In the past decade, sustainable living has become one of the most followed lifestyle choices and with time will only become a way of life. But what is sustainable living? Simply put, sustainable living is using the available natural and renewable resources judiciously instead of creating excessive waste and leading to shortage of environmental resources for future generations.
Today with the growing fuel and power crisis in Sri Lanka, it has become all the more necessary for us to adopt sustainable practices to be well prepared for the challenges that lay ahead. One need not take big actions to lead a sustainable life. Wondering how? Here is a list of some easy ways to make responsible choices every day.
Save energy
Saving energy is more than switching off the lights and appliances when not in need. With an increase in power cuts and decrease in fuel reserves in the country, here are a few options that guarantee savings to your pocket and energy:
-Use of public transport
-Car pooling
-Energy efficient electrical devices
-Choose electricity powered by wind energy and solar energy where possible
Avoid single use plastics
Plastics are one of the major pollutants causing negative environmental effects on land and in ocean. Help the environment by using products made with reusable/recyclable materials while avoiding the use of single use plastics. For example: at Liquid Island, we use glass or metal packaging for our in-house products.
Keep a check on your consumption levels
Another simple way to be sustainable is to cut down on over consumption. Purchase what is needed and avoid stocking things especially food items that may go to waste if not used within the stipulated time. Additionally, try to use products for their entire life cycle and only then invest in new ones.
When it comes to keeping a check on your consumption levels, make sure to reduce consumption of meat as well. This is because factory farmed meat has higher carbon footprint. Consumption of energy and water is also very high within this industry and is responsible for pollution of groundwater, air and land. Try to eat more plant-based food to help the planet further.
Recycle and reuse 
Apart from reduce, the two other Rs’ that you need to keep in mind in your sustainability journey are Recycle and Reuse. Recycling promotes using old products in new ways. For example: using jam and pickle jars to store other things or painting the glass bottles and using them as show pieces. Reusing, on the other hand, encourages to use the same thing again and again. For example: reusing glass bottles like Olu bottles as water bottles. Making a conscious effort to carry your fabric tote/shopper bag to the market is one key change you can implement right now!
Shop from local sustainable brands
You can help cut carbon emissions by shopping from your local brands. For example:
- Reduce food miles.
Unlike food items that come from many miles away or across oceans, local stores that get their products from the local community. This saves fuel and reduces the carbon footprint.
- Support local workforce
We hope that this article will nudge you towards adopting sustainable practices. If we all come together to make small changes every day, we will soon be a part of a truly significant movement.
