!

4. Plant a Bee Garden
You can help bees thrive by planting bee-friendly flowers. You can do this in your garden if you have one, or just on a sunny windowsill if you don’t. Take a look at our Seeds for Bees and discover some pretty florals to help our black and yellow life-providing friends.

5. Buy Second-Hand Clothing
The clothing industry is a huge polluter of the air, land, and sea. Reduce your carbon footprint by skipping new trends, shunning fast fashion and filling your wardrobe with second-hand, vintage finds that’ll last a lifetime. Buy and sell on Vinted and save those clothes from landfill.

6. Choose Local Fruits and Vegetables
Buy local, seasonal fruits and veggies to reduce the carbon footprint of your food. Locally grown means less shipping, which the planet will thank you for. Support small businesses and put a smile on their faces.

7. Carry a Handkerchief 
Skip wasteful pocket tissues and go old-school by carrying a handkerchief. Why not embroider your initials in yours for an extra special touch?

8. Use Plastic-Free Soap Bars (shampoo, conditioner, and body)
You can find plastic-free soap bars for everything these days! Shampoo, conditioner, and normal bar soap that’s perfect for your body and hands. Take a look at our vegan soap bars for inspiration.

9. Compost Your Organic Waste
Put any food waste to good use by composting it and turning it into fertile soil. If you don’t have a compost bin, check your local area for community composts.

10. Take Quicker Showers
A long, hot shower is tempting, but it’s super wasteful, not to mention expensive. Drastically cut down your water use by speeding up your showers.

11. Offset Your Carbon Footprint
Did you know that you can reduce any unavoidable carbon footprint by donating to offsetting charities? Your money goes towards projects that reduce carbon emissions around the world, ensuring your donations have a global impact.

12. Find a Zero-Waste Shop
Zero-waste shops, like &Keep, can help you cut down your plastic use easily. With thousands of simple, everyday swaps that use sustainable materials, you can start to build a plastic-free life. Don't forget your local zero waste and refill shops for you essentials. There are some great online directories that list the locations of those in the UK.

13. Switch to Green Energy Suppliers
If you haven’t already, it’s time to switch to a renewable energy supplier. By powering your home with electricity from green sources, you can instantly make your lifestyle more sustainable. The Big Clean Switch can help you compare the available alternatives.

14. Ditch Plastic Fabrics
Plastic fibres, like polyester, acrylic and nylon, all leak microplastics into our water and air. Make an effort to buy natural materials like cotton, silk, and linen instead.

15. Take a Packed Lunch Instead of Buying Packaged Food
Meal deals and pasta pots may look like a tasty bargain but are super wasteful. Plan in advance and take a nutritious packed lunch in a container that you can use again and again instead.

16. Fly Less, See More
Aeroplanes aren’t the only way to get from one country to another. Take boats or trains to see more of the world whilst you travel to your destination and simultaneously reduce your CO2 emissions.

17. Use Lids on Your Pans
Heat food more quickly using less energy by putting a lid on your pots and pans. By trapping the heat, temperatures inside your pan will get much hotter without having to use more electricity.

18. Wear Warmer Clothing in Cold Weather
We’re all guilty of putting the heating on when we could just wear an extra layer. This year, when the weather turns cold, try looking for jumpers, blankets, and cosy socks before turning on your radiators.

19. Lower Your Boiler’s Thermostat

Lowering your boiler’s thermostat by a few degrees won’t make much difference to how hot your water feels, but it will save you energy and reduce your carbon footprint. Don't forget to turn down your heating a degree or two also, and add a layer of clothing.

20. Read a Book Instead of Watching TV
We spend so much time on digital devices that consume electricity. Why not shut them off once in a while and read a book instead? It’s a carbon-free way to pass the time!

21. Borrow Books or Buy Second-Hand
Speaking of books, use the library or buy yours second-hand if you can. There are plenty of pre-loved books waiting for a new home and it’s a great way to save the world’s trees and the carbon footprint of delivery.

22. Use a Sustainable Toothbrush
Once you make the switch to a natural material toothbrush, you’ll wonder why we ever started using plastic in the first place. Our &Keep bamboo toothbrushes will look gorgeous in your bathroom, too! 🌈

23. Switch to Mineral Suncream
Give marine mammals a hug by wearing reef-safe mineral suncream. Without the harsh coral-bleaching chemicals, you can have fun in the sun safely, with a clean conscience.

24. Freeze Leftovers
If you have leftovers you don’t want to eat the next day, the sustainable thing to do is freeze them. Save money and save food waste, plus when you’re looking for an easy dinner one day, you’ll thank yourself!

25. Learn How to Store Vegetables to Last
Did you know that you might not be storing your vegetables properly? Find out the tips and tricks to make your five-a-day last longer and avoid food waste.

26. Look For Natural Toiletries 
Natural organic skincare products reduce the number of harmful chemicals polluting our land and water. Make the switch today and do your body and our planet a favour.

27. Eat Less Meat
It’s no secret that meat (particularly beef and lamb) is a nightmare for our planet. Prevent deforestation and global warming by cutting down on the meat in your diet. If you can reduce dairy products, too, that wins you extra sustainability points!

28. Use Eco-Friendly Detergent
Many detergents contain nasty chemicals that run directly into our waterways. Reduce your impact by switching to eco-friendly detergent.

29. Wash Your Clothing Less
If you’ve worn a jumper and it doesn’t smell, you don’t really need to wash it. By washing your clothing less you can save on water, detergent and electricity, making it a win-win.

30. Air Dry Your Clothes
Tumble driers are energy guzzlers. Cut down on your electricity bill and help the planet by air-drying your clothes instead, either outside on a warm day or inside on a drying rack. If you need to tumble dry, use wool dryer balls to cut your drying time by 25%.

31. Repair Instead of Replacing
It’s all too easy these days to throw clothing away instead of repairing it. If your clothes have holes in them, try sewing them up or covering them with a patch instead. Make your wardrobe last longer. 

32. Donate, Sell, and Recycle Old Clothing
For clothing that you really don’t want, don’t throw them away. Keep them from the landfill by donating them to charity, selling them on platforms like Depop, or recycling them.

33. Go Paper Free
An easy way to live more sustainably is by going paper-free. Say no to receipts, sign-up for email bills rather than posted bills, and avoid printing wherever possible.

34. Ditch Plastic Single-Use Supplies
From disposable cameras to plastic cups, it’s time to ditch single-use items! Cut down on your landfill waste by choosing items that are made to last and reusable.

35. Use Natural Light
Open your curtains, clean your windows, and turn off your lights. It’s simple, but it’s these small changes that can help you cut down your electricity usage, reduce your carbon footprint and save our planet.

36. Turn Off Your Appliances
If you’re guilty of leaving appliances on standby, it’s time to stop. They’ll still consume electricity in this state, so switch them off at the wall instead. don't leave phone chargers on and power down computers at the end of the day.

37. Work From Home When You Can
If you have a commute to work that involves cars, trains, or buses, see if you can work from home a couple of days a week to cut down your carbon footprint.

38. Use a Carpool
Driving the kids to school or heading to work? Arrange a carpool with others doing the same thing to live more sustainably.

39. Dispose of Batteries Properly
Anything with a battery needs to be disposed of correctly to avoid land and sea pollution. If you can, find a recycling point for safe and sustainable disposal.

40. Support Sustainable Brands
When shopping, opt for brands that are pioneering the sustainable movement. Just be careful to avoid greenwashing! A lot of brands aren’t as eco-friendly as they say, so do your research before you buy.

41. Be a Conscious Consumer
Conscious consumerism is about being aware of where your products come from and their impact on the planet. Research before buying to check how sustainable the item is.

42. Delete Your Emails
Every email you don’t delete is stored on a server that’s powered by a lot of electricity. Help the world by deleting every message you don’t need to avoid taking up unnecessary space.

43. Buy Organic Produce
Non-organic foods use harmful pesticides and insecticides that seep into the ground and water - not good for anyone! Reduce demand for these unethical growing practices by choosing organic wherever possible.

44. Try Eco-Friendly Toilet Roll
If you’re still buying big brand toilet rolls wrapped in plastic, now’s the time to stop. Opt for recycled or bamboo paper to save the trees, and choose those packaged in paper. Order in bulk for unwrapped paper in a recyclable cardboard box. 

45. Use Natural Cleaning Products
Natural cleaning products are better for you and better for the environment. We love OceanSaver, which uses fewer chemicals and helps us decrease our plastic use.

46. Replace Coffee With Organic Tea
Did you know that coffee is causing deforestation? Switch your morning cup of joe for herbal tea instead - preferably organic, of course.

47. Switch to Paper Tape
Every bit of plastic sellotape you use will stay on this planet forever. Avoid the guilt by choosing sustainable paper tape instead.

48. Become a Recycling Pro
If you’re unsure of what you can and can’t recycle, do some research and become a pro. Each council has different rules regarding the types of materials they collect from kerbside. Supermarkets, Terracycle and local 'Win on Waste' groups take harder to recycle items. You’ll be making a huge dent in the amount of waste you send to landfill in no time.

49. Switch to Plastic-Free Toothpaste
The UK sends around 300 million toothpaste tubes to the landfill each year. That has to stop! Switch to a plastic-free alternative, like DENTtabs, for minty fresh breath without the negative impact.

50. Share These Eco-Friendly Ideas
The final tip? Share these ideas! If you’ve found some awesome and easy ways to live more sustainably, share the news with your friends and family to increase the impact and keep this positive change going.
 

Make Sustainable Living Easier With &Keep

At &Keep, we’re on a mission to help everyone live sustainably. By making small changes to your daily life, you can quickly lower your carbon footprint, reduce your plastic use, and become a sustainable-living champion. As these tips show, it really isn’t difficult!

To learn more about reducing your negative impact on the planet, keep reading our blog for more advice. If you have any questions about the products mentioned in this article, get in touch with our team today and we’ll be more than happy to help. Together, we can create a better Tomorrow, Today.