Green living refers to a lifestyle that strives to reduce the use of resources in an attempt to preserve and conserve the environment. To add, it also involves making eco-friendly and environmentally-ethical choices in almost every aspect of your life. A big part of the green living movement nowadays also involves rethinking how we consume. Reusing and upcycling materials, and buying secondhand items have all taken on new importance in the quest to reduce our consumption of new items.

You're probably already aware of the importance of living a sustainable life. If you’re like most people, though, things sometimes get in the way, and you're still unable to jumpstart such a lifestyle. If you're like most busy people, you might also think green living requires a lot of effort. In reality, though, it really doesn't have to be difficult at all.

A Little Effort Goes a Long Way

You can start your journey to a more sustainable lifestyle by taking basic steps and building from there. Before you know it, you’ll become a full-fledged supporter of sustainability who walks the talk. For one, finding a cleaner approach or solution to your daily wants and needs can make an immediate difference. Proper waste segregation doesn't require too much effort, either, because you only need to assign skip bins according to the kinds of waste you produce in the household or office.

Taking note of the 3R's (reduce-reuse-recycle) can significantly help in segregating and managing your waste. The main goal is to reduce as much as possible, which means generating less waste in the first place—whether at home or in the workplace. Reusing things comes next; which is nowadays made easier by the existence of many online tutorials that show you how to repurpose and upcycle used items. Finally, recycling means giving your waste materials a second chance to serve a new purpose before they end up in the landfill.

Buy Less, Consume Less

Aside from reusing and recycling things, another way to begin your green living journey despite a busy schedule is by buying less so that you'll also consume less. If you think about it, that's actually an advantage if you don't always have the time to go shopping. What's more, you get to save money too. 

Being more conscious of your spending and shopping habits may come as a challenge if you have been used to splurging for most of your life. In that case, you can try incorporating this practice little by little. For example, if you routinely shop for new clothes every two weeks, you can cut that down to once a month instead. 

You can also switch to sustainable wardrobe staples that can help reduce textile waste. Sustainable pieces may be more expensive, but they last longer, which means you won't need to shop for clothes frequently. You can consider them as an investment that will help support your green living lifestyle.

For People on The Go

If you have an office job, you're likely driving every day to get to work. There's really nothing wrong with bringing your own car, but if you're alone in the vehicle, you might want to rethink your lifestyle and start considering a more sustainable option. Car-pooling can be a better alternative to encourage other people to avoid driving by themselves. Or if and whenever possible, use public transit to reduce your consumption of gas, which also helps eliminate some of the pollution that your vehicle adds to the atmosphere.

Not many busy people are willing to sacrifice the luxury of bringing their own vehicle to work, though. If you happen to be one of them, don't worry because you can still stay committed to your green living transformation despite driving a car every day. What you can do is plan your trips accordingly so you can make the best out of them. If you need to make a stop, make sure you pick one that's on the way. You can also combine errands so you can do them all in one go.

Lights Off, Please

It may be a significant sacrifice on your end to minimize the use of home appliances, particularly if you have children. In such cases, the least you can do is ensure lights will always be turned off to save energy. You can invest in LED light bulbs to make your lighting fixtures more energy-efficient too.

Even when you're too busy, it won't take much of your time to switch off lights when not in use. Make it a habit to inform everyone in the family so they can also make their own contributions. Additionally, you can also start unplugging appliances that aren't in use. Alternatively, plug multiple devices into a power strip and turn off the strip whenever you are not using the devices connected to it. Also, keep your gadgets on a battery-saving mode all the time to minimize the need to charge them multiple times of the day.

Final Words

Going green is possible despite your busy schedule. Don't get easily intimidated by a sustainable lifestyle, because it's actually easier than you think. A little effort here and there can go a long way if you're really serious about your commitment to lead a greener and eco-friendlier life. 

Turn off lights when not in use. Consider taking public transit when going to work or go car-pooling if you can. Buy less, consume less, reduce waste, and save money in the long run. Lastly, reduce, reuse, and recycle whenever possible. As you can see, the littlest and simplest of ways can make a significant impact if you consistently work on them.

Sam Whitehouse is a marketing manager for an eco-friendly brand and personally advocates green living. On weekends, she works on her blog and writes articles about recycling and reusing everyday items. When she has time, she goes on hiking and camping adventures with her family.