How To Go Sustainable In 2020
The start of a new year is a great time to introduce some changes for a better tomorrow. Making selfless choices is all it takes to make your contribution to a sustainable world. You can make a change right from your home by just revamping some household items and activities. It’s simple and it would be best to get the whole family in on it.

Here a few household tips for sustainability before we dive into the new year:
1. Reduce household energy use
The earth’s resources are depleting and energy is definitely one of them. We should start conserving energy and be mindful of it’s usage at home. Revamp your home to include more energy efficient appliances and fittings like using compact fluorescent bulbs in place of incandescent light bulbs. Turn off all lights and appliances when not in use – even if you are just leaving the room for a while. If there is a good breeze outside, open the windows instead of using air conditioning. Ultimately, reducing the electricity bill is the best way to conserve energy.
2. Recycle
Recycling takes off some of the burden from natural resources and should be encouraged in all households and communities. Many societies and neighbourhoods have begun to put up bins where people are give up their waste in order for their waste to be recycled. Plastic, cloth material and even metals can be recycled. If your neighbourhood does not have these bins, you can find another drop-off location and drop off the recyclable waste there once in a while.
3. Resell or donate
When you are no longer in need of any item at home, don’t throw them away! Give your item a chance of an extended life by reselling it to someone who can use it or donating it. Old clothes can be donated and old appliances can be sold to shops for their parts. This is the best way to reduce wastage of resources.
4. Buy reusable items
Stop buying single-use products which you can and just throw away. This only increases the amount of waste that collects in landfills. These days almost any object has a plastic version which is hardly ever disposed off in the right way. The best solution is to buy products that will not have to be thrown away so easily. Many people resort to buying bottled water, which, in turn, increases the use of plastic. Consider investing in a water filtration system that will make tap water safe to consume, eliminating the need for bottled water.
5. Save water
This one is pretty simple. It’s all about making the right investments to create a more water-efficient household. Find out areas where you minimise the usage of water. A great idea would be to install toilets that come with dual flushes that allow you to choose between full flush or half-flush, depending of liquid or solid waste. Many appliances, like the washing machine, have newer versions which can automatically detect the level of water needed for a use. Choose more effective ways and you can significantly reduce your water usage.
Sustainability does not mean that you will have to cut down on luxuries. It is simply that we are resorting to newer ways to conserve energy and cut down the waste we produce per household. The littlest effort counts and when you get the whole community involved, there will be mass impact.