In case you hadn’t heard the news, the world’s population recently reached 8 billion people.
As a result of this growth, many people have raised questions about environmental and sustainability issues. After all, the population is growing but our planet is not.
So, how can we do our part and increase sustainability in our own lives?
The key lies in developing small habits now to make a greater and more long-term impact on our health and the health of our planet.
With that goal in mind, we’ve identified 18 wellness habits you can build into your daily routine to improve sustainability in your life.
18 Sustainable Wellness Habits
Sustainable living doesn’t have to be overwhelming if you take it one step at a time.
Here are some changes you can implement in your routine when it comes to your nutrition, exercise, and the environment.
Nutrition
- Eat a plant-based diet: Eliminating all animal products from your diet may seem like a drastic change, but plant-based diets can have positive impacts on the environment.
- Eat less meat/incorporate meatless Mondays into your week: If you do eat meat, try to cut back on the amount you intake each week. Start by going without meat on at least one day of the week to reduce the overall amount of animal products you use in a year.
- Buy local produce: Not only is local produce more nutritious, the reduced packaging and carbon footprint is good for the environment.
- Eat less dairy: Cow milk has one of the highest environmental impacts compared to its non-dairy counterparts. Consider using dairy substitutes such as almond milk, cashew milk, or oat milk.
- Compost food scraps and coffee grounds: Composting food and coffee grounds is an excellent way to get more mileage out of your food waste. Composting also helps you grow more food for yourself in a cycle of sustainability.
- Shop organic foods and supplements: Buying and consuming products with fewer chemicals and pesticides will help you reduce the environmental chemicals that your body ingests.
- Eat seasonally: Out-of-season foods must be shipped to your grocery store from far away. Reduce your carbon footprint by eating seasonal foods grown in your area.
- Choose mindful eating over crash diets: When you eat mindfully, you’re better able to make decisions that positively impact the environment. Not only do crash diets rarely work, but they can distract you from your sustainability goals.
- Honor your hunger: By honoring your hunger and eating mindfully, you’ll be less inclined to overeat and waste food.
Fitness
- Attend virtual fitness classes: Save gas by attending an online fitness class or using a Virtual Reality Workout.
- Invest in sustainable gear and attire: Although it’s fun to hop on new fitness trends, try to invest in quality exercise gear that lasts a long time. If you invest in quality products, you’ll be throwing out fewer pieces of broken equipment and ripped clothing.
- Clean your gear with sustainable products: Make sure you’re using a product that’s biodegradable and safe for the environment rather than wipes or cleaning products loaded with toxins.
- Support sustainable brands: Do research on whether your gym, workout attire, supplements, and paid fitness subscriptions are eco-friendly. Shop brands that support sustainability in their practices.
Environment
- Commit to reusable water bottles: Limit your plastic usage as much as possible. Using a reusable water bottle can keep you from using about 156 plastic water bottles annually.
- Air dry laundry and wash at low temps: Use less energy by washing your clothes at a lower temperature and forgoing the dryer altogether by air drying.
- Shop clean skincare: Make sure any skincare products you buy are made with clean ingredients. Stick to brands you know are environmentally friendly.
- Take shorter showers: Short showers will allow you to use your water heater less frequently. They’ll also help you to reduce your water consumption.
- Avoid plastics and look for recyclable jars and package-less skincare products: Some companies and stores offer non-plastic or reusable packaging with their products. You can bring your own containers to the store, making it a plastic-free transaction. Look for skincare products that don’t use packaging at all, such as shampoo bars.
The Bottom Line
Everyone’s wellness routine is different, so get creative with the unique strategies you use to promote sustainability. Although each of these actions may seem small, the entire world benefits when you commit to living more sustainably.
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