We live in an era where consumers are now more familiar with sustainable living, saying no to plastic, going vegan and making sure to save our environment. However, we all need to take a step and begin somewhere. If you’re one that’s looking to make a change in your lifestyle but aren’t sure where to begin, Connect with Nature, a programme that encourages youth to protect the environment has embarked on an initiative to conscious consumption.

It doesn’t cost you any extra or require any additional time out of your schedules, you can be in the comfort of your home, by your office desk, in a classroom, at the beach or even at the mall and make a difference.

Here are the Top Tips for Sustainable Living

You do not need to make a big transformation overnight or within a week, it takes time to get used to change. Our future environmental ambassadors suggest starting with small alterations in your lifestyle and gradually making your way to bigger and better changes.

1. Reduce the Use of Single-Use Plastic

As you may know, one of the main problems faced in the current generation is the use of plastic. In a realistic world, there’s no way we can completely banish out plastic overnight however, as mentioned earlier starting small can really make a big difference.

2. Cut Down on Meat Consumption

It might come as a surprise to some, but agriculture is known to be one of the biggest contributors to climate change. Consuming lesser meats can be another vital step to a healthier life and more sustainable living.

3. Reduce Food Waste

We totally understand the agony of seeing something exciting on the menu but also having your favourite signature meal at a restaurant and not being able to decide whether you want to order both meals or one. Based on a recent research report released by the Dubai Industrial Park and The Economist Intelligence Unit, annual food waste in the UAE is estimated at 197 kg per person, compared with 95 to 115 kg in Europe and North America, making food wastage one of the major crisis in the UAE.

Every time you decide to order additional food in thoughts of it being insufficient, keep in mind that food waste eventually ends up at landfill sites making it decompose or rot and emit methane gas.

4. Support Fair Trade Products

Fairtrade has been shown to increase standards of sustainable living and reduce risk and vulnerability for farmers and workers. Choose fair-trade collections over fast fashion since it is good for the environment and supports sustainable farming practices which help to minimise our environmental footprint.

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5. Think Before You Purchase

Consider what you really need instead of want. When buying products, it’s always important to make sure you consider how long the item would last, would you be able to recycle, and reuse the product once you’ve decided to buy it. By consuming less, you dispose of less amount of waste. Go for quality versus quantity products since long-lasting products contribute to lesser disposal on landfills.

6. Use Public Transportation

Ditch your cars and consider making use of public transportation, whether it means catching a train, boarding a bus or even walking to your destination whenever possible. By using gas-powered cars, you tend to increase greenhouse gas emissions which are damaging our planet. Tesla anyone?

7. Make a Present Even More Memorable

Stressing on what to gift someone whilst keeping in mind sustainability? Environmental Expert, Arabella Willing from Connect with Nature, suggests gifting memorable experiences rather than physical products. It’s always exciting to receive a spa voucher or even a ticket to a theme park as memories do last forever. Seems gifts given with sustainable living in mind should become a thing.

8. Adopt, Don’t Shop

Looking to get a new companion? Say no to shopping for a pet and instead adopt. This does not only make you an eco-friendly pet owner but also helps massively in protecting stray animals that need your support and helps save animals being used for breeding purposes.

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9. Reduce Electricity Consumption

In the Middle East, living without an Air Conditioner seems impossible. However, Rasha Saleh, Environment Conservationist at Connect with Nature, encourages everyone to make a difference in their daily lives by switching off all devices and unplugging wires which aren’t being used, hence adopting sustainable living practices.

10. Practice the 5 R’s

The more you practice the 5 R’s of waste management: reducing, reusing, recycling, repurposing and refusing, the closer you are to a sustainable lifestyle.

That said, which of these sustainable living practices are part of your day-to-day living? Share in the comments below.