-by Texas Homesteader ~
Here are the 16 Easiest Ways To Be More Sustainable. Everything from simple ways to reduce food waste to easy homemade health & beauty or cleaning. All simple ways you can be more sustainable in your everyday life and easy enough to start today!
(Note: Some links in this post will take you to other related articles for further information. But links preceded with * are affiliate links. If you click and buy something I could receive a tiny commission.)
Why You’ll Love Being More Sustainable
Mindful Living – Being kind of Mother Earth just feels right.
Easy To Do – It’s not hard or complicated. Anyone can do it!
Save Money – #UseWhatchaGot
Here are some easy ways to be more sustainable. I’ve included links to more detail for each category. So go ahead, choose one or choose them all – they’re EASY!
1. Easy Ways To Reduce Food Waste
It’s easy to Reduce Your Food Waste with these simple steps:
Understand Dates on Food Packaging, where the dates come from and what they mean – that food is probably still perfectly good!
Zero-Waste Cooking: Employ tools such as Cook-Once, Eat-Twice method or even Planned Leftovers.
Repurposed Glass Jars in Refrigerator – help eliminate forgotten food.
Using Less Than Perfect Food in Different Ways – Stale bread into Homemade Breadcrumbs or French Toast, or bones into Homemade Broth.
2. Low-Waste Mealtimes
Use real plates & flatware and cloth napkins. If you have a dishwasher cleanup can be as easy as: Scrape/Load/Push a Button.
3. Buy Food With Less Packaging
Know which stores sell unpackaged broccoli or squash for a reasonable price. Or do what I did and ask if you can pick from the fresh produce in the back that they haven’t yet packaged.
4. Lower Food Miles
Lower food miles means healthier food for you & your family.
Grow a Garden – plant what your family loves and harvest at the peak of freshness!
Easy Compost – make your own healthy garden amendment while reducing trash.
Growing A Sustainable Garden – employ these easy eco-friendly gardening tips.
5. Eliminate Single-Use Plastic
I try to eliminate single-use plastic as much as possible. I can save some money here too!
Trash Bags – I haven’t bought actual trash bags in over a decade. Instead I repurpose Bags That Come Into Our House such as family size toilet paper wrapping, feed sacks, etc.
Plastic Shopping Bags – I use my *Market Basket to hold my purchases and always get compliments from cashiers. No plastic shopping bags for me!
6. How To Reduce Energy Usage
Passive Solar – Surprising ways to use the power of the sun with no equipment to buy!
Energy Efficient Lighting – Be sure you’re using only the electricity you need.
Using Window Coverings for light or heat seasonal changes – either block heat or to bring heat inside.
Whole House Fan for energy efficient home cooling in minutes.
7. Easy Homemade Cleaning Products
Glass Cleaner – vinegar/water, then glass polished streak-free using wadded newspaper.
Dish Soap/Water in repurposed spray bottle for many uses.
Baking Soda for extra non-toxic scrubbing power.
Luffa Scrub Sponge – easy to grow yourself!
8. Buy Products Used: Cheaper & Eco Friendly Too
Buying Used usually means items have no packaging and often better quality for less money.
Shop at thrift stores, yard sales, etc.
Don’t forget to donate your used items to a thrift store too!
9. Eco-Friendly Laundry
Wash your clothing only when actually dirty and not simply after one wearing.
Make your own Homemade Laundry Powder easily & in minutes.
Homemade Laundry-Scent Booster uses only 2 ingredients.
Line Dry clean laundry or use *Folding Laundry Racks inside.
10. Repair Instead Of Replace
This tip is tremendously eco friendly and saves us so much money too. Repair Items instead of replacing them.
Repairing a Solar Light – Don’t throw it away, it’s probably an easy fix.
RancherMan’s repaired so many things such as our toaster oven, microwave, refrigerator and even our laptop. The internet is your friend for researching easy repairs.
11. Low Waste Health & Beauty
It’s so easy to make homemade health & beauty items for nearly nothing.
Dry Shampoo – just 3 ingredients.
Beeswax Lip Balm – Easy, natural and soothing.
My Easy Deodorant – Only 1 ingredient you probably have in your cabinet.
Light & Sheer Face Powder – No complicated or specialty ingredients. Just enough coverage to mask minor skin color imperfections.
Using A Safety Razor – They’re easy to use – eliminates many disposable plastic razors.
Install A Bidet – There are lots of upgrade options including heated water, heated seats, lighting, automatic toilet seat raising/lowering and more.
12. Eco Friendly Homemade Gifts
Experience Gifts – Give the gift of time & wonderful memories!
Homemade Gifts – True gifts from your heart.
Zero-Waste Gift Ideas – Ideas for your minimalist friends & family
13. Cook From Scratch With Easy Meals
Keep it simple with the easiest recipes.
Easy One-Pot Meals such as Instant Pot Spaghetti, Kid-favorite Goulash, Dutch oven Taco Spaghetti, etc.
Cook-Once Eat-Twice – Cook more than you can eat in one sitting & enjoy another meal later.
Planned Leftovers – Cook lots of a main ingredient & use in different dishes for supper FAST.
14. Go Paperless!
Utilize Paperless Billing. (often saves money too if fees are removed for paperless billing!)
Opt Out of Advertising Junk mail.
15. Low Waste Dining Out
I love my *Stainless Steel Bento Box for bringing home restaurant leftovers without the dreaded Styrofoam monster!
Denim Dish Carrier for carrying restaurant leftovers – Easy enough for even me, a novice sewer, to make.
No Straw With Your Drink. (you need to request no straw when ordering, as servers often put the straw IN your glass when delivering)
Bring Your Own Water Tumbler – I always drink water when dining out anyway and more & more often that includes a plastic bottle of water. So I bring my own tumbler filled with filtered water instead. No plastic or straw needed!
16. More Efficient Errands
Combine Errands – Save fuel, time and wear & tear on your car by making sure you combine errands into one trip.
Cell Phone Reminders – Your smart phone’s Virtual assistant can remind you of shopping needs when you get close to a store. Try saying “Hey Siri (or Google), Remind me when I get to Home Depot to get more 2″ screws”. No more getting back home frustrated you forgot to buy something needed while you were out.
Hopefully that gets the creative juices flowing for you. If you need more inspiration, there’s a longer list below. Dive in!
~TxH~
This post categorized in 
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- Glass & Silicone Reusable Water Bottle
- Replacing Plastic Wrap With Beeswax Wraps
- Making Your Own Pourable Sugar Jar
- Easily Reduce Or Eliminate Junkmail
- Paper Napkins In A Paperless Kitchen
- How A Bidet Can Be An Eco Win
Eco Friendly Health & Beauty
Low Waste Cleaning
Repurposing To Reduce Waste
Low Waste Gifts & Crafts
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