Sustainable Living: Bring eco to your home

There are a lot of things changing in the world of sustainable living. The way we travel, the way we eat and the way we shop are just some of the ways we are changing the way we live.

Sustainable living can seem daunting, but taking small and simple steps towards changing the way you live can help you be more green and help do your bit for the environment. Let’s look at the two top ways you can live more sustainably.

Changing what we eat

Nobody can make you change what you eat, but thinking more consciously about what food choices we make when eating in and out can help you live a little greener.

The first step in trying sustainable living is trying a Vegan lifestyle. Veganism focuses on living off the land and natural materials which is an incredibly sustainable way of living.

Reducing the amount of meat we eat can be a difficult task to take on but if we think of the amazing benefits for not only ourselves but the environment too, it really doesn’t seem that bad. Sustainable living can be achieved by reducing our meat consumption. It will mean less methane, less depletion of natural resources and less high environmental costs.

Reducing the amount of animal farming, processed products and adjusting the way we cook is a great way to securing not only a good diet but a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

Sustainable living can also be made achievable by making even smaller steps. Growing your own fruit and vegetables or using up leftovers are incredibly easy ways to make life not only greener but also a lot more fun.

Growing your own food and using leftovers can help inspire you and the family to get involved in proper home cooking meaning less unhealthy takeaways and less non-recyclable packaging.

We can also think outside the box. Plastic is one of the biggest polluters of the 21st century and one way we can tackle sustainable living is lowering the plastics we use in our day to day lives.

Picking fruit and veg in paper bags rather than plastic, eradicating straws and opting for reusable packaging are just a couple of ways we can help make our shopping choices and consumption habits a bit easier on mother nature.

If we can help reduce plastics we can help reduce pollution, sustainable living really does help us live green and keep our planet healthy.

Changing how we live in our homes

When it comes to sustainable living, most of us tend to overlook our own homes. There are lots of ways you can make your living quarters more eco-friendly, it’s just a case of kicking old habits.

Energy

The first step in reducing your carbon footprint and learning to live more sustainably is to monitor your energy use. Simple steps like turning off lights, plugs and technology that isn’t being used is so simple and is such an easy way to become more sustainable.

Next up, water habits

Taking shorter showers, running that tap only when it’s needed and handwashing small dishes instead of using a full load dishwasher cycle are just some of the ways sustainable living can be accomplished.

Conserving water means that nothing goes to waste and also means that less wastewater is redirected to rivers, and estuaries, which helps keep the environment healthy. Using less water also means that less energy is used to filter and fix water that was never used.

Keeping an eye on how much water you use and how you use it is key to sustainable living.

Lastly, recycling

Again, this is a highly overlooked yet extremely simple way of becoming more sustainable. Sorting your plastics from your papers and composting your food waste helps reduce the amount of rubbish going to landfill and provides you with some great bits and bobs that you can reuse.

Sustainable living doesn’t have to be dull, have fun with the kids using old plastics and recyclables for arts and crafts or make your own compost to grow your own vegetables.

The world really is your oyster.

Becoming Sustainable: How you can create an eco-home

Eco homes are a great way that you can make your life a little more environmentally friendly. Creating an eco-home is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment whilst having fun with the design of your home.

There are lots of ways that you can bring your building up to speed with the advancements in eco-home adaptations and technology but before working on achieving greater efficiency, it helps to understand what an eco-home is.

What is an eco-home?

In short form, an eco-home is an environmentally friendly and low impact home that is designed using materials and technology that are don’t use a lot of energy and high in reused and environmentally friendly materials.

Transforming your traditional house into an eco-home doesn’t have to be hard work. With a range of materials, designs, and technology available to help you create your dream interior that sits well with mother nature has never been easier.

Elements of an eco-home

Transforming your house into an eco-home, whether it’s starting small or making large investments, is pretty simple, there is a whole range of improvements that can make your home more eco-friendly.

The Build

Believe it or not, your home can be designed as an eco home from day one. Building with materials that are sustainable and environmentally friendly is a great place to start.

Making sure that your home is fully insulated and airtight is a really sustainable way of conserving as much of the heat you put into your home as possible, meaning that the monthly heating costs are much lower.

The way in which your home is actually built is a great way of determining it’s eco-friendliness. Building your eco home using reclaimed or sustainable materials rather than PVCs and plastics will support the environment whilst enhancing the overall look of your eco home.

If you’re looking to make a bold statement with where you live, the materials and technology that can be used when creating an eco home will allow you to achieve just this

You can also help make a difference to the environment by becoming more sustainable with how you use energy in your day to day life.

Installing solar panels is an amazing way of producing light and energy without the detrimental environmental effects.

Swapping out single glazed windows for something a bit thicker is also a simple solution to ensuring that less heat and energy are lost.

Day to Day

An eco home doesn’t always have to focus on the physical features and building processes. The small steps you take in your day to day life are essential for tackling environmental problems and championing sustainable.

Rainwater harvesting, composting and growing plants on your roof are all ways of making your home more interesting and is a viable way of living a little greener.

The less you rely on unsustainable ways of living and the more ways you can live off what is around you is the key to not only running a greener home but a sustainable and green life.

How having an eco-home helps the environment

Having an eco-home is definitely a hot topic in today’s modern society. With such a vast array of benefits, it’s no wonder our growing population is so focused on making sure that the way we live and where we live are as eco-friendly as possible.

Having a home that focuses on a clean way of living allows for a much more natural and pure living environment. Taking the time to adapt your home will leave you with a living environment that is free from harmful chemicals, toxins and pollutants.

As well as having its sustainable benefits, eco homes are often self-sufficient. Whether they’re powered by solar energy, wind or water, having and maintaining an eco-friendly home is far more effortless than in years gone by.

Green building materials are now more durable than ever and require much less maintenance over time, helping your home to look newer for longer and saving you money on costly repairs.

As populations grow and become more aware of their environment, the demand for eco homes and their low running costs, are now highly sought after. If you own your own green home, its value will be higher than most.

Sustainability is key when it comes to building a home that is green, and its benefits both on the environment and individuals show just how successful and popular the eco-home is becoming in the modern market.

Sustainable Fashion: How you can make your own clothes

Sustainable fashion doesn’t have to start with ethical high street stores, it can start at home.

No one knows your fashion taste, likes and dislikes better than you do, so what better way to tackle sustainable fashion than to make your own clothes.

With so many changes occurring in the sustainable fashion industry, it can be hard to know exactly which retailers are doing right and which are doing wrong; by making your own clothes, you can make your own sustainable fashion choices and tailor what you make to your taste.

Why are people making their own clothes?

Many are wondering exactly what it is that’s getting people into DIY fashion, but there isn’t just one answer.

There are lots of reasons why many are taking to making their own clothes in aid of sustainable fashion. One of the top reasons for making or adapting clothes is down to the death of the high street tailor. With such limited high street resources, people are turning to their own skills and interests to alter their clothes or to make something entirely new.

Although there has been a decline in readily available tailoring experts, a new wave of teaching has hit the younger generation: the return of the home economics class or, as it’s better known as today, textiles.

Young people are once again being taught how to sew and tailor fabrics on their own accord, allowing the process to evolve and sustainable fashion to grow. The increase in young people sewing and the rise of the crafting revival has led to a true development in sustainable fashion.

The increase in those choosing to make their own clothes has also stemmed from our current society. The nature of our throwaway society has led people to make the most of what is around them, whether that be changing up a skirt or making a new one out of recycled materials, there are endless sustainable fashion opportunities.

There is also nothing that changes faster than style, so it’s no wonder we find it so difficult to keep up with changing trends and end up with lots of garments with a one time only wear that continually sit at the back of the wardrobe or are thrown away. Sustainable fashion is about having key pieces that last a lifetime both in wear and style, and what better way to achieve this than through making your own, by doing this, you can choose exactly how you want your garment to look. Changing its style as many times as you need to suit all occasions and trends.

The tools to create sustainable fashion

Finding out exactly what tools you need to make your own clothes and sustainable fashion pieces doesn’t have to be a difficult task.

With even the most basic of equipment, you can create some of the most exciting fashion pieces. Your top priority, however, is a sewing machine. Although they can seem expensive, sewing machines are an essential investment if you are truly aiming to make your own clothes and welcome sustainable fashion into your lifestyle.

If you want to continue down the route of sustainable fashion, then why not source an old machine and fix it up or see if you know anyone who is selling one; it can be much cheaper and better than buying a brand new machine and makes use of already existing equipment.

Alongside your sewing machine, you will need some other basic tools; dressmaking scissors, a tape measure, pins and a pincushion, tailoring chalk, needles and an abundance of threads along with your material of choice will allow you to create your sustainable fashion items.

The more complex your work becomes, the more equipment you may need, but for beginners stepping into sustainable fashion, the basics will see you through.

How to create your own sustainable fashion pieces

Making your own clothes can seem like a daunting step, but with time, practice and the right equipment, you can easily make your own pieces that encourage the push for sustainable fashion. When making your own clothes, making the most of what is already around you is a great place to start.

Buttons, sequins, zips and scrap fabrics are all things that tend to go to waste when they could instead be used to help make a fashion piece that is truly unique. Scraps can be sourced from a huge variety of places both in-person and online, letting you make interesting pieces for your wardrobe that boast and promote the nature of sustainable fashion.

Once you have a bank of materials and a couple of interesting patterns, you’re ready to hit the machine. Taking your time and persevering when you make mistakes is the key to getting it sustainable fashion right. Simply by making your own clothes, you’re doing something positive, so don’t be put off by the intensity of the work.