Joanna James
Environmental Consciousness is becoming more important than ever before. Hence embracing sustainable living is a wise choice to preserve planet Earth by reducing the carbon footprint. Fortunately, there are many ways to adopt eco-friendly practices in day-to-day living.
Embrace minimalist practices of Reducing, Reusing and Recycling, this can be easily done whether you are a house owner or a happy dweller of one of the 2-bedroom apartments in Colombo.
Reduce – De-clutter your living areas by investing in multi-functional quality items.
Reuse – Jars, containers and bags for storage. Bags can also be reused for carrying shopping.
Recycle – Be a part of local recycling initiatives by separating paper, plastic, cardboard and metal and disposing of them as directed.
Water conservation is possible in our daily lives by being mindful and adopting certain practices. One of the fundamentals is to be prompt in handling leaky faucets around your home. Turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth. Letting water run without using it is a waste of a valuable resource. Look for water-saving fixtures like low-flow faucets, shower heads etc. that conserve water. Installing these worthy fixtures is enabled for dwellers by developers such as TRI-ZEN with their Smart Living concept.
Using products and items that are eco-friendly is another facet of sustainable living. Personal care items, home cleaning products and household items must be carefully selected with minimal packaging as these are highly used and products manufactured using ethical practices.
Purchasing reusable items like stainless steel ware, and cloth grocery bags are other eco-friendly habits. considering their packaging
Sustainable living can be taken a long way by modelling eating habits with an eco-friendly mindset. Selecting locally sourced ingredients and food items, reducing food waste by planning meals and portioning food, and storing leftovers are some of the practical ways. Disposing of kitchen waste in line with local collection practices helps manage this well. Additionally, planning meals with more plant-based food helps your family members enjoy a more sustainable diet regularly.
Rather than purchase cleaning agents, opt for homegrown cleaning remedies which are eco-friendly, don’t pollute your home environment and are more effective. Using a vinegar and water combination in a spray can does wonders to add sparkle to the kitchen and bathroom surfaces and even your windows. Similarly, your table glassware can shine with the same treatment.
Reducing your carbon footprint can be done by changing the way you commute to work or run errands and various other instances where you must use some mode of transportation. Walking and cycling are healthy ways of doing this, however, may not be practical all the time.
Rather than go by car opt for public transportation as this reduces emissions and eases traffic build-up. Car-pooling is another option if public transport is not possible or even switching to an electric or hybrid vehicle. Generously contribute to carbon offset programs in your locality.
If most of these options can be embraced or adopted, sustaining planet Earth for future generations will be achievable.
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