2023 New Year’s Resolutions for How to Live More Sustainably

Creating a more sustainable lifestyle is a long work in progress, but I’ve found that once we start adding sustainable actions to our lives, they soon become second nature. And they start to influence the people around us, proof that one person’s actions affect more than just themselves. Here are 10 big actionable changes we can make for how to live more sustainably, updated for 2023. 

Note that some items are linked to Amazon or other online retailers so that you can see the product, but please consider your local retailers and small shops to see if they carry them.

How to Live More Sustainably: Eco Friendly Lifestyle Tips

1. Do an energy audit of your home and make changes.

One of the biggest ways we can live more sustainably an impact is our energy use at home. Start with an energy audit, either a professional or DIY one, and then make changes when possible. Besides installing new energy-efficient lighting, we made two big changes to our energy consumption last year.

First, we got a new HVAC system that uses significantly less energy, and while it was being installed, our ducts got repaired to prevent air leakage.

Our new system also comes with an air recycling setting that helps balance the temperature between the first and second floors of our house — this is a big deal because our upstairs gets so hot that we sometimes had to run the A/C just to cool it down. Now we can use this new setting to cycle cooler air from downstairs to the upstairs without running the A/C.

Second, after the quick cycle on my dishwasher stopped working, I asked for a new dishwasher for my birthday. Now my new machine not only has an effective quick cycle, it also uses less energy than my old machine and is incredibly quiet.

Both of these replacements have improved our quality of life and helped reduce our carbon footprint through more efficient, cleaner machines.

2. Say goodbye to Amazon

I’ve had my own reasons for not wanting to give Amazon my business, but the greatest one is the environmental cost of buying from Amazon. And when I step away from the convenience of Amazon, I find myself supporting small local businesses and making more careful, informed buying choices. 

3. Take advantage of your local library

One of my favorite eco friendly lifestyle tips is taking advantage of your local library. Our fantastic public library systems are the ultimate reusing resource, and using the library well cuts down on waste and cost.

I got to know my local library system better and found that it covers a subscription to the New York Times, museum passes, and a library of things — expensive items like electric lawn mowers, LEGO sets, and telescopes. On top of all that, I’ve been borrowing e-books and audio books like crazy — it’s so easy and free!

4. Fall in love with buying items in bulk

Gather reusable containers, make a list of products that can be refilled, find out where you can refill them, and keep reusable containers handy (e.g. in your car). Examples of reusable containers are old shampoo and lotion bottles, mason jars, glass vials, glass soap bottles, and reusable baggies.

For me, this is still a work in progress. We have a refill store where we can refill containers with all kinds of household products, from laundry detergent to body lotion. But I found it expensive and uneven in product quality.

Since then I’ve asked at my local markets about how to bring my own containers. Once I started looking into it, I realized just how many things I can buy in bulk: cleaning supplies, toiletries, detergents, rice, nuts, beans, spices, flour, dried fruit, pasta, and more!

5. Let your opinions be known

The way we spend our money has so much power, and businesses will change when they know people are paying attention. A couple of examples: I’ve been bugging Amazon and J. Crew to cut down on their plastic for a while, and I told my local frozen yogurt place that I won’t come back until they switch their styrofoam bowls to paper.

I also joined a committee at work to help my workplace become more sustainable and am hoping to start something similar at my kids’ school.

Read more: Sustainability

6. Thank businesses for their sustainability moves

Every change toward sustainability, whether large or small, is a choice and often comes at a higher cost, so it’s important for us to show appreciation when businesses make those choices. For example, I recently thanked my local gelato shop for using biodegradable spoons and often show my support of more sustainable retailers by writing reviews or giving them a shout-out on social media.

7. Make the switch to more sustainable household items:

Such an important way how to live more sustainably. When possible, buy them locally to avoid the plastic waste of ordering online.

• natural deodorant especially with plastic free packaging
• refillable pens and pencils
• reusable razors
• bamboo toothbrushes
• floss in glass containers
• refillable household supplies
• zero-waste period supplies
• recycled toilet paper (I buy the basic one from Trader Joe’s)
• biodegradable cleaning products: you can make your own, use ones from the bulk section at your local co-op or even Method from Target
• cloth napkins
• glass water bottles (instead of reusable bottles made from plastic)
• metal or glass straws with a small brush to keep them clean
• reusable baggies and other ways to store/cover items like glass, paper or beeswax covers

Read more: How to build a more sustainable wardrobe

8. Start a more sustainable laundry routine

• Wash clothing less by washing spots off with a hand towel and washing the armpits with a little soap or deodorizing spray. This not only saves energy but also makes clothing last much longer.
• Use dryer balls instead of dryer sheets
• Hang clothes to dry as much as possible
• Wash with cold water and wash full loads
• Use biodegradable detergent. I love the liquid detergent from Trader Joe’s except that it’s not refillable. I also use a powder from the bulk section at my co-op.
• Use a Guppyfriend bag to trap microplastics. This is easy and effective, especially if you wash fleece or synthetics often (think gym clothes).

9. More sustainable grocery shopping

Stop using plastic bags for produce. Most produce doesn’t need a bag so I just toss it in my cart. For some produce like herbs or lettuce, I use cloth or mesh bags and reuse plastic produce bags that I’ve collected at home and then put in with my reusable grocery bags.

Choose paper and metal over plastic packaging. This is especially important for items like milk or juice that often come in plastic containers. For items like yogurt, look for brands that use recycled plastic in their containers.

Say no to bags, both paper and plastic because paper bags may be just as harmful as plastic ones due to their big production footprint. For reusable bags, choose canvas ones since many reusable bags are made from non-recyclable plastic and will eventually end up in landfills.

10. Drive less and rethink transportation

My final tip for how to live more sustainably involves transportation, which is a big polluter but perhaps the hardest change to make. Here are some eco friendly lifestyle tips for making transportation more sustainable:

Carpool more. Instead of this being the exception, I hope to make this the default when it comes to work events, parties, kids’ soccer games and parties, etc.

Teach your kids how to use the public transit system.

If you’re like me and normally don’t use public transit, choose one day a week to use it and make it a family outing.

Walk or bike to run local errands.

Consider the environmental impact of flying. When possible, avoid unnecessary flying and choose non-stop flights for long trips.

What eco friendly lifestyle tips & changes are you hoping to make in 2023? I’d love to hear your tips for how to live more sustainably!

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