Everyday we live through the motions. We wake up, get dressed, eat our breakfast, lunch, and dinner, go to work, come home, get ready for bed, and repeat the next day. Our motions become autopilot and we forget how our actions can impact the environment during our everyday lives, products, and amenities. It's important to have an interest in adding more sustainable practices to your everyday routine with the intentions on your everyday decisions to live more sustainably. Let's begin by covering the basics. What is sustainable living?  

Sustainable living describes a lifestyle that attempts to reduce an individual's or society's use of the Earth's natural resources, and one's personal resources. It is often called "earth harmony living" or "net zero living." 

Small changes make the biggest differences. Making small eco-friendly changes in your daily routine can make a huge impact on reducing your carbon footprint. You're probably wondering what changes you could start making in your first step to a green living journey? Continue reading to discover five easy ways you can live more sustainably. 

1) Ditch the Plastic 

This is a minor and easy change that makes a massive impact on eco-friendly effects. Plastic fills up our landfills immensely that it eventually spills over into our oceans and lakes, endangering wildlife as well as our health. Here are a few easy wins that you can start implementing right away to reduce plastic use:

• Ban bottled water - that's what filters are for
• Purchase a reusable cup or mug to use for your morning coffee order
• Say no to plastic straws
• Buy food essentials in bulk
• Invest in durable grocery bags that you can bring to the store

2) Align with Eco-Friendly Brands

A great way to reduce your carbon footprint is by purchasing from brands that are committed to the planet and to ensure that their packaging is both made from environmentally friendly materials and fully recyclable. 

Being an eco-friendly brand ourselves, the Ladykind team has a promise to protect the planet for generations to come - from our farms that are committed to regenerative agriculture and responsible energy usage to sustainable tree-free packaging and reusable glass components. Keep your beauty counters well stocked and consider making the swap to clean beauty created by a green brand. 

It can be an educational and exciting process to discover new brands, products, and services that will serve both you and the planet. Plus, we can guarantee that you'll soon find how rewarding it feels to know that you're helping out mother nature simply by clicking the checkout button.

3) Recycle, Reduce, & Reuse

The way that we dispose of our goods is ultimately the source of the earth's environmental issues. When we throw out anything, our minds and bodies shift into an "auto-pilot" mode and we immediately toss out anything from paper to plastic to waste, also known as our trash bins. Used goods are often disposed of in an unethical way. The result? Our soil, oceans, water sources, and more become contaminated.

Recycling is one of the easiest ways to be environmentally conscious about your waste practices. Start to be more aware of the products you are going to throw away and which ones you can easily pop into the recycling bin. Over time, you'll start to realize which disposable products you can likely live without and opt for a reusable commodity instead.  

4) Take the Scenic Route

Depending on the city of town that you call home, we know that it's not always possible to opt out of a car ride. We do encourage you, however, to take a closer look at the various commutes in your schedule and pick out the areas where you could start incorporating greener alternatives. Invigorate your morning routine with a walk to the local coffee shop or hop on that seldom-used bike to meet your friends for a well-deserved end-of-day-cocktail. As you spend more time outside in natural surroundings, you'll gain more of an appreciation for this beautiful world that we live in. 

5) Reenergize Your Home

Filling your home with good energy can be taken both literally and figuratively. The CDC reminds us that sustainable homes not only are better for our planet but offer the opportunity for great cost savings. Restructuring your entire home to be energy efficient isn't viable for everyone, but there are still many small ways you can conserve precious energy. Here are a few tips and tricks to get you started:

• Open windows in invite a breeze in instead of blasting the air-conditioning all day
• Turn the lights off as you move from room to room
• Minimize the time you stand in front of the open fridge - go in with a plan!
• Unplug appliances that you aren't using - this can even mean your computer at the end of a workday
• Opt to hang your laundry for an air-dry session instead of running the dryer
• Send out positive vibes (just because)

Tawni Janine Perry

Tawni Janine is a content creator and graphic designer residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. Visit tawnijanine.com to learn more.