By now, we’re all more than aware of the threats facing our planet. Industrial revolutions, growing populations, never-ending urban development, deforestation, extensive agriculture, and our remarkable reliance on fossil fuels over recent years have all had massive effects on the health of the Earth itself, and the consequences of climate change can be seen and felt all around us.
Experts predict that if our actions continue, without major changes, we’ll see more and more damage to the world in the decades to come. Ocean levels will rise as the polar icecaps melt more and more, entire cities and large parts of certain countries will fall below sea level, the rate of natural disasters will increase, ecosystems will continue to be thrown out of balance, and the Earth may struggle to recover.
We know all of this, and we know that there are ways to slow down the rate of devastation and make personal changes in our own lives each and every day to stop it, and yet, so many of us find it quite difficult to be actually ‘go green’ and be as eco-friendly as we’d like to be. Why is this? And what can we do to change our approach and truly change our ways?
The Challenges
There are many challenges associated with going green. One of the first is the fact that, as much as it might pain us to admit it, humans are quite selfish creatures. We only have one life and we want to enjoy it as much as we can, and it just so happens that a lot of enjoyment and indulgence is associated with products and activities that do more harm than good to the planet.
Those who love to eat delicious foods from around the world, for example, are contributing to global warming, factory farming, deforestation, and so on, purely by visiting restaurants or buying exotic ingredients to cook at home. Those who love to travel, meanwhile, rely on gas-guzzling airplanes to get from place to place and can leave huge carbon footprints behind them.
Even just living a day at home, relying on gas and electricity to power your appliances and charge your devices, for example, you’re not really doing much to help the planet, and even if you make little changes here and there and try to lead a good life, you’re still, almost inevitably, going to have to rely on services or machines that use fossil fuels at some stage or another.
Cutting down on the daily things that do damage to our world isn’t easy, and many people also find themselves asking if it’s all really worth it. After all, one person can start switching off lights, saving water, and eating less meat, but if big multinational corporations and giant companies continue mining the Earth for all it’s worth, those actions won’t amount to much.
Changing Your Approach
With so many obstacles in the way and challenges that seem to make the green life so hard to live, it can feel almost impossible to be as eco-friendly as you truly wish to be, and you may almost want to give up at some point. However, many experts, papers, and assignment help have shown a big part of trying to be green and do your part for the world is making sure you have the right attitude.
It’s easy to feel that going green is useless if you think that your own actions won’t have a huge impact on the world at large, but imagine if a million people said that very same thing to themselves or a billion people, and then all of those billion people gave up instead of acting together and truly having an enormous effect.
The truth is that yes, one person’s actions won’t make much difference, but you’re not alone. If more and more people have the right approach, feel like a part of something bigger, and change their ways, global change and genuine improvements really can happen. And future generations will look back to the past and thank people like you who weren’t afraid to make those changes happen.
What’s more, focusing on yourself and your lifestyle decisions will help you feel better and improve your life too. Making use of natural cosmetics, for example, over chemical counterparts, or choosing organic foods can help to improve your health, and reducing your reliance on fossil fuels definitely isn’t a bad thing.
Top Tips for Those Who Want to Go Green
if you want to start leading a greener and more friendly lifestyle for the world around you, helping to preserve the planet for generations to come, there are many ways to do so. The best part of all is that your life doesn’t necessarily need to change in any big ways, and you can continue enjoying your usual favorite activities, foods, and indulgences, simply making some small adjustments here and there to your day to day habits. Here are some useful tips to keep in mind when looking to go green:
Recycle
One of the most obvious ways you can go green in your day to day life is by recycling more often. When you find yourself with plastic, glass, or cardboard packaging at home or work, remember to recycle those materials correctly, rather than just tossing them in the trash.
Reuse/Repurpose
As well as recycling old items and waste, you can also bring new items back to life through repurposing or upcycling. Old ladders can be used as shelves, for instance, or old pieces of scrap wood can be put together to make some DIY furniture.
Avoid One-Use Items
There are so many one-use items out there, from plastic cups and straws to grocery store bags that contribute in a big way to landfill waste and environmental damage. Try to avoid them, opting for reusable alternatives whenever you can.
Get More Plants
Due to deforestation, countless trees are being cut down and plants are being wiped out every single day, so giving a home to a few more plants on your own property is a nice way to balance out this environmental destruction, as well as cleaning up the air in your home and lightening your mood too.
Opt for Energy-Efficient Appliances
Today’s appliances, including dishwashers, washing machines, fridge-freezers, and ovens, are made to much tougher eco standards than those of the past, using less energy overall. Consider upgrading one or more of your appliances to an eco-friendly option to save money on utilities and protect the Earth.
Buy Local
When it comes to the food you eat, there’s no harm in enjoying delicious meals and your favorite recipes, but one way you can go greener is trying to buy local produce whenever you can. This is much better for the environment as it cuts down on all the costs of transporting ingredients from place to place.
Try to Eat Less Meat and Animal Products
One simple fact of environmental science is that livestock and farm animals contribute enormously to climate change, producing huge amounts of greenhouse gases. Nobody says you have to adopt an entirely vegan diet, but eating a little less red meat, in particular, is a nice way to protect your health and be kinder to the planet.
Reduce Paper Waste
In recent times, we’ve seen a gradual shift away from paper and towards digital alternatives, and going digital with things like newspapers, tickets, and documents is a great way to cut down on the amount of paper you use each day. Always opt for e-tickets and digital bills when possible.
Energy Saving Bulbs
Another simple way you can make a change at home to reduce your carbon footprint – and get the benefit of paying less cash on your utility bills each month as well – is to make use of energy-saving LED bulbs. They last longer, use less power and are simply better for the world all-round.
Use Natural Products
You might have noticed that cleaning products, cosmetics, shampoos, and many other items found in stores have started to boast of their ‘all-natural’ formulas and ingredients. This shift towards natural elements is often much better for your body and health, as well as being better for the world too, so try and use naturally-made cosmetics, cleansers, detergents, and more each day.
Avoid Wasting Energy and Water
Another super simple way you can cut the size of your carbon footprint is to be more economic and conscious with your usage of energy and resources. Remember to turn off appliances when they’re not in use, switch off the light before leaving a room, don’t leave your devices charging beyond 100%, and so on.
Author: Susanna Balashova is a creative magician in a world of (mostly) boring Marketing. She makes dull and dreary subject interesting and exciting and enjoys writing on a range of topics, as well as lending her skills to an essay writing service to help those in need of assistance. Outside of work, she likes writing fan fics and sketching. Reach out to her on Twitter or LinkedIn.