Our environment is in a dire need of help. We keep on exploiting our environment to the point where it’s coming back to haunt us. From Global Warming to Ozone Layer Depletion, we have seen it all. These issues are unfortunately becoming common and severe. It’s high time that we rethink the small choices that we are making on a daily basis. It is time to consider different ways to live a more sustainable lifestyle. It doesn’t have to be something huge. Smaller collective changes can bring so much difference to our environment. It’s time to go green!
Living sustainably is highly misunderstood as an expensive lifestyle. Although it can turn out to be expensive, it doesn’t necessarily have to. In fact, you can live sustainably and save money! If you have been thinking about going green and then rolling on with living the life that you currently are living due to your budget, then let us share with you the good news. The good news is that living an eco-friendly lifestyle can be cheaper than your current lifestyle!
Although some eco-friendly products cost a lot more than unsustainable products, it's the little habits and products that you can adopt to save the environment and your hard earned money. If this sounds like a great plan for you to embrace and acquire, here are some ways to live sustainably and save money.
10 Easy and Budget Friendly Ways to Live a More Sustainable Lifestyle
1.Utilise reusable items rather than using disposables
Although an upfront investment, using reusable items is cheaper than buying disposables. This is because it saves you the cost of buying the disposables repeatedly. You will spend a lot less when you buy things that are going to be used for a long term than when you buy those single use cutlery, straws, paper napkins and more. Although we are not talking about saving heavily, it all adds up when we are trying to live green and save our environment. It’s about the collective efforts and you do your bit in it.
2.Borrow or Rent Things
There’s no shame in borrowing or renting things! When you want or need something, go ahead and ask your family, friends, relatives, coworkers and neighbours for it. Most of the time you can actually get what you are looking for.
If you are an avid reader, borrow the books from a nearby library. It will help you read more and save more, both financially and environmentally.
Having said that, it is also your duty to lend or rent things, especially when you’d also like to be on the receiving end. You will not only save the environment, but also deepen the bond that you share with your loved ones.
3. Buy second hand items
If everything above fails, purchase a second hand product. Second hand items don't have to be an item of a lower quality. We are not asking you to purchase any product that has been degraded. Just like how we, at HEM Crafts, use old vintage sarees to create Kantha, there are websites online that sell various second hand products at top notch quality. Research more, save more.
4.Line Dry your Clothes
Save on electricity now by line drying your clothes. Line drying your clothes is not only cheaper than buying a clothes dryer but it also helps you save your money and electricity. You are saving energy and being friendlier to our planet Earth.
5.Reusable Bamboo Water Bottle
Water bottles made up from plastic cause more harm than you’d like to think. Plastics are the most unsustainable products present today. You should check out this blog for a more in depth article on it. From microorganisms to human beings, it affects everyone and it doesn’t compromise on its severity. So, the lesser we use plastic, the better.
Also, bamboo bottles are an incredibly healthier option for our health. Bamboo bottles contain antibacterial, antioxidants and anti-aging properties making it a perfect alternative for us. Other than that, these look super cool if you want to show it off to your friends. It, surprisingly, also helps keep the water cool. So, these bottles are a win. If you are looking to buy these, here you go.
6.Repairing your things
It’s high time to get crafty about your repairs. We consume less when we repair our own things than buy a new one. Hence, we are saving quite some amount by not purchasing the whole new product but instead increasing the life of that product. Also, when we are consuming less, the manufacturers will produce less. It will be immensely helpful to our environment.
7.Be wise with your investments
Remember the “What you need vs What you want” rule. With the emergence of new technology and online modes of payment, we are getting more carefree with purchasing things. What we need right now is to buy things more mindfully. By doing so, we are helping our environment and ourselves. Another way it saves the environment is by reducing the potential waste. So, make your investments wisely.
8.Stop the Leaks
It is important that you unplug your appliances after use. Although you power off your appliances, when you leave them plugged, they still consume electricity. This is also known as vampire energy. However easy and simple it may sound, it saves you quite some money!
9.Embrace the Sun
Get yourself a solar panel. It does seem expensive when you initially think of it. But, it is one of the best investments that you could make. It, surely, takes some time to cover up the amount, but, in the long run, it saves you more. The solar revolution is underway and now is the time for you to shine.
10.Carry your own things
There’s rarely anyone who doesn’t like to go shopping. However, while shopping is fun, it is our duty to ensure that we are not causing harm to our environment. We buy bags to carry the items. But what we could actually do instead is carry our own bag. You’d be surprised to know that your cotton tote bag isn’t as friendly to the environment as it is marketed. The environmental costs of producing cotton tote bags outweighs the benefits. So, it is always recommended that you carry your own bag. If you are looking for some budget friendly bags which are healthier for you and our environment, you should check this out.
Now that you have seen how your little, small routine affects you and the environment, what habits are you trying to adopt and what are you trying to replace? We, at HEM Crafts, believe that these little ways of living a more sustainable lifestyle will not only help you save some money but also impact our environment in the long run.
