How You Can Start Living A Sustainable Life (The 5 R’s of Sustainable Living)

Every little thing you do on a day-to-day basis has an impact on this planet.
Sustainable living means living in a way that fulfills our daily needs while reducing an individual’s and/or society’s use of the earth’s natural resources.

Sustainable living aims to conserve the earth’s natural resources by reducing wastage in order to protect the earth, not only for future generations but also against climate change and global warming.

One of the great things about sustainable living is that it does not call for any major lifestyle changes, but rather just tweaking your consumption pattern.

So here’s how you do it – First think about your routine on an average day. Let’s say you wake up, brush your teeth, take a shower, eat breakfast and go to work. Doing this sustainably would mean you would use a bamboo toothbrush instead of a plastic brush, take a bucket bath instead of a shower, eat a balanced Vegan breakfast, and then commute to work through a “green” transport or carpool or use public transport.

Now think about the effect this routine of yours will have on the planet and all the types and amounts of resources you would have preserved and protected.

Yes, you really would have made a big difference.

An easy way to remind yourself to be sustainable and keep this lifestyle in check is by understanding the 5 R’s and committing this to memory.

The 5R’s of sustainable living:

Refuse, reduce, reuse, repurpose and recycle.

1. REFUSE

Fast fashion:- Fast fashion is not only unsustainable but also unethical for many reasons including a toxic work environment, exploitation of human rights, deforestation, excessive water, and land usage, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Shop from eco-friendly, organic, and responsible brands. They not only make our planet a better place to live in but also provide high-quality options that are far more durable than products of mass-produced, fast fashion brands.

Plastic:- Plastic has imposed one of the world’s greatest environmental crisis. The only way to overcome it is to completely refuse plastic in any and all forms – straws, packing material, spoons, bottled water, etc.

2. REDUCE

• Commute wisely – Transport is one of the biggest polluters when it comes to emissions. You can make a huge difference by wisely planning your outings. For example, you can run all your errand in a day rather than spreading it across a week or you can go out and by your groceries once a month so that you can skip weekly shopping. You can walk to your local stores or just use public transport.
• Impulsive shopping has been normalised as “consumer behaviour”. But adding some thought to all your purchases can not only have an environmental impact but can also be a time and money saver.
• Shop locally – By shopping at your local stores and fresh produce stands, you are not only supporting your community but also helping to reduce emission and fuel wastage caused by logistics.

3. REUSE

Purchase better quality items that last longer –

Invest in a few staple pieces like an eco-friendly travel mug, steel straws, a tote bag, and also in renewable and energy-saving technologies like a water-saving shower head, solar panel, energy-efficient light bulbs.

4. REPURPOSE

• Fix it don’t throw it -If your phone, television or printer is broken, at least give fixing it a try before tossing it away. Remember the damning process of production and wastage you contribute to every time you purchase something you don’t need.
• Repurposing allows you to be creative by finding multiple uses for a single product. You can not only repurpose old clothes and jewellery, but also household items and old furniture.
• If you don’s use a product anymore, you can either donate it or resell it.

5. RECYCLE

• Some of the common waste materials that should be recycled include: glass, plastic, metal and paper. You can use recycling bins with labels to organise your waste.
• If you have clothes that are no longer wearable or can’t be donated, take it to your local clothes- recycling centre.
• Recycle electronics and gadgets whenever possible.
• Make a compost pit of your food wastes and use it in gardening or to fertilise soil around the house.

And there you have it! Think about these 5 R’s while doing any activity throughout the day and before you know it, you’ve conditioned yourself to be a sustainable being. Besides the immense contribution you’re making towards bettering the planet, you’re also left with a great feeling of self-satisfaction.

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