When people started staying indoors more in 2020, people started to notice that the Earth appeared to be healing. The skies seemed a little clearer, the air outside felt a little fresher, and the animals found it way more comfortable to explore public places without any fear.
In other words, it became increasingly clear that humans are the reason why the Earth has been deteriorating for as long as we can remember. On the flip side, at least this means we can undo the damage we caused by making some changes in the way we used to live.
But how exactly can we do that? More importantly, how can we do that while still enjoying our limited time on this planet?
Well, here are five stylish ways you can start living a more sustainable lifestyle in 2021.
Embracing a minimalist lifestyle
It’s a very popular misconception that a minimalist lifestyle means never getting to enjoy the finer things in life after paring one’s possessions down to the bare essentials. On the contrary, embracing minimalism actually allows you to enjoy more out of life because you’re not constantly getting bogged down by clutter and other things that distract the ordinary person from the things that truly matter. This particular facet actually creates a very sophisticated living space.
A minimalist lifestyle is sustainable because it cures man’s affliction to consumerism and the endless need to consume. A true minimalist produces almost zero waste and contributes very minimally to humanity’s carbon footprint.
Minimalism is not just good in principle — it is stunning in practice, too. Aesthetically, minimalist homes are undoubtedly stylish and modern-looking. Needless to say, this kind of lifestyle results in a win-win situation between the planet and the one practicing minimalism.
Driving less and walking more
If you really want to reduce your carbon footprint on the planet, you must consider ditching your car a little more often. Automobiles emit an incredible amount of toxic fumes and gases that are not just bad for the environment, but bad for public health, too.
Still, in some cases, it’s impractical to completely give up your car. What you can do is reserve it for long distances such as cross-border trips. For daily commutes, you might want to consider walking more especially if you live in a walkable city.
Another option would be to invest in a reliable bike to take you around and give you a pretty good leg and cardio workout, leaving you more toned than ever — in a sustainable way.
Going solar
We live in pretty incredible times where we can practically source all our electricity needs from natural sources like wind or solar. There may have been a time when these power sources were unbelievably expensive and inaccessible, but it’s no longer the case today.
Especially in the case of solar — never before has it been so accessible as it is today. You can simply order solar panels online or take advantage of the many options for getting solar panels installed. There are companies that offer end-to-end solar installation service, leaving very little for you to do than enjoy the benefits of your new solar energy.
Fossil-based energy is highly unsustainable, and the planet is better off supplying our power through natural means. And hey, isn’t this an excellent excuse to finally refurbish that old, creaky roof?
Avoiding fast fashion
Mass-produced clothes have been a huge part of our lives, we sometimes forget it has dire consequences on our environment. The problem with fast fashion is that it is one of the planet’s worst pollutants, and is responsible for about 10% of all of humanity’s carbon emissions.
It adds insult to injury by making all of us look the same, whereas fashion could be a beautiful thing in terms of self-expression. You’d find it to be more sustainable and stylish to patronize local shops and bazaars for your fashion needs.
Swearing off plastic
Single-use plastic is as bad for the environment as it looks. When plastic waste is not taking up a huge amount of space in landfills, it threatens the safety of marine animals. Plastic hardly has any benefits to our lives, especially with the multitude of more planet-friendly packaging alternatives in this day and age.
If 2020 taught us anything, it’s how the world is truly interconnected and interdependent at this point. All of us should do our part in taking care of the planet, starting with these stylish ways to practice sustainable living.
