11 Life-Changing Benefits Of Sustainable Living
Sustainability is more than about “going green” and protecting our planet.
While those things are important it’s about creating a healthier you that takes and gives back to nature in a way that benefits you and the environment.
How do you do that?
Well…live a more simple life by implementing sustainable habits so you can reap the benefits of sustainable living.
TL;DR
The 11 Life-Changing Benefits of Sustainable Living are:
- Save Money!!
- Avoid Toxic Chemicals
- Improve Your Mental Health
- You’ll Become Healthier
- Support Local Businesses
- Cleaner Air and Water
- Cutdown On Waste
- Lower Carbon Footprint
- Energy Independence
- Sustainable Farming
- Long-Term Economic Benefits
Living sustainably means living a lifestyle that is in balance with the environment and limits its environmental impact.
In this journey towards a greener lifestyle, my husband and I have made many changes and better believe some mistakes.
We’re researching and improving all the time because when you make a lifestyle change you never stop learning.
With that being said…
Don’t complicate being more sustainable! Any little change or choice counts and don’t let anyone tell you different.
Living more simply is SO worth it. And here’s how..
11 Benefits Of Sustainable Living
1. Save money!!
Speaking of money and savings. Living sustainably can help the planet and your wallet!
We live in a society that tells us “buy buy buy”(…no this is not an NSYNC pun…or is it)
But pushing back against this consumerism mindset will actually make you happier.
Here are a few ways sustainability can save you money:
- Energy-efficient appliances can lower utility bills
- Solar Panels
- Public transit, walking, biking and carpooling
- Growing your own food will cut down on grocery costs
- Buying used items
- DIY home products
- Using reusable items like reusable water bottles and coffee mugs
2. Avoid Toxic Chemicals
Now this is a big one.
Thanks to under-regulation, toxic chemicals surround us. 👎🏽
From the furniture in our home, the candles we light, the moisturizer we put on our face, and the cookware we use to cook our food, toxins leak into our home and body exposing us to serious health risks.
By supporting businesses that put the environment first you’ll end up with much safer, chemical-free products that are made using ethical practices that keep you and the environment in mind. These are just a few of the many benefits of choosing eco-friendly products.
3. Improve Your Mental Health
Because living this way involves learning new skills and knowledge, like gardening, recycling, and conserving energy, you’ll get a confidence boost while experiencing greater motivation, improved habits, and a more positive outlook on your life and purpose.
Living sustainably allows you to be closer to nature, which is proven to improve overall mental health.
#MentalHealthMatters
4. You’ll become Healthier 🤸🏽♀️
By using cleaner products and eating more organic, locally grown food that supports a nutrient-rich diet, you’ll become healthier and begin to see and feel the difference.
Speaking from experience here…I grew up eating a very SAD(Standard American Diet) and it eventually began to take a toll on my weight, and mental and physical health.
But after realizing how my lifestyle was affecting me, I started eating a more nutrient-dense diet, being more active, and getting my butt outside in nature more which transformed my whole mind, body, and soul!
5. Support for Local Businesses
Living this way supports local economies by encouraging you to buy locally produced goods.
My favorite way of supporting local small businesses is by sitting at my local coffee shop to work and getting a hot cup of coffee in a beautiful glass coffee mug, unlike the cheap yet overpriced plastic cups Starbucks gives you…
This keeps money within the community, helping to sustain local jobs and businesses.
6. Cleaner Air and Water
Unfortunately, A LOT of plastic and waste ends up in water sources like rivers and the ocean or in landfills.
The chemicals in these items then migrate into the soil, air, and water, contaminating the soil we grow our food in, the air we breathe, and the animals we eat.
Also, plastic in landfills sits in the sun, and off-gas VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) like methane that pollute the atmosphere.
7. Cutdown On Waste
As humans, we waste sooooo much.
In fact, the whole world produces 2.01 billion tons of waste each year.
But there’s a solution! Recycling, Reducing consumption, and reusing!
Here are some practical ways we’ve adopted to cut down on our own waste:
- Using glass, stainless steel, silicone, or beeswax wraps for food storage/lunch containers
- Using a reusable water bottle
- Avoiding fast food, eating at home, and even preparing food from scratch
- Using reusable bags at the grocery store
- Create a compost bin
8. Lower Carbon Footprint
Maybe an obvious one here but eco-friendly living will also reduce your carbon footprint by using fewer resources unnecessarily.
For example, instead of driving to somewhere close by you can choose to walk or bike. We love to take walks or ride our bikes! It just makes us feel good.
This reduces our use of fossil fuels, saves us money on gas, and gets us some exercise! It’s a win-win-win!
9. Energy Independence
This lifestyle can help you reduce your reliance on energy sources.
If you install solar panels in your home, you can generate your own electricity using the sun’s energy.
Solar panels are becoming more popular.
We actually finally convinced my parents to get some and man…are they happy.
Not only do they not have to worry about a high energy bill every month but they also know their home is being powered naturally.
By producing your own clean energy, you not only reduce your carbon footprint but also gain more control over your energy usage and costs saving you bucks in the long run.
10. Sustainable Farming
Buying organic produce from local farmers directly supports agricultural methods that prioritize soil health, reduce chemical use, and conserve water.
This encourages more farmers to adopt sustainable practices, that are clearly in demand for organically grown crops.
The more local organic farmers are sought after the sooner we can completely kick industrial commercial agriculture that uses toxic fertilizers and pesticides(yuck..)
Having trouble finding local farmers? We found the SimplyLocal app to help with that!
11. Long-Term Economic Benefits
Living sustainably offers significant long-term economic benefits, primarily through cost savings and resource efficiency.
More economic benefits include:
- Installing Solar Panels
- Investing in Energy-Efficient Appliances
- Practicing Water Conservation (Installing a rainwater harvesting system)
- Growing Your Own Food
- Using Public Transportation, Carpooling, Biking or Walking
- Recycling and Composting
- Buying Secondhand Products
- Renewable Energy Sources
How Our Actions Affect the Environment
We humans have quite a love-hate relationship with our environment.
Take our obsession with plastic, for instance. It’s like a bad romance – we use it, abuse it, and then throw it away to end up in our oceans and landfills.
Our actions have led to devastating effects on the environment such as deforestation, increased CO2 levels, polluted oceans and rivers, poor air quality, and ecosystem disruption and resource depletion.
It’s safe to say we have a lot of work to do but by going after a more simple lifestyle we can make impacts that can benefit the environment for future generations.
How To Start Living More Sustainably Today!
Like they say don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today! …and every day after…
You can start to live more non toxic by implementing eco-friendly living habits.
Here’s an easy one to get you started!
- Step One: Right now whether you’re at home, or in the office, stop and look around (literally stop and look around)…
- Step Two: Now count all the devices and electronics and think about all the energy they’re using.
- Step Three: Now (unless you need them at the moment) go and flip those switches off and unplug those devices.
- Step Four: Pat yourself on the back because your life has just become a bit more sustainable
Sure, this is simple and may seem insignificant but the truth is that little steps make a HUGE difference in the long run.
Final Thoughts
One thing I will say is that this journey isn’t easy nor is it a quick path.
We as humans have spent centuries leaving our footprint on this planet and it may take just as long to undo the damage we’ve caused.
But in all things, there has to be a start date.
For me, my start date was when I got tired of the health issues my family and I were facing due to years of harmful habits, exposure to toxic chemicals, and living an empty unsatisfied consuming lifestyle….
When will be your start date… and when will you take control of how you exist and live within this beautiful place we call home?
Remember, baby steps are progress!
