5 Ways to Become an Eco-Friendlier Family

While sustainability has been a prominent topic worldwide for a number of decades, more families and communities than ever are making real, actionable changes in order to live a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. Eco-friendliness is slowly becoming a priority in all aspects of life, including those we share with our families at home, which prompted many individuals to adopt new habits that will allow them to lead a greener family life as well. If you also want to become a more sustainable family, here are some simple ways you could achieve that successfully:

Reducing your overall consumption, reusing whatever you can, recycling whenever possible, and repurposing any items you no longer have a use for are all essential aspects of a sustainable lifestyle that can easily be incorporated into any family. Simply by recycling used materials and repurposing old items for further use, you can make a significant positive impact.

In countries like the US, these practices are taken even further. Many younger couples are now deciding to host a more eco-friendly wedding, choosing greener venues and transportation and emphasizing that “something borrowed” in an effort to focus on starting an environmentally conscious family from the very beginning.

Energy consumption is a great environmental concern, but it is one area that can easily be improved in terms of everyday family life. Just by choosing LED lightbulbs and getting everyone into the habit of turning off any lights and electronics that aren’t currently in use, you can significantly reduce the amount of energy you consume.

Of course, you could also invest in energy conservation even further by choosing energy-efficient appliances, insulating your home properly, and updating your heating and cooling systems, all of which are among the largest household energy wasters. Switching to a renewable energy source such as solar or wind power would be an ideal solution, but it might be too costly and difficult to implement for many families.

Air pollution is one of the biggest issues our environment is facing today, which is why minimizing your family’s carbon footprint shout be a top priority. Fortunately, this could easily be achieved by avoiding flying and opting out of a personal vehicle, and choosing public transport, cycling, and walking instead, if at all possible.

If you live in Australia, an option such as convenient car share in Sydney can be a brilliant alternative for any family road trips or commute solutions when a car is truly needed. Allowing you to book and access a vehicle using only a mobile phone, and coming with no additional maintenance costs and requirements, car share solutions can truly be the best option both for the environment and the community.

In many European countries, on the other hand, families are beginning to consume less meat on a daily basis, and for a good reason. The meat and dairy industry is responsible for a large percentage of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as farmland and water consumption, which is why these products should be avoided whenever possible.

In case you’re not ready to go fully vegan quite yet, even reducing your family’s intake of meat and dairy can have a positive impact on the planet. This can easily be achieved by choosing animal byproducts for one or two larger meals throughout the week, and then opting for plant-based alternatives for the rest of your weekly meals.

There are many smaller ways your family can become more eco-friendly as well, all of which can quickly add up to positive environmental changes. For instance, you can start using greener products for cleaning and washing, helping to prevent toxic chemicals from entering the environment.

Similarly, you can choose reusable products such as water bottles, washcloths, food containers, and shopping bags rather than their single-use alternatives, in an effort to reduce the amount of waste your family produces. Buying vintage and second-hand clothing, or even passing down clothing from one child to another, is also a better option than buying fast fashion, while opting for more organic and locally-grown foods is a great way to minimize your overall environmental impact.

The tips mentioned above are just some of the simplest changes your family can make in an effort to live a more eco-friendly life. Remember that you don’t necessarily have to implement all of these habits at once, as even smaller steps each day can make a huge difference in the future.