Life Hacks for a Sustainable Lifestyle and Eco Friendly Travel

Life Hacks for a Sustainable Lifestyle

Reuse your food containers and wrapping. Instead of keeping vegetables or leftovers in plastic bags or aluminium wraps you can use reusable containers or my personal favorite: bees wax wraps. These wraps can be cleaned, reused and are biodegradable. On top of that, they are easy on the eyes ;)

Sometimes it is hard to avoid plastic containers, like when ordering in or picking up take out food. These plastic containers can usually be reused as well or you can recycle them.

When you are having guests over you should avoid using single-use plastic cutlery or throw-away cups. I know they are tempting because you will not have to clean them but they add to the problem.

Try to buy less red meat. The western world's extensive consumption of red meat is one of the most harmful CO2 emission causes. I personally don't have it in me to become a vegetarian but I try to eat steak only on special occasions. This actually makes me appreciate it even more.

Switch off your electronic devices. I have noticed that often people leave their computers, TVs or even fans running while they are not in the room. Excessive use of energy is not only a killer for the environment, it also impacts your electricity bill. It's a little habit that makes a big difference since many people are guilty of this.

Of course the same rules apply to the bathroom. Instead of using many plastic throw-away razors you can get one good quality razor with exchangeable blades. That's one more thing to pass down to your lucky grand kids one day -not that they will appreciate it.

As far as energy consumption is concerned, taking showers is always better than taking baths. That way you will also save water. On average, taking a bath requires about three times as much water as taking a shower. You can of course go full Captain Planet and use a bucket and a sponge but that's up to you.

If you live in an area with a lot of sunshine you may consider installing solar panels on your roof or in your backyard. Solar panels have come a long way and are getting more efficient every year. You can either sell the power you generate back to your energy supplier or save it and use it for your own home. In many areas there are government incentives and subsidies for solar panel installations that you can take advantage of.

Avoid using plastic stirs for your coffee.

Bring your own bags to the grocery store. Most plastic bags are low quality and end up in the trash after one use anyway.

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What You Can Do At Work

Commuting

There are a few easy things that you can do in or on the way to your office that will make a difference in the long run.

For once, you can opt to take public transportation for your daily commute. I know that this is not an option in a lot of areas but if you have the choice and don't lose too much time making the switch you should at least give it a try. Trains or buses have quite a bad rep in the US but I have been positively surprised on many occasions. Besides, if you don't have to drive yourself you can relax and read a book or listen to a podcast on the way to work.

Of course public transportation is not for everyone but even if you insist on driving to work by car there are ways to reduce your carbon footprint. If you have a co-worker that you can stand and who lives near you, you can share rides which in turn also saves gas costs and reduces the annual mileage depreciation of your car.

The best commuting option in my opinion is still taking the bike. Clearly, this mode of transportation only makes sense if you don't live too far from your office but it also has a positive impact on your health which in turn will make you a happier human being.

These are just a couple of ideas. Switch it up and make the way to work a more pleasurable experience. Take a different mode of transportation once a week or every other day.

At the Office

Save some energy! There is a terrible habit of people keeping their work computers switched on over night - just so that it saves them a minute when powering them back on in the morning. Just shut them down ;)

For lunch, stay away from plastic forks and spoons but use cutlery that can be reused. The same applies for the way you wrap and transfer your food. There are great reusable products out there that will help you avoid creating unnecessary plastic trash.

Bring your own mug or water bottle. If your office is using single-use cups for coffee or water, a lot of unnecessary waste is created. Stir your coffee with a spoon instead of a plastic stir. As I said, it's the sum of all these little habits that will end up making a real difference!

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Travel Responsibly

Transportation

The mode of transportation you choose has the most impact on your ecological footprint. Flying causes more carbon emissions than any other form of travel so avoid taking a plane if possible. If you are like me and love to travel far, flying is often your only option though.

Offset your carbon emissions. Thankfully, there is a way that can at least help to offset the carbon emissions that you are causing with your flight. Many airlines offer carbon offset programs that let you donate funds or rewards miles as a compensation to organizations that work on reducing carbon emissions. They calculate your relative impact and suggest a compensational amount for the emissions you cause. Here is a useful link to the points guy, giving a bit of an overview of the various programs.

There are numerous flight emission calculators on the web that can help you determine your flights' impact on the environment.

Other measures you can take:

Pack light (the more weight your luggage has the more emissions will be exhausted by the plane).

Book nonstop flights. Takeoff and landing cause a significant amount of carbon emissions.

When renting a car, go for a smaller one consuming less gas.

Whenever possible, take the train or the bus.

While Traveling:

Unsubscribe your newspapers/magazines for the time you are gone and tell the post office to hold your mail.

Stay at eco-hotels whenever you can. There are plenty of those out there and they offer just as much comfort as regular hotels. They usually use renewable energy sources or recycled materials. Look for hotels with an LEED certification.

Switch off the lights and shut down all electronic devices when you are not in the hotel room (that includes the AC)

Go sightseeing by bike. This way you see more, save money and are generally more open to serendipitous adventures.

Bring your own water bottle/flask/mug. When you are travelling it is important to stay hydrated. There are some areas in the world (e.g. Flint, Michigan) where tap water may not be recommendable so you have no option but to get your water from the store. If the tap water is drinkable refill your own reusable water bottle instead of buying loads of single-use plastic bottles.

As with anything else, the rule of thumb should be to avoid plastic bags or bottles and clean up after yourself.

Drink local beer! Actually, eat and drink local food in general. It makes a difference whether you drink the local brew or a Heineken that was shipped halfway around the world. Besides, it's more fun to experience local cuisine than sticking with the food you already know.