Ecofriendly and Continuous Lifestyle
By. Fiolita Berandhini, S.H.
The condition of the planet and environment, in which we live, is getting worse every single day. Our lifestyle, which causes the earth to experience global warming, trash, biodiversity loss and so on. However, before it gets worse, we surely can make changes. Adapting an eco friendly lifestyle can start from home and finding ways to a sustainable life is a good thing to begin with.
1. At Home
Change the light bulbs to LED lamps
LED lightbulbs can be used longer and they use less energy than regular lightbulbs
Save paper bags, carton boxes or used gift wraps
Gift packages can be re-used if you open them carefully. This can also reduce the amount of trash we make
Use newspaper or brown paper bags/recycled paper for gift wraps instead of buying new ones
Use newspaper or brown paper bags/recycled paper for gift wraps instead of buying new ones
Turn off the lights after use
Energy saving can help, turn of the lights when it is not needed to be switched on
Unplug all electronic devices from the socket after use
If we turn off all our home appliances (and not in stand by mode), we will reduce an enormous carbon dioxide emission from electrical energy saving. Use the socket which has the on/off button. Or unplug the cable from its electrical source.
Reduce electronic waste by repairing electronic devices instead of immediately buy new ones
Electronic–waste can cause health problems, such as inflammatory or oxidative stress. However, impacts from electronic devices can also trigger serious diseases, such as cardiovascular disease (health problems of heart and blood vessel), DNA breakage, even causing cancer. Other than that, the air which has been contaminated with e–waste, comes from non eco friendly recycling and contributes to air pollution. Examples of electronic waste are: LCD, TV, and smartphone containing heavy metals, such as: mercury, arsenic, cadmium, PCB etc.
Use AC only when needed or use instead an electric fan
With respect to the environment on our planet, CFC produced by the use of AC can cause holes in the ozone layer in the atmosphere. This condition will cause the ozone layer to lose its main function, being a shield from the danger of ultraviolet light which is hazardous for our body.
Maximise the use of natural lighting
Use light colours for your walls, glass tile for ceilings, maximise rooms’ lighting through windows.
Avoid using tissue paper
Tissue papers use trees which need years to grow. The use of toilet paper on a daily basis could have a big impact to our natural forest preservations. Use handmade fabric tissue to clean dirty parts of your house.
2. In the Kitchen
Composting food and vegetables leftovers
You can make compost to improve the soil’s quality by regenerate the humidity, air and nutrition. This fertiliser can reduce the amount of water needed for gardening, so it helps preserving its valuable resource. Compost can consists of dry leaves, cut-grass, and organic kitchen waste. Compost can minimise methane release in environment and refill the nutrition back to the earth, which is important for optimal plant growth. Next, you can use compost to plant vegetables and more
Keep empty plastic containers to start planting seeds or to put the leftovers in the fridge.
It is an easy and cheap way to plant hydroponic with used bottles, it can be done by anyone, wherever we are. For those who live in an urban area, hydroponic plants can be your solution to provide household needs.
Eat seasonal fruits/vegetables from your local area
Buying local products not only good for the environment but also good for you. Besides, you can help reduce packaging waste and carbon trace from factory/food exporter.
When replacing kitchen tools, buy the ones made of bamboo or silicone, not plastic
In every day life, we see many forms of styrofoam, from an electronic standee to a food container.
Reduce/avoid meat consumption
You don’t have to be a vegetarian or 100% vegan fast, but you can slowly reduce your meat consumption to 2-3 times a week and eat more grains, vegetables and fruits. By doing so, you have already helped reduce any carbon trace. The UN stated “Animal farming contributed 9% of carbon dioxide, but produced more green house emission by 65% of nitrous oxide which elevated carbon dioxide. That makes global warming potential up to 296 times”
Don’t keep the fridge for too long
For every minute you open the fridge, it will take 3 minutes of full energy to restore the temperature.
Keep the food vacuum sealed
One of the best ways to preserve food and ingredients is to keep them vacuum sealed. This way, the food will not lose its flavour and essential nutritions.
Wrap the vegetables in table cloth or paper towel
The best way to store vegetables is to wash them first, avoiding the dirt and bacteria contaminating the fridge. But to store it that way, it tends to cause the vegetables to wither quicker. So after you washed them, dry them off, then wrap them in a table cloth/paper towel to absorb excessive humidity
3. Body Care
Use bar soap instead of liquid soap or buy the refill pack
Using bar soap can reduce plastic use and packaging waste.
Use shampoo bars instead of liquid shampoo or buy the refill pack
Using shampoo bars/refill shampoo can reduce plastic use and packaging waste.
Use cotton substitute made from fabric to wipe off cosmetics from your face
Fabrics to clean makeup and cotton sanitary napkins, which can be re-used are not only eco friendly (by reducing waste for Final Disposal Sites), but also more affordable. Although at first washable microfibre towel or cloth may seem a bit pricey than a pack of disposable facial tissue; you can use them for months or even years.
Use menstrual cup
Sanitary napkins/tampons are one of the largest wastes used by women, which obviously are hazardous to our health and our planet.
Use bamboo toothbrush
Plastic material toothbrush is the most common product that we use. Usually we throw them away after 3 months and they ended up polluting the environment. To help reduce the waste, switch to a bamboo toothbrush.
Choose deodorants and other products in spray bottles without aerosol
Glass spray bottles would be a better choice. Aerosol is one of our biggest air polluters.
4. Doing Shopping
Bring your own shopping bag
When shopping for new clothes, choose the ones with a high quality rather than cheap and fast fashion ones
Fashion is one of the products that are bad the environment. Try to buy less clothes especially from the fast fashion industry.
Buy preloved clothes if possible
Avoid fast food
Fast food produces the largest waste on earth. Also, fast food are bad for your health.
Watch your diet
From now on, start watching your diet. This way, you can manage how many portions you can consume and minimise food waste.
5. Cleaning Up
Use loofah
Using disposable sponges to wash the dishes and clean the bathroom is very bad for the environment because they are made of plastic polymer. Loofah sponges are made from a gourd in the cucumber family and a much better alternative!
Use cleaning products made from natural ingredients such as soap nuts
Using chemical ingredients to clean your house is very bad for the environment. These common products can cause irritations to your skin and eyes. Natural or green cleaning products are non corrosive and do not contain any toxicities for our earth.
6. Electronics
Avoid buying new products when your electronic devices are still usable
Think twice before automatically buy the latest smartphones/electronics. Do you really need it? Is your current device still functioning?
Install solar panelling to recharge your electronic devices
Solar panels are essential for any eco-home. They’re not only generating clean electricity but also helps us to cut electricity bills and save money. This is obviously a long term investment with low maintenance and plausible for eco friendly homes.
Use rechargeable batteries
7. Appliances
Keep a portable cutlery set at your office or in your car/motorcycle
Plastic cutlery used only for several times before being thrown away. If you really have to use them, you can wash and keep them for future use.
Always bring your tumbler
Stainless steel tumbler has better quality than the plastic ones and is a very simple way to live an eco friendly lifestyle
Avoid using plastic straws
Avoid disposable plastic straws at any cost. If you need one, bring your own. To stop plastic straws waste, you can start switching to bamboo straws. Bamboo straws are safe to use because they have antimicrobial nature. Also, bamboos are usually planted without using pesticides so they won’t cause any diseases.
Avoid using styrofoam utensils
Just like straws, styrofoam containers are the most common utensils used in everyday life. Bring your own food container for takeouts. Styrofoam is one of polystyrene (PS) element that is hazardous and had been used for multiple use this last seven decades. The process of making styrofoam involves mixing air bubbles so it can expand and has a light weight like foam. In everyday life, we see styrofoam in many forms, from package cushioning for electronics to food containers.
Donate your used clothes and other stuff (that are still wearable & usable) rather than throw them away
Use solar energy water heater
Although it is more expensive, in the long term this could save your electricity bills.
Avoid using wet tissues
Wet tissues are made from plastic so they won’t be fully biodegrade. Instead, use cloth with water.
Use cloth diapers for babies
When you have babies and infants, you must know how many diapers will end up in the trash everyday. So it would be much better if you use cloth diapers that can be washed and re-used.
8. Garden
Plant your garden with your favourite vegetables, fruits and and herbs
Every time we buy vegetables/fruits/herbs from the markets, we usually purchase them in large quantities and in the end we tend to throw some of them away. Growing vegetables and fruits yourself can reduce waste and save money. If you don’t have enough space, we recommend you to use plant pots or other empty containers.
Regrowing vegetables from scraps
Do you know that some of the plants can be regrown, like roots of green onions, stump of the lettuce, carrot tops, base of celery, bottom of leeks. These are the parts that we usually throw away when we’re cooking. Even though these parts can be planted and regrown. This way we can learn and do zero waste.
