How Simplicity Can Help You Live a More Eco-Friendly Lifestyle

Simple living should be simple, right? However, simple living is a gradual process: you don’t just wake up one morning and start living a simple lifestyle. It takes some time to learn new ways to get rid of and avoid clutter in your life — the craziness, chaos, and complications that are a characteristic of modern life. Simple living has several benefits, and helping you live a more eco-friendly lifestyle is one of the major benefits. Here is how simplicity can help you live a more eco-friendly lifestyle: 

Use what you already have

Simple living involves buying only what you need, not always everything you want. This means you will be encouraged to use what you have instead of buying something new just because you feel like you want it. When you decide to live more sustainably, you don’t have to go to the store to buy metal straws or an indoor composter to be eco-friendly. There are always affordable and even free ways to go green. You can use a small kitchen canister for composting food scraps or collect rainwater in buckets for watering plants. Buying less will automatically lead to a more sustainable lifestyle.

Replace disposables with reusable options

Instead of using paper towels, you can use reusable cloth napkins, cloth rags, or towels to wipe your hands. After using paper towels, they will be disposed as trash, and this will lead to environmental issues. But when you start using reusable options, there won’t be any garbage to dispose of. Our family loves using cloth napkins (we feel so fancy!), reusable metal and glass straws, reusable water bottles and coffee mugs, as well as rags and washable cloths. I even have washable cotton pads to use instead of cotton balls for facial cleansing, and yes, (!) I have switched to the Diva Cup for controlling my monthly cycle.

Make your own natural beauty products

Making your own beauty and skin care products at home is a fun way to live naturally and more eco-friendly. It is easy, effective, and above all, you can customize all your products to suit your skin type. Coconut oil makes a great hair conditioner, skin lotion, and even cleanser if you try oil cleansing. Make your own lip balm with coconut oil and beeswax. Olive oil is fantastic as an eye makeup remover. DIY spa products can be decadent and inexpensive. You can even make your own baby products naturally. 

Eat healthy

Simplicity enables you to shop mindfully for good food and produce. Live with intention, and shop for food items when they are available, in season, and inexpensive. Organic fruit will cost less in-season than GMO fruit available out of season. This means that you can be mindful of what you eat, creating less food waste and eating in a more sustainable fashion. It’s also a great opportunity to instill healthy eating habits in your children.

Simplicity ensures you avoid things that are unnecessary for your lifestyle. You will be living a more eco-friendly life without even knowing it, without having to put a lot of effort into sustainability. Simplicity enhances healthy living and creates a proactive, sustainable living environment. What are your favorite ways to incorporate eco-friendly living into simple living?