5 Simple Sustainable Lifestyle Changes to Make This Summer

There are always new ways we can help our community and environment, and that’s been quite obvious this year. With the pandemic, we learned the importance of stepping back as an individual to ensure the safety of many. We’ve learned that these forced pauses led to some good for the planet—cleaner waters, cleaner, air, and less pollution.

With the summer leading us back to some sort of normalcy, it’s important to carry the lessons we learned during self-isolation into the future. One of those lessons is the importance of protecting our planet. If that’s something you hope to focus and refine, take a look at some of these sustainable lifestyle changes to make this summer. Small, habitual changes can end up making quite the difference!

Go Meatless

There’s no better time to go meatless than in the summer. You don’t have to go cold turkey; start by following through on meatless Mondays and then increase from there! Either way, summer offers some incredibly fresh nourishment options that don’t include meat. You could even start by switching to a pescatarian lifestyle and enjoy some fresh seafood!

Make Smart Clothes Choices

Do you know about the apparel industry’s impact on the environment? It’s massive, and even your small choice to switch to green clothing practices will make a difference. Donate your clothes rather than tossing them in the trash. Shop second hand as often as possible. Dry your clothes on a clothesline rather than in the dryer. You may wish to choose fabrics like Bamboo that are eco-friendly too. All of these make a difference and don’t require that much of a shift on your part.

Choose Reusable as Often as Possible

Instead of bringing disposable materials on your picnic, choose reusable instead. Whenever you can, try to go the reusable route—bring a reusable water bottle on your hike, use easy to clean plates and utensils for your picnic, and quit using plastic straws. This is such a small sustainable lifestyle change to make this summer that you’ll hardly even notice what a big difference you’re making.

Switch to Green Home Design

On the opposite end of the simplicity spectrum comes green home design. Chances are you’re already working on some home improvement projects for the season. All this lifestyle change asks is that you make those changes based upon greener options. If you’re painting, use eco-friendly paint. If you’re getting new furniture, get them secondhand or ones built from green materials. There are plenty of ways you can bring sustainable living practices into your home—you’ve just got to make the effort. Small changes are big for the environment, and we each leave our own footprint.

Pick Smart Skin Products

Slathering on a lot of sunscreen this summer? Make sure to shop for brands that are organic and eco-conscious. A lot of sunscreen brands can do a lot of damage to aquatic ecosystems and the planet. Similarly, you may be wearing less makeup or doing less to your hair; that’s already good for the environment. But the next time you head to the store, shop for eco-friendly beauty products. Be sure to do your research before you go!

These are just a few of the many ways you can make lifestyle changes that put the environment first. Try them out and see how good it feels, and despite the current Pandemic you will be proactively living your most vibrant life!