Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. What is a sustainable lifestyle
3. How to approach sustainable living
4. Science for sustainable living: How does that work?
5. Benefits of sustainable development
6. Conclusion

Did you know your daily life choices can affect the environment dreadfully? And that’s why the importance of sustainable living has shot up in recent times.

Lately, the importance of research into ecosystem services has been widely recognised, and many advances are being made in the field. Widely recognised as ‘earth harmony living’, it is an attempt to reduce the environmental footprint and prohibit creating excess waste. The significance of the ecosystem for sustainable living is sure to add value to future generations.

The history of sustainable living goes back to 1954, when Scott Nearing and Helen’s publication of Living the Good Life marked the beginning of a modern-day sustainable living movement. In 2007, the United Nations published Sustainable Consumption and Production to encourage climate-friendly and sustainable lifestyles in homes and communities. The practice involves the profound prioritisation of renewable and natural resources.

What is a sustainable lifestyle?

A sustainable lifestyle is now a buzzword for the enhancement of the planet & its people. An approach towards a sustainable lifestyle may seem like a massive shift at first, but realistically it is depicted in small actions. It is a goal you can easily tick off by adopting eco-friendly choices and focusing on the non-depletion of the environment. It is a life-long journey of fostering environmental and human health.

How to approach sustainable living?

We are aware of how global warming, ozone layer depletion and climate change have devastated our environment. And therefore diminishing carbon footprint and embracing a sustainable lifestyle is a pressing priority. Here’s what you can do in your daily routine.

1. Reduce waste

What we throw can harm our planet abundantly. It is important to reduce waste and curtail the need for a bin. Whether it is food, plastic or other material, throwing waste directly impacts the ecosystem and species. Enough has been spoken about switching to reusable resources, but the lesser known fact remains that only a small crowd is acting upon it. Our duty is to be generous towards the environment, opt for reusable shopping bags and rechargeable batteries, and adopt non-plastic alternatives.

2. Buy organic

To your astonishment, food intake can largely impact your surroundings. Buy only what’s required and go organic. Today, the options available for organic food are overwhelming and may clearly cost a little more. However, indulging in organic food will only benefit you and your surroundings. Consuming organic food simply means minimising the impact on the planet. There are no harmful pesticides, chemical fertilisers or antibiotics. The sustainable alternative also augments biodiversity and lessens pollution from pesticides.

3. Buy less

Reduce your consumption and buy only the essentials. Surprisingly, there is a constant need for overconsumption today. Also, some facts state how fast-fashion addiction has doubled in the last 15 years, which has only wrecked up your home and the environment. First, begin with questioning yourself if you really need it. Second, treat yourself to sustainable fashion. Also called ethical or slow fashion, the process involves the full life cycle of the item, including sourcing and shipping.

4. Begin with going green at home

First and foremost, one must reduce energy use at home to support a sustainable lifestyle. It’s literally as simple as turning off the appliances and lights when not in use. Also, without any second thoughts, install energy-efficient lights and appliances. Furthermore, implement small steps like using a thermostat to regulate the temperature and replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs.

5. Conserve water

Doesn’t this sound like the most obvious move? Even though there is a high-level scarcity of quality water, it’s almost heartbreaking to watch it get wasted. Not polluting water is a step towards a self-sustainable ecosystem. Also, one must look into leaking taps immediately and not leave taps running for long.

6. Goodbye plastics

Deep down, we all know what a threat plastic is to the environment. Plastics are non-biodegradable and never go away. Lumps of plastic entering the water bodies endanger marine life tremendously, leaving them killed. Ditch the single-use water bottles, straws, plastic packaging, containers and other plastic-wrapped products. Avoid worsening the already dire situation.

7. Adopt the principle of 3R’s

Reduce, reuse and recycle! While learning how to adopt a sustainable lifestyle, you must factor in the deposition of solid waste. It is one of the primitive reasons for soil and water pollution. The good news is that it can be curtailed to a large extent with only a few practices.

• Limit buying new things.
• Reuse old items.
• Don’t throw away plastic; recycle them.
• Think hard before throwing away pollutants.

8. Travel less, light!

Little did you know how travelling could impact the ecosystem for sustainable living. Fly as less as you can. Aeroplanes burn fossil fuels and produce massive carbon emissions. Also, aviation emissions are a remarkable contributor to climate change. Rethink your travel plans to head towards sustainability.

9. Delve into your home cleaning products

Some household cleaning materials contain toxic chemicals that can negatively impact the environment. For instance, a few cleaning detergents can adversely affect aquatic life and reduce oxygen availability. The increased environmental awareness has led to many manufacturers producing eco-friendly cleaning products that promise a small carbon footprint.

10. Go paperless

The increase in technology has made this easier. The Internet has made it possible to live paperlessly. Switch to online bank statements and adopt emails for flyers. When paper is not discarded, it will reduce the carbon footprint in many ways.

Science for Sustainable living: How that works?

Sustainable development aims to leave future generations with bountiful and beautiful earth. Science sure plays a big role in not overusing resources or damaging the environment. The evolution of science encourages new approaches, groundbreaking solutions and technological developments to tackle global challenges. Science spans a comprehensive understanding of human and environmental impacts, thereby ensuring overall well-being.

• Science has nailed the challenges of climate change by providing a sustainable energy supply solution.
• Science literacy has helped us understand the world, make constructive choices and solve problems effectively.
• The progression in science has contained infectious diseases with new methods of treatment. A successful fundamental research has led to the development of new antibiotics, thereby safeguarding the overall well-being of human health.
• Scientific research has led to economic progress in developing countries.
• Social science plays a pivotal role in sustainable lifestyle by analysing the principles and decisions at the societal level.
• Science is driven by research and curiosity. It promotes thinking outside the box and incorporates new knowledge, which fuels a sustainable world.
• In medical history, the discovery of diseases endorsed an improvement of immunization methods; thereby saving more lives and providing us with a better tomorrow.
• Science is a universal good and lays a foundation for a sustainable world with its democratic practices.
• Life science plays a pivotal role in enforcing, enacting and implementing environmental law.

Benefits of Sustainable development

Sustainable development has caught attention for its varied benefits environmentally, financially and socially.

• It helps in cost reduction.
• The better the environment, the higher the productivity.
• The use of sustainable materials can purify the air.
• Waste minimisation has lowered the impact on the environment.
• Recycled materials protect our ecosystem.
• Sustainable living has opened more doors for opportunities.
• Lastly, it has also enriched the quality of life.

One Last Thought:

An ecosystem for sustainable living is the way to move ahead. There is no big step, but small actions in your everyday life can do wonders. For a deep understanding of Sustainable Life Sciences, enrol yourself for a major with Atria University. We will take you through a broad range of foundations and provide an out-and-out humanistic education. Our signature project is designed to focus on environmental systems, sustainable food production and a sustainable ecosystem.

Be assured of developing an understanding of the promise and peril of modern technology to guide human knowledge towards a sustainable future.