20 ideas to live ecologically

It is evident that the Earth can do with us living more ecologically. Here are some ideas to have a small ecological footprint. Choose what you can do and strive for the rest! 

1. Instead of plastic bags, use cloth bags. Carry some cloth bags from home before you venture out for any shopping.

2. Avoid ordering food at home, instead go out and eat. It saves on a lot of non-biodegradable packaging.

3. Wash clothes & utensils with soapnuts, instead of chemical detergents. You’ll be amazed at the results.

4. Mop the floor with essential oils or neem/tulsi/lemongrass infused water, instead of chemical detergents.

5. Carry your own drinking water to skip using plastic bottles. Get your drinking water bottles refilled from any good hotel/restaurant. They usually generously fill them with nice cold water.

6. Drink drinks packed in glass bottles rather than buying their plastic bottled versions. (Sugared, carbonated drinks are not good for health. A freshly squeezed juice or coconut water are better options anyday.)

7. For the dustbin at home, use brown paper bags or newspapers. Of course avoid throwing liquid waste in it, which you can throw in empty packs of any inevitable packaged items.

8. Use public transport as much as possible. It saves money too!

9. Minimize use of ac/heater/geysers.

10. Minimize buying of magazines and newspapers.

11. Re-use the other side of sheets of paper.

12. Use recyclable pens or pencils, instead of plastic pens. If that’s not possible in every case, then change the refills instead of trashing the entire pen.

13. Minimize or eliminate use of tissue papers in restaurants. After all, we all wash our hands or use a towel at home after food, so why not extend this practise outside as well.

14. Avoid eating in Styrofoam cutlery. Ask for the old fashioned but very sturdy and eco-friendly leaf cutlery.

15. Use cotton and natural fabrics instead of silk, wool, leather and man-made fabrics. These are good for your health, for the planet, for the animals and for people who stay around these hazardous industries.

16. Use genuinely natural and organic products in food, cosmetics, household toiletries, etc. Again these are good for your health, for the planet and for animals (as these products are usually made with chemicals that are tested on animals or contain animal ingredients).

17. Dont litter.

18. Plant trees.

19. Have a home garden or keep some plants at home to grow your own food. It is so simple that it may get addictive.

20. Live vegan. It is the BIGGEST step that we can take towards ecological living. Our demand for animal products is the biggest reason for global warming, climate change, deforestation, water usage, water pollution, land degradation & world hunger, facts now supported even by the UN. Read more here – http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.HTM.

Thanks for reading, hope it provided some food for thought :)