.Wear your clothes for as long as you can before washing them
Wear out your clothes, and repair them instead of throwing them away
Donate your old clothes if they're still usable, if they're not then try up-cycling them.
Turn old clothing scraps into rags to be used around the house.
Opt for thrifting over fast fashion.
Be aware of how to properly wash and dry different clothing items to make them last longer.
Dress properly for the weather instead of blasting your heater or AC.
Stay aware of which companies employ sustainable practices and support them whenever possible.
Keep re-usable bags in your car for when you go shopping.
Buy from local and smaller businesses whenever possible. (Less emissions will be produced from transportation, and small businesses tend to employ more sustainable practices.)
Avoid buying from big corporations.
Avoid online orders due to packaging and transportation emissions. If you need to make online orders, order multiple items at once so that they're all shipped in one package instead of packaged individually.
Buy reusable instead of single-use items.
Consider how much emissions/waste a product generates before you buy it.
Keep cloth towels and napkins around instead of paper towels.
Buy secondhand or thrifted items.
Repair items or use them until completely broken instead of buying new ones often.
If you don't think you'll use an item often, look to borrow it instead of buying it.
When designing/planning your house, take into account heating and cooling factors. (Example: if you want your house to stay cooler, choose lighter colors for exterior design and don't put in windows that let in a ton of sun. Vice versa, if you want your house to stay warmer, choose darker colors for exterior design and put in windows that let in lots of natural light)
Choose native plants for your yard so that you don't need to water them as much.
If you live in a dry environment, xeriscape your yard as much as possible to avoid needing water or other fertilizers.
Look into getting solar panels.
Avoid the usage of Gen AI such as ChatGPT as much as possible. (Tip: typing "-ai" at the end of a Google search typically gets rid of the AI overview.)
Turn off unnecessary lights, especially when you leave a room.
Unplug your devices once they're fully charged.
Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible during hot/cold weather.
Open refrigerator and freezer doors as little as possible to maintain temperature.
Turn your AC and heat down as much as possible, and dress more appropriately for the weather instead.
Opt for energy efficient items. (light bulbs, washing machines, etc.)
Turn off appliances and devices when you're not using them. (computers, TVs, etc)
Opt for air drying/sun drying clothes rather than using your dryer.
Park in the shade during the summer, and in the sun during the winter.
Turn the heater or AC down or off when you're going out.
Consider skipping heat or AC during short car rides, and ensure it's not on when it doesn't need to be.
Open your windows during the evening or early morning during the summer to cool off your house.
Close blinds in direct sunlight to keep your house cooler, and open them to warm up your house. Consider using blackout blinds.
Did you know that 25-40% of all food in the U.S. goes to waste? Not only are the emissions from the production of that food wasted, but it also produces methane, a greenhouse gas, as it decomposes.
Know what food you already have before you go shopping so you don't over-purchase.
Make sure you can actually use what you buy before it goes bad.
Buy loose produce instead of produce wrapped in plastic.
Eat a diet that prioritizes more sustainable foods (Find a graphic ranking emissions of different foods here )
Plan your meals to avoid wasting food.
Store leftovers and other food properly to keep it from going bad. (Find tips on how to do so here )
Err on the side of serving yourself less food and going back for more rather than accidentally taking too much and having to throw it away.
Save ziploc bags that your food comes in, and use those instead of buying new ziploc bags.
Carry a travel mug with you or keep it in your car. (You can make a thermos work for cold drinks and fountain drinks as well, but if you don't like that then get a cold drink carrier as well)
Keep a set of re-usable dishes in your car or bag.
Bring tupperware to restaurants so that you won't have to ask for takeout boxes.
When ordering drinks, ask for no straw.
When ordering takeout to be brought home, ask for no silverware or napkins and use the ones you have at home.
When you're at a place that tries to put everything in an additional bag(Example: Subway) ask for them not to.
If you're getting a bowl and you're going to be eating the food immediately, ask the employees not to add a lid.
Bring a water bottle with you instead of getting bottled water.
Shake your hands off before taking a paper towel so that you don't need as many, just take one and dry more thoroughly.
Use the entire sheet of paper before recycling, or cut off the unused part and save as scratch paper. (Both sides!)
Coordinate your errands and driving trips in order to drive as little as possible.
Approach situations with an open mind of how you could improve instead of being confident that you do everything you can already.
If you're struggling with motivation, think about the positives such as saving money by wasting less food or getting more exercise by choosing alternate methods of transportation.
Stay positive about environmental actions.
Coordinate carpooling.
Opt for events and outings that are easier to do sustainably (Ex: choosing restaurants that are easier to get to via public transport)
Encourage others, let them know little things they can do in a positive, collaborative, and not shameful way.
Outwardly support sustainable initiatives.
Sometimes being environmental is seen as "un-cool" - discourage this mindset whenever possible!
Familiarize yourself with public transportation options.
Think of driving as a last resort, and ask yourself if there's anything else you could do instead.
Opt for vehicles with better gas mileage, as well as hybrid or electric vehicles.
Familiarize yourself with recycling and compost guidelines in your area.
With your neighbors, coordinate trips to recycling, compost, and other waste drop-offs (Hard-to-recycle centers, etc.) if you don't have pick-up service.
Opt for buying things with recyclable or compostable packaging.
Avoid plastic packaging whenever possible. Even though some may be recyclable it has a shorter recycling lifespan than glass and aluminum which have infinite recycling lifespans.
Pick up litter when you see it.
Take shorter showers. (Timing your showers helps!)
Turn off the water when you're not actively using it(Scrubbing dishes, brushing your teeth, putting soap on your hands, putting in conditioner)
Only do full loads of dishes or laundry to make the most of the cycle.
Wear your clothes for longer before washing them so you wash laundry less often.
Bring a re-usable water bottle with you so you don't have to buy bottled water.
Opt for lower water usage items. (Shower heads, faucets, dishwashers, washing machines, etc.)
Wash your clothes in cold water whenever possible.
Opt for native plants and grasses in your yard that don't require as much water.
If you run a sprinkler, be sure it's only spraying areas that actually need it and not the sidewalk/fence/etc.
Water your grass less.
Opt for more water-efficient dishwashers, washing machines, toilets, shower heads, and faucets.
Stay on trails and observe posted signage in any nature areas.
Try to avoid letting your dog do its business on the bases of trees, as the salt content is bad for them.
Avoid picking flowers, leaves, or bark off of plants.
Stay up-to-date on invasive species and how they spread.
Have trees and plants in your yard and house, they remove carbon dioxide from the air.