Going green is a goal many of us share, but when it comes to enacting actual change, it can seem daunting and hard to know where to start. While the tried-and-true advice of “reduce, reuse and recycle” never goes out of style, there’s so much more to know to live a truly sustainable life.
Our Good Housekeeping Institute experts know that pushing for change is important but also understand that we don’t always have the resources or time. That’s why our experts have compiled the perfect beginner’s guide to sustainable living. These tips and advice will help you create a more climate friendly, energy-saving life for yourself and family. And here’s the best part: Living a sustainable life doesn’t have to be expensive, inconvenient or overwhelming. good housekeeping‘s new 11-Step Beginner’s Guide to Sustainable Living shows that simple choices and changes, no matter how small, can have a lasting benefit to our planet.
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In this brand new guide exclusive to GH+ members, Good Housekeeping Institute experts break down everything from what sustainability is and why it’s important to ways you can practice sustainable living in all areas of your life, including fashion, food, cleaning or transportation. Plus, you’ll learn all about “green washing” and how to spot when a product that promises to be “green” but really isn’t. What’s more, you’ll discover how to look for sustainable packaging, make your own cleaning products and start composting. All in all, this exclusive sustainability guide is the best first step to transforming your life and being more of a friend to the planet.
Interested to learn what kind of content is included in “11-Step Beginner’s Guide to Sustainable Living”? See a few of our favorite ideas from the guide below.
1. Start small—but start now.
One of the most important things to remember as you are transitioning into more sustainable living is little changes add up. And they can add up fast. So don’t feel you have to overhaul everything all at once. Start with easy tweaks like switching to energy-saving light bulbs or drinking tap water instead of bottled (our environmental experts have assessed a wide range of water-testing kits to help boost your confidence), buying less overall, and being conscious about how you dispose of goods, from mattresses to clothing and beyond.
2. Get savvy about spotting greenwashing.
Even today, as people are more interested in sustainable living tips, “eco” or “green” claims can be confusing. When we put the question to over 5,000 people in the Good Housekeeping Institute’s recent Sustainability Survey, 26% of people said they believed “green” meant “earth or environmentally friendly,” 19% answered “reusable, recyclable or recycled,” 13% said “eco-conscious” and 10% thought it meant “sustainable.” Other write-in answers included: natural, organic, compostable, plant-based and healthy. In reality, all of these things might contribute to making a product more “green” or “sustainable,” but according to the FTC Green Guides, brands must explain why? a product is green before they can legitimately use eco-friendly claims on their labels. Once you can easily ID the terms and claims – and spot the imposters – you will be better equipped to make truly sustainable choices.
3. Rethink your modes of transportation.
Walking, taking the stairs and riding a commuter bicycle are some of the easiest ways to get around more sustainably. That’s because they require no energy (other than your own!) and emit absolutely zero greenhouse gases while helping to boost your own cardiovascular health. Driving a combustion-engine vehicle, on the other hand, is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
If distance puts walking or riding a bike out of the question, public transportation or car-sharing are good alternatives along with e-bikes and scooters. If you don’t have your own bike, consider the growing number of rent-a-bike services popping up in more neighborhoods all over the country. If that’s not an option for you, fortunately, most car manufacturers are making bold predictions about adding electric and hybrid vehicles to their rosters.
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Want the full guide to sustainable living? For just $20 a year, you can access the The 11-Step Beginner’s Guide to Sustainable Living, PLUS all of our other exclusive guides like the Get It Done challenge, 30-Day Strength Challenge or our Cleaning Expert’s Spring Cleaning Guide. You’ll also get unlimited access to all site content, exclusive deals and discounts with our favorite brands, the chance to be a product tester, exclusive access to GH experts, a one-year print magazine subscription and more.