Sustainable Living: What You Need To Know About The Nature Around You

by Staff

In our everyday life, we make choices that affect our health and the future of our environment. From the seemingly insignificant choices, like what we decide to buy to how we travel – everything leaves a footprint on the life of the animals and plants around us. And because we cannot live on this planet without them, we have to begin to make better choices. Here is what you need to know about how sustainable living can benefit the nature around you.

Plastic Can`t Be Destroyed

Most plastic materials are meant to last, and they certainly do. Plastic takes hundreds of years to degrade – and until it does, billions of bottles and bags stay around, polluting all our natural resources. The number of seals, birds, turtles, and other animals dying after getting stuck in plastic packages or swallowing them each year is staggering. Think about how many of them you could save – just by using reusable bags for your groceries and swapping your disposable water flasks to eco-friendly versions. You can also avoid buying grocery items packaged in plastic containers and produce less waste that way.

Our Water Reserves are Depleting

With the growth of the human population, our demand for water sources has been increasing very quickly. This often leaves animals and plants without water, not to mention how extracting and using water resources endanger their lives. Without plants that sustain our planet with oxygen or animals that pollinate our crops, we can’t survive. What’s even sadder is that in many countries, even humans are deprived of clean drinking water. You can conserve water by fixing leaking household appliances or switching older models for ones that use less water. Taking shorter showers and planting drought-adapted grass in your yard can also be a viable solution.

You Can Compost More Than You Think


Photo by Ron Lach

You probably heard about people using compost bins to reduce the amount of organic waste they are producing. The remnants of meals with natural origins are often thrown in these bins. When decomposed, these materials are used to sustain household plants. However, with some methods, you can even speed up this process. Did you know that certain microorganisms can degrade plastic faster? Or that knowing what worms eat can help you get rid of more than just your fruit peels? These invertebrates can digest everything from your tea bags to your old t-shirts. So if you have a space for it, feel free to set a compost full of them, and you will hardly have things to throw in the garbage.

Buying Sustainable Has Many Benefits

Any coffee drinker and chocolate lover can save a sizable chunk of a forest, along with its inhabitants, just by opting for beans grown under shade – rather than the ones harvested in the open fields. Additionally, these companies also tend to avoid using pesticides that contaminate our waters and land. And while their products cost more, this is still a small price to pay for keeping you and your loved ones healthy and the wildlife intact.

Another thing that can make a huge difference is changing your habits when it comes to buying clothes. Think about whether you really need any other items before your purchase. If you do, try buying either second-hand or pieces that were made from eco-friendly materials. By supporting companies using sustainable production methods, you can also contribute to them being able to provide fair wages to their employers.

The Dangers of Traditional Fuel Sources

Nuclear-powered electricity plants use fossil fuels to produce electricity. When this fuel burns up, it ends up in the atmosphere, slowly poisoning us and making wildlife disappear near them. And the still-rising number of vehicles running on the same traditional fuel sources only makes this happen faster. By switching to renewable energy sources and changing your driving habits, you can reduce air pollution and slow climate change. Making even the smallest bit of changes in this regard can offset your carbon footprint and save many lives – both human and other animals.

Nature gives us life by providing us with food and water, and because of that, we have to give back some of the love we receive. By making better choices, you can help reduce the pollution around you and help the environment heal itself. You can also save many endangered species that are beneficial for our ecological systems and have done nothing to deserve being pushed to the edge of extinction. Let this article inspire you to take action towards making the world a better place for the future of all species living in it.

About the Author/s

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The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.

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