Every day we are confronted with news about biodiversity loss and the mismanagement of our planet’s natural resources, which can evoke feelings of anxiety and even helplessness.

However, in the Liquid-Land community, we maintain an optimistic attitude because we believe that every action counts. That’s why we want to share with you some sustainable tips that you can easily incorporate into your daily routine to live in harmony with your values.

The Benefits of Sustainability

When we talk about sustainability, we are talking about both the present and the future. We address food waste, whose consequences disproportionately affect underprivileged communities, deforestation, which harms entire ecosystems, and many other urgent issues. The planet is at stake, along with the resources we depend on for long and healthy lives.

By choosing a more sustainable lifestyle, you can also help reduce overall pollution, which harms air quality and leads to an increase in respiratory diseases, further straining healthcare services.

As a secondary benefit, we remind you that protecting the environment also means saving money by finding more conscious consumption alternatives focused on reuse and repurposing.

Tips to Be More Sustainable in Everyday Life

The reasons for adopting a more sustainable lifestyle are clear, but do you already apply these simple tips in your everyday life?

Sustainability Outside the Home

Consider Your Travel Choices

For short-distance trips, choose more sustainable alternatives, such as walking, using public transportation, or, if possible, riding a bicycle. These choices promote your health and the well-being of your community.

Additionally, carpooling is an excellent way to reduce the number of cars on the road. Ride-sharing apps make it easier to organize joint trips, offering a convenient and eco-friendly alternative.

Rethink Your Consumption Habits

Avoid impulse purchases, which often end up as waste. Remember: quality is much more important than quantity, and durable, reusable items are the best friends of both your wallet and the environment.

Before heading to a store or supermarket, take an inventory of what you already have. This way, you can create a more accurate shopping list and avoid unnecessary spending. If you come across something you’d like to buy but isn’t on your list, ask yourself: “Is it really worth it? Will this item add value to my life, or will it just create more waste?”

Prioritize products with eco-friendly certifications, like the EU Ecolabel, which guarantees more sustainable production practices.

Support Local Businesses

In line with the earlier sustainability tip, we recommend supporting local businesses over large retailers. Need to buy fruit? How about visiting your local farmer’s market or neighborhood grocery store, opting for locally produced fresh products? This way, you’ll be choosing items that require less transportation and making the most of local resources.

Also, choose to buy in bulk, bringing your own containers to avoid single-use packaging.
By choosing products from local businesses, you are strengthening your community’s economy and promoting a circular economy, where resources are reused.

Sustainability at Home

Eat more vegetarian meals

Cooking vegetarian meals, especially with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, is an excellent way to lead a more sustainable daily life.
If adopting a fully vegetarian diet seems challenging, try starting slowly, for example, with “Meatless Monday.” Dedicating one or two days a week to meat-free meals is a small step that can help you have a more varied and healthy diet.
As an extra sustainable tip, remember: many municipalities already offer domestic compost collection services, where you can dispose of food scraps.

Look for sustainable energy consumption

Consider the following habits:

• Make the most of natural light to illuminate and warm spaces during the winter;
• Replace old bulbs with LEDs;
• Unplug devices from sockets;
• Ensure all appliances and lights are switched off before leaving the house.

Also, keep in mind that if you need to buy new appliances and it’s not possible to repair the old ones, it’s important to prioritize energy efficiency.

Use Water Consciously

Despite the convenience of simply turning on the tap, it’s essential to remember that water is a finite resource. To ensure more sustainable use, regularly check for leaks in your plumbing and seek ways to maximize water efficiency in every use. Some sustainable tips include reusing water from washing vegetables to water plants—preferably in the evening to avoid quick
evaporation. Additionally, try wearing your clothes more than once before washing them, reducing laundry frequency.
To further minimize water waste, consider installing water-saving devices, such as flow restrictors on taps and dual-flush toilets. These solutions allow you to conserve water significantly without compromising daily comfort.

Celebrate Sustainable Choices

At home or on the go, remember that you can always make a positive difference. For example, if you go to a café and they offer you a choice between a disposable take-away cup or a ceramic mug, choose to enjoy the moment and drink your coffee from the mug. Had to buy bottled water because you didn’t have a place to refill your reusable bottle? Keep the bottle until you can dispose of it in recycling.

Even in small day-to-day decisions, such as choosing more sustainable cosmetics, as you can read in this article, you can contribute to a positive impact. These are simple gestures that, when added up, bring great benefits to you, the community, and the planet.

Sources: United Nations Environment Programme, Parlamento Europeu