45 Easy To Implement Tips For a More Sustainable 2017

One of my main goals for this year is to start living more sustainably. I have real concerns about the impact of global warming and want to whatever I can. I’m taking part in the Ikea Live LAGOM project this year (more on that next week) which is all about making small changes to live more sustainably. When it comes to being more sustainable its the little things which add up. You don’t have to go live in a cabin in the woods to be sustainable. Lots of little changes can make a real difference. Many of these little changes will have little to no impact on your lifestyle. In fact, some may improve things. And the best part of all is these small changes can help save you money. I don’t know about you but I like the idea of reducing my bills this year.

As I love a good list (see my 30 tips for a more sustainable Christmas) I thought I’d share some of the sustainable living tips I’ve picked up recently. You don’t need to do everything as any small changes will help you to become more sustainable in 2017.

In The Kitchen

• Plan meals to reduce food waste. Apparently, the average UK family throws away 1/3 of the food they buy, which works out at an average of £60 a month going straight in the bin (Love Food hate Waste)
• Be realistic about how long things will last (don’t buy salad at the weekend if you plan to eat it late in the week)
• Try to buy local, organic and free range
• Take a photo of your fridge or cupboards before shopping so you know what you already have – no more cupboards full of bags of pasta
• If you find yourself throwing away a lot of food. Keep your receipts and highlight any items you throw away. Chances are there is a pattern and once you know this you can stop buying things you don’t use. Also seeing exactly how much money your wasting will encourage you to use everything.
• Measure portions so you don’t cook too much, eat more than you should or throw leftovers away
• Or better still cook more than you need and freeze extra portions for another night
• Have a leftovers night once a week to use up food in the fridge
• Learn the difference between ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ dates and don;t throw things away which are still good to eat
• Store food properly to help it last longer
• Try to avoid buying food with excessive packaging
• Recycle food packaging whenever possible
• Avoid disposable plates and cups buy yourself a nice set which can be reused
• Save the water from boiling eggs and veg to use for watering your plants (let it cool first)
• If you like drinking cold water keep a bottle in the fridge rather than running to tap until it’s cold everytime
• When washing up fill a bowl rather than rinsing under a running tap
• Consider getting a dishwasher and always run it fully loaded
• Use a natural cleaner to clean you kitchen
• Look out for A rated appliances for the kitchen

In The Living Room/Bedroom

• Lowering your thermostat down one degree could save you as much as £80 a year
• Use draft excluders under doors to block any drafts
• Put up blinds and shut curtains over the winter months
• Make sure your heating systems works efficiently. You may need to service your boiler or bleed the radiators.
• Switch off radiators in rooms you’re not using.
• Adjust the valves on radiators to suit the rooms they’re in (bedrooms should be slightly cooler than living spaces)
• Use a thermostat to check the temperature in each room, 18-21 degrees is the recommended range
• Make sure your house has plenty of insulation
• Try putting on a jumper before turning on the heating (thick socks and slippers will also help)
• Rugs and blankets help to keep rooms warm and cosy
• Turn everything off standby apparently, we spend around £30 a year powering items left on standby
• Switch your lightbulbs over to energy saving LED bulbs (they create the same amount of light and should last for years)
• Use lamps rather than always turning on the big light when you go into a room
• Use the right tog duvet for the time of year
• Add throws and blankets to your bed to keep warm at night

In The Bathroom

• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth
• Fix any leaky taps
• Have shorter showers
• Try putting a bucket in the shower to collect water as it warms up, use this to water your plants
• Use a natural bathroom cleaner or get yourself a steam cleaner

Out and About

• Take reusable carrier bags with you to carry shopping home
• Take your own reusable cup with you to the coffee shop (you may even get some money off)
• Walk or cycle
• If travelling long distances try to use public transport where possible or car share
• If you have a garden try growing your own vegetables or composting
• Get a Water butt for your garden to collect rainwater to use for watering your garden and indoor plants

I’d love to hear some of your tips for living more sustainably in 2017. Please share your tips in the comments below.