We have previously looked at the need for a sustainable lifestyle, which lead us to figuring out ways to be more sustainable in an apartment. After all, what you do right now impacts you and future generations for years to come.
Our ecosystem inches closer to irreparable damage each year which can leave us and our future generations in unlivable conditions within a few years. In fact, as we speak, almost 200 million tons of plastic waste swims in our oceans.
Whether you’re a sustainability enthusiast or just starting to dip your toes into green living, there are plenty of simple steps you can take to reduce your environmental footprint and create a more sustainable living space.
From conserving energy and water to reducing waste and choosing eco-friendly products, this article will provide you with practical tips and ways to be more sustainable in an apartment!
What Does Sustainability Mean?
At its heart, sustainability is the ability to maintain a balance between your economic, social, and environmental factors with your decisions.
In fact, the United Nations describes the concept as fulfilling the needs of the current generation without compromising the needs of future generations.
To break it down, sustainable living is being conscious of the choices you are making regarding energy, water, and resource consumption.
Some common examples of sustainability are:
- Using reusable items such as steel straws,
- Switching off lights and fans when a room isn’t in use,
- Air drying clothes instead of using appliances.
Are Mindfulness And Sustainability Connected?
Some argue that sustainability is a branch within the practice of mindfulness. After all, it’s the practice of tuning mindfully into your surroundings and making conscious choices to save resources. But is there actual proof of their connection?
According to Ecological Economics, the practice of mindfulness is connected to sustainability in more ways than just one. For one, they recommend that mindfulness can help individuals develop a deeper connection with the natural world, leading to greater awareness of the impact of their actions on the environment.
This can lead to changes in behavior, such as reducing consumption and waste and adopting more sustainable practices.
But there are countless other studies that show the direct correlation of sustainability with mindfulness. One of them suggests that while mindfulness can help deal with the psychological challenges of climate change, it also encourages people to engage in pro-environmental behaviors and advocate for policy change! This is pro-active sustainability.
Another survey involving Midwestern University students participated in a four-week meditation program to see if it would affect their behavior. They meditated for 15 minutes a day, five days a week during the study.
Before the program started, they filled out a sustainability survey asking about their connection to nature and how much they thought about their impact on the planet. The survey also asked about their energy and water use, waste behavior, transportation, and eco-friendly shopping.
After the survey ended, the participants reported that they were more likely to think about their impact on the environment and engage in eco-friendly behavior.
Why Should You Live with sustainability In Mind?
There are many reasons to start living sustainably today. Unlike some people’s belief, living sustainably doesn’t require you to spend large amounts of money or make insanely drastic changes to your lifestyle.
Turning the water off while brushing your teeth isn’t that drastic, is it? Here are some reasons you should consider sustainable living.
Sustainability Reduces Bills And Helps You Save Money
When you’re reducing your energy consumption as well as water usage, you can easily expect a lower bill at the end of the month. This is especially eye-opening for people who believe sustainable living is expensive.
In fact, one report from 2012 revealed that going sustainable can cut your taxes and energy bills in half!
Sustainability Preserves Our Natural Environment And Climate
Most of your everyday activities are endangering your natural surroundings and climate in one way or the other. The good news is that there are many ways that sustainability preserves nature!
For once, reducing energy consumption in apartments can lead to lower demand for electricity which reduces the greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. By using lower energy, you can directly reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a lower climate change rate.
Water is another aspect of sustainable living. If you optimize your water usage and use methods to reduce overall use, you’re preserving natural water resources for future generations. Recycling and composting are also incredibly helpful in preserving our surroundings.
Landfills degrade the fertility of the surrounding land, making it incapable of growth. They also produce potent greenhouse gases like methane into the environment, causing smog to occur. By reducing your waste, you can prevent all this from happening!
Sustainability Promotes A Healthier Lifestyle
Do you spend hours awake in bed when all you need is sleep? What if I told you this could be solved by simply implementing one of the ways to be more sustainable in an apartment? Sustainable living focuses on restricting the use of appliances and devices in an effort to lower energy consumption.
Reducing energy consumption and using natural lighting can also promote better sleep patterns and mental health. By reducing exposure to artificial light at night, we can improve our sleep quality, which in turn has a positive impact on our overall health and well-being.
Conserving water and reducing waste is also important for promoting a healthier lifestyle. By doing so, you’re reducing pollution and promoting a cleaner living environment, which can help lower the risk of diseases.
Perhaps the biggest focus of green living is conscious eating. Did you know that food is the biggest driving force behind the destruction of the natural world? That’s why sustainability focuses on eating home-grown or local food from farmers’ markets. There are many reasons to do so, including:
- Reducing the carbon footprint associated with food transportation,
- Supports local community and economy,
- Practices self-sufficiency, and
- Encourages you to eat healthier crops and meat without the use of chemicals!
Lastly, opting for eco-friendly cleaning and personal care products can also promote a healthier living environment. By avoiding harmful chemicals, your can reduce your exposure to toxins and create a healthier space for yourself!
Sustainability Generates A Positive Feeling Of Social Responsibility
By adopting sustainable practices, we often enjoy a sense of personal fulfillment and accomplishment, knowing that our actions are making a positive impact on the world around us.
It also connects you with others in your community who share similar values and goals. This can lead to social groups and networks that work together to promote sustainability in the neighborhood! This is essentially important for those living in apartments where green living opportunities grow with your community.
Think rooftop gardens and playful contests to see who gets the lowest water bill…
Living sustainably in an apartment can also help us become more mindful of our consumption habits and encourage us to choose products and services that align with our values.
This can create a sense of purpose and meaning in our lives, knowing that we are contributing to a greater cause beyond our own personal interests.
Ways To Be More Sustainable In An Apartment
It’s time to get your pen and paper out… or rather take a screenshot because that wasn’t very sustainable of me as we list some ways to be more sustainable in an apartment. These have been grouped into six main areas, but as you will see some of them overlap.
Cut Down On Energy-Draining Devices
- Use LED or CFL light bulbs, which are more energy-efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs.
- Unplug electronics when not in use to prevent “vampire power” consumption.
- Use a power strip to easily turn off multiple electronics at once when not in use.
- Choose energy-efficient appliances when purchasing new ones, such as Energy Star-certified models.
- Use a clothesline or drying rack to dry clothes instead of using a dryer.
- Keep blinds and curtains closed during hot summer days to reduce the need for air conditioning.
- Let your hair air-dry instead of using hairdryers, straighteners, or electric curlers.
- Adjust the thermostat to a lower temperature in the winter and a higher temperature in the summer to reduce heating and cooling costs.
- Use a fan instead of air conditioning when possible.
- Choose a laptop instead of a desktop computer, as laptops typically use less energy.
- Install smart home technology, such as a smart thermostat or lighting system, to better control and monitor energy usage.
Eat Smart And Healthy
- Buy locally grown produce to prevent eating heavily fertilized crops.
- Reduce your meat consumption and choose plant-based meals more often to reduce the carbon footprint associated with animal agriculture.
- Opt to go wheatless or meatless for a day of the week against aggressive graining methods.
- Shop at farmers’ markets or join a community-supported agriculture (CSA) program to support local farmers and reduce transportation-related emissions.
- Plan meals ahead of time to reduce food waste and save money.
- Use reusable utensils and containers for food storage to reduce single-use plastic waste.
- Compost food scraps to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and to create nutrient-rich soil for gardening.
- Buy food in bulk to reduce packaging waste.
- Choose organic and non-GMO products to support sustainable and healthy agriculture practices.
- Plant a vertical garden near a sunny window in your apartment to grow your own herbs like mint and coriander.
Shop Responsibly
- Bring your own reusable shopping bags to the store.
- Buy products with minimal packaging, or choose products with eco-friendly packaging.
- Shop at thrift stores or consignment shops to give items a second life.
- Choose products made from sustainable materials, such as bamboo or recycled plastic.
- Look for products that are certified as environmentally friendly or fair trade.
- Avoid buying products that are single-use or disposable, such as plastic water bottles or paper plates.
- Buy locally grown produce to support local farmers and reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation.
- Choose products that are energy-efficient or have a low carbon footprint, such as LED light bulbs or Energy Star-certified appliances.
- Avoid buying products that contain harmful chemicals or ingredients, such as pesticides or synthetic fragrances.
- Donate or recycle items that you no longer need, rather than throwing them away.
Reuse And Recycle
- Repurpose old t-shirts into cleaning rags or reusable shopping bags.
- Donate unused or uneccesary clothing and household items to thrift stores or charities.
- Create homemade treats for pets to reduce plastic waste.
- Use old newspapers as wrapping paper or for cleaning windows and mirrors.
- Use leftover fabric or clothing scraps to make reusable cloth napkins or cleaning cloths.
- Repurpose old furniture with a fresh coat of paint or by adding new hardware.
- Use old egg cartons or empty toilet roll tubes as seed starters for gardening.
- Recycle electronic devices at designated facilities to prevent hazardous waste from ending up in landfills.
- Use rechargeable batteries to reduce the amount of disposable batteries that end up in landfills.
Save Water
- Regularly check for leaks in your plumbing fixtures, such as faucets, showerheads, and pipes, and get them fixed as soon as possible.
- Replace your old fixtures with low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets, which can significantly reduce your water usage.
- Try to limit your shower time to 5-10 minutes to save water.
- Collect water in a bucket while waiting for the shower or sink to heat up, and use it for watering plants or cleaning. You can also install a rain barrel on your balcony or in a common outdoor space, and use the collected water instead of using tap water for these purposes.
- Only run the dishwasher and washing machine when full. Make sure to only run your dishwasher and washing machine when they are full to maximize water efficiency.
- Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth: Don’t let the water run while brushing your teeth to save a significant amount of water.
- If your toilet keeps running after you flush, fix it immediately as it can waste a lot of water.
- Plant native and drought-resistant plants in your apartment to reduce the need for watering.
- Choose eco-friendly cleaning products that don’t require excessive amounts of water to clean effectively.
- Use a broom instead of a hose or pressure washer to clean outdoor spaces like balconies, patios, and sidewalks.
Lifestyle Changes
- Educate yourself on the impact of sustainability with documentaries and books.
- Get an air-purifying plant in your house such as the Chinese Evergreen.
- Go plogging where you jog and collect litter from public places.
- Pick up a good book on sustainable living.
- Eat all your vegetables and put the scraps you don’t use as compost.
Final Thoughts
We are living in an age where 2 billion people don’t have access to clean drinking water (one-fourth of the entire global population!) while over 41,000 species of animals are critically endangered because of unsustainable human practices.
Going green is crucial now more than ever. Now, every step counts and no matter your size in the sea of people, you can make an impact. With that in mind, we curated this list of how you can sustainably live the apartment life!
So they are the ways to be more sustainable in an apartment we came up with. Please comment below with your thoughts on these or add any you think we have missed below. Learn more about how mindfulness and sustainable living can improve your holistic well-being by reading some other articles.
