People around the world are becoming more and more focused on environmental issues than ever before, and we should be doing everything we can to ensure we live an eco friendly lifestyle.
If you’re just starting out and want some eco friendly lifestyle tips then here are a number of ideas to help you get started. But first, what does an eco friendly lifestyle actually mean?
Eco Friendly Lifestyle Meaning
Living an eco friendly lifestyle simply refers to a way of living that aims to reduce negative impacts on the environment by making conscious choices to reduce an individual's ecological footprint and preserve natural resources.
Here are 6 eco friendly lifestyle tips to help you lead a more sustainable life:
- Reduce, reuse, recycle
- Be conservative with energy & water
- Opt for sustainable transportation
- Eat less meat
- Switch to eco-friendly dental products
- Use eco-friendly cleaning products
1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
"Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" is a popular environmental saying that encourages individuals to adopt sustainable practices when it comes to managing waste and resources. But what do they mean?
‘Reducing’ means to consume less and generate less waste by being mindful of what you use and buy. For example, using a reusable metal water bottle instead of buying single-use plastic bottles or purchasing products with minimal or eco-friendly packaging, or buying in bulk to reduce waste. Discover more ways you can reduce household waste here.
‘Reusing’ means using items a number of times before chucking it away to decrease the need for new purchases. For example, you might find ways to reuse your old bamboo toothbrush i.e. as a cleaning tool or plant marker.
You might also reuse glass jars to store food or organise small kitchen items instead of buying new plastic containers.‘Recycling’ is the process of converting used materials into new products to prevent them from ending up in landfills. Luckily nowadays, you can recycle almost everything, from batteries to paper to crisp packets to cars. You can even recycle electronics like phones and computers, but these will have to be dropped off at designated e-waste recycling centres in order to be recycled. Before you throw anything away, take a minute to find out if you could recycle it instead.
2. Be Conservative With Energy & Water
Being conservative with energy is a key aspect of leading an eco-friendly lifestyle, as it helps conserve natural resources and therefore reduces your carbon footprint.
How To Save Energy in Your Home
There are a number of ways you can save energy in your home:
- Switch to energy efficient, eco-friendly technologies - Replace old, inefficient appliances with ENERGY STAR certified ones, which will use less energy. You can also opt for energy-efficient lighting options like LED or CFL bulbs.
- Use natural lighting when you can - Keep curtains and blinds open during the day to reduce the need for artificial lighting.
- Seal your home - Seal gaps and cracks in doors and windows to prevent drafts and the need for heating.
- Leverage reusable energy sources - If attainable, consider installing solar panels to generate renewable energy for your home.
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Switch of plugs and lights when not in use - Unplug chargers, electronics, and appliances when they're not in use, as well as lights, to prevent "phantom" energy consumption.
3. Opt For Sustainable Transportation
When it comes to travelling somewhere, you should really try to reduce your reliance on personal vehicles by walking, using public transportation or biking, which can all help to reduce your carbon footprint.
If you do have to drive, make sure that you get the most out of your car by keeping the speed down, ensuring tyres are properly inflated and that the engine is running smoothly. If feasible, investing in an electric car is a great way to reduce carbon emissions when travelling.
4. Eat Less Meat
Another eco-friendly lifestyle tip is to eat less meat. Why? Because cutting down on red meat and eating a more plant based diet – even if it’s just for 2 or 3 days per week – can have quite a significant impact on reducing your carbon footprint.
Nowadays, there are lots of meat-free options available in restaurants and supermarkets, so you won’t struggle finding tasty alternatives.
Why Is Meat Bad for the Planet?
In short - meat production accounts for over half (57%) of the greenhouse gas emissions of the entire food production industry. The production of meat also results in widespread deforestation and loss of biodiversity, and each of these issues means that it significantly contributes to climate change.
Livestock farming, especially cattle, produces methane during digestion. And methane is a potent greenhouse gas, which is around 25 times more effective in trapping heat than carbon dioxide over a 100-year period. The large-scale production of livestock is therefore significantly contributing to global greenhouse gas emissions, intensifying climate change and damaging our environment.
5. Switch to Eco-Friendly Dental Products
With one of the most consistent parts of our daily routine being dental care, this is a pretty good place to start when it comes to creating an eco-friendly lifestyle.
Switching to a zero waste bamboo toothbrush is one of the easiest sustainable dental swaps you can make, as they are biodegradable and reduce waste. Unfortunately, more than 1 billion plastic toothbrushes are chucked away every year around the world, which end up polluting the earth in landfills or worse, filling our oceans and endangering marine life.
Bamboo is also a renewable, sustainable material, therefore it won’t negatively impact the environment. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for plastic toothbrushes, as the petroleum used to make plastic is a limited resource.
Another significant switch you can make is switching to zero-waste toothpaste tablets, which are small tablets held in recyclable packaging or reusable jars.
Toothpaste tablets are just as effective as normal toothpaste in a tube, but instead reduce plastic waste and are also great for travelling!
Eco-Friendly Bamboo Toothbrushes
Brush Fresh Bamboo Toothbrushes are ideal if you’re looking to create more eco-friendly lifestyle choices. Some of their key features include:
- BPA free
- Blunted bristle tips ensure they do not cause tooth wear and abrasion
- Cruelty free
- Fully biodegradable
- Sustainable and ethically sourced
Shop our complete range of bamboo toothbrushes here.
Natural & Vegan Toothpaste Tablets
Our vegan toothpaste tablets are perfect for everyday use and great for your dental health. Their key benefits include:
- Tubeless = plastic-free
- Cruelty free
- Made in the UK
- Designed by dentists at Brush Fresh Co.
- Great for oral health
Read more about how to create an eco-friendly dental routine here.
6. Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
As well as changes to your dental routine, you should also seriously consider making changes when it comes to household cleaning products. Did you know that a lot of cleaning products have a lot of harmful chemicals in them that aren’t environmentally friendly to create or get rid of?
In fact, as well as the environment, repeated exposure to these cleaning products can affect your health. This is why it’s best to opt for green cleaning products that use more natural and organic ingredients which are far less harmful to both your health and the environment.
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Brush Fresh Co. is founded and run by a group of UK-based dentists, who specialise in environmentally-friendly and sustainable dental products. From biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes to zero waste toothbrush tablets, our product range has been designed to put both your dental health and the environment first.
For more information and advice, such as how to reduce household waste & how to choose the right toothpaste, head over to our dental blog or get in contact with us here.
Written by Kate, on behalf of Brush Fresh Co - the UK's Dental Experts Providing eco-friendly dental care.