Take a stand, make a difference!
Sustainable living at home encompasses a holistic mindset and practical actions that span various aspects, including recycling, sustainable food consumption, responsible resource usage, sustainable water consumption, and adopting energy-efficient practices. This includes optimizing heating systems in winter, using cooling systems efficiently in summer, and improving home insulation. To contribute to a greener world, consider the following activities that you can undertake individually or with your community.
What can I do?
Quick & Go activities
- Take advantage of natural light wherever possible (one of the best things for your health!) and switch off lights when not in use
- Use the shower instead of the bath and brush your teeth with the tap turned off
- Use soap and shampoo in bars (try to see if they have local products)
- Replace light bulbs with LEDs
- Use a biodegradable toothbrush and reusable cotton buds
- Instead of using disposable tissues, use a cloth tissue and cloth napkins
Deep but swift activities
- Try to buy local food and in bulk, whenever possible, to avoid the use of unnecessary plastic
- Make your cleaning products (soap, shampoo, dishwashing detergent)
- Start composting organic waste
- Insulate the water pipes and window gaps
- Switch off electronic devices in standby mode
- Avoid buying fast fashion (e.g., clothes that are bought just to follow a recent fashion tendency and that will not be used in the future)
The hardest, the best activities
- Install low-flush toilets
- Install water-saving showerheads
- Install solar panel(s)
- Use a rainwater harvesting system
- Grow your food
What can I do with my community?
Quick & Go activities
- Pick up the rubbish in the neighbourhood may be great to clean the surroundings, but also to engage with your community!
Deep but swift activities
- Organise a local trade fair with handicrafts and/or second-hand products for you and your house.
- Switching electricity to clean energy might be hard on your own… What if you talk to your friends or neighbours to see if they want to change with you and can help each other?
The hardest, the best activities
- Plant a garden with your neighbours! You don’t have the space for it? Why don’t go a bit creative and see options for vertical gardens, for example? You can also build up the compost and use it to fertilise the garden.
- Friends, neighbours, and a party? No disposable materials, recycling bins available, and containers for organic materials to go into the compost. If you would like to go a bit creative on the meal, you could ask some people to help you to build a DIY solar oven and cook with solar energy (example here: https://www.offgridweb.com/preparation/building-a-diy-parabolic-solar-cooker/).
- If it is too expensive to buy a solar panel, why not talk with your neighbours and see if it’s possible to assemble it collectively and share the energy?
