Reduce.
Reduce what you are consuming…this can be anything from how much food you’re eating, how much water you’re using, how much electricity you’re using, how many items you’re purchasing, etc. Realize that everything that we use and consume has come from the earth. And while it may seem like there are unlimited resources, there aren’t. What we do today affects our future and our children’s futures tomorrow. Practice living a minimalist lifestyle. Not only will it be better for the environment, but it can also be good for you financially, physically, and even mentally. Financially, it is pretty obvious that if you consume less, you’ll probably spend less. Physically, try to fast from food on occasion. Fasting has been shown to have many health benefits when done properly. Once you change your mindset about what is considered “enough,” you won’t constantly feel the need to have more, enhancing your mental state.
Reuse.
Get multiple uses out of the things that you already own, or out of the things that you plan to purchase. Buy something that is higher quality and will last. Single use items have low value and eventually find their way to a landfill or the ocean. Try to find unique ways to repurpose items before discarding them.
Repair.
After you’ve reduced what you have been using, then you find ways to reuse or repurpose those items, once they are breaking down, see if you can repair them instead of replacing them. This can save you a ton of money depending on what you’re taking about (like repairing a car versus buying a new one). Sure, it’s not as nice as a new item, but if you can change your mindset this can be a good thing. You can view it in the lens of how much money you saved. Or you can view it as an accomplishment if you physically did the work to repair it. And, of course, it’s going to be better for the environment if you can fix it up instead of trashing that and buying new.
Recycle.
Eventually, some things will need to be discarded. If they can be recycled, do it. It takes a little more effort on your part, but if everyone recycles even just a little more than they do now, it would make a world of difference.
How can you incrementally improve your life and the lives of your loved ones everyday? Reduce, reuse, repair, and recycle. You won’t regret it.
Check out this link for recycling basics…https://recyclingsimplified.com/recycling-basics/
