Life hack: how to live a more sustainable life

Published 23 December 2019

Living a more sustainable life is easier than you think.

Since China stopped accepting our waste, it seems like the whole country is finally in anti-plastic panic mode.

If you haven't heard already, sustainability is the new black.

This means that it is now even easier to find information and opinion pieces on how you can be a better and more sustainable you.

Here are some simple ways you can do your bit for our planet.

Before you buy, keep this in mind: is this something that I need, or is it something being sold for greed? Can I make it by myself or can I reuse it for something else? If the answer is yes, I need - then take a step back and think about it in a circular economy. The easiest and fastest way for you to reduce your impact on the environment is to become a conscious consumer. Always ask yourself why you need it? If you do need it, then seek out a sustainable alternative.
Dispose of the throw-away culture and only replace it, if you break it. We need to retrain our brains to remember that if you can break it, there's a good chance that you can fix it. If you can't fix it, then dispose of it responsibly and think carefully about how or if you replace it.
If you don't already, make yourself a sustainable sack (reusable cup, bag and bottle). More importantly - get into the habit of thinking: wallet, keys, sustainable sack (every time you leave the house).
Do the majority of your grocery shopping at your local farmers market. You'll save money, you'll be supporting locals and there's a good chance that you won't find plastic-wrapped or vacuum-sealed vegetables.

If you want to take it one step further, you could have a crack at making your own cleaning products:

Here's some we prepared earlier:

So let's get together and Make New Zealand Green Again!