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The Basics
Ten basic sustainability tips
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1
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Buy less stuff
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Making stuff uses lots of energy and raw materials. Every object you own – your furniture, your clothes, your food – comes from somewhere and EVERY object has an environmental impact. Buy products that are well-made and durable so that they will last longer. Having less stuff may not always suitable – but you don't have to buy new – other practices are to rent, borrow or buy second-hand.
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2
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Eat fresh food,
mostly plants
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Eat fresh, seasonal, local, organic foods. Buying local means supporting the local economy and reducing the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions from long-distance freight. Buying fresh food means reducing packaging and energy used for processing. Choosing organic foods means helping promote organic agriculture – which is a sustainable way to manage soil and use land responsibly. Meat has a much larger ecological footprint than vegetables. By reducing meat consumption you will reduce your footprint considerably.
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3
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Transport
yourself
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Ideally you will live close to work, schools and shops so that you can walk everywhere. Otherwise you could ride a bike or take public transport and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions created by combustion engines. By getting a lift to work with a neighbour you will both halve your emissions. You'll help slow climate change and help stave off our date with peak oil.
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4
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Use natural
products
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To help reduce the footprint of your material life, choose goods made from eco-friendly and renewable materials, such as sustainably harvested wood, organic cotton, or repurposed and recycled materials. Chemicals in personal care and cleaning products, fire retardants, pesticides and paints are often hazardous, synthetic ingredients which end up in the environment and do not break down often building up to toxic levels. It is more sustainable to use products that are natural – not made from petrochemicals and synthetic chemicals.
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5
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Use less
electricity
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Over 30% of New Zealand’s electricity is generated from natural gas and coal and is therefore a large contributor to our greenhouse gas emissions. There are many ways you can reduce electricity use – some of the most effective include having good insulation, buying a new, highly efficient fridge, installing solar or heat pump water heating and using compact flourescent bulbs. You can also generate your own electricity.
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6
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Waste is
a waste
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Nothing is ever really thrown "away" – it all goes somewhere. By consuming less and by recycling and reusing, we reduce the amount of waste that sits in landfills (where even biodegradable products often can’t break down due to lack or oxygen and sunlight).
As well as saving raw materials themselves recycling also saves energy when they are used to create new products. Some materials, like aluminum and glass, can even be recycled without being "downcycled," or turned into a product of lesser quality.
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7
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Look after
the water
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Clean water is a precious resource. Water quality is a big issue in New Zealand with runoff from farms, industry and urban environments impacting the quality of our waterways. Whilst New Zealand has plentiful rainfall, water can be scarce in some areas at times. Being water conscious helps reduce strain on municipal treatment systems and ensures there's enough to go around. You can collect rainwater to water your gardens in summer and recycle your greywater to the garden as well.
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8
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Invest in
natural capital
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By minimising resource use and inventing new ways to sustain our economic and social systems we can reduce our impact on the environment. But we still need to invest in the natural ecosystems so that they are reinvigorated for the long term. We need to rebuild the soil, clean waterways and contaminated areas, restore forests and habitats, create wildlife reserves, control noxious animals and plant lots of trees. There are many organisations you can join to help the natural environment.
Also buying carbon credits offsets greenhouse gas emissions and helps restore the fine balance of the atmosphere.
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9
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Share and
share alike
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Whether you share a ride with your neighbour to work, share your things amongst family and friends, or share your knowledge about growing vegetables or cleaning with baking soda you are helping create a sustainable world. We don't all need to own everything. Give what you hardly ever use to someone who will use it (and tell them you will borrow it back if you need it), instead of buying a water-blaster borrow your neighbour's, or share your discoveries and tell everyone about Econation! Sharing feels good because it is good – for people and for the environment.
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10
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Make some
noise!
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Anything an individual does to reduce their impact is good but you can insulate your house, recycle your rubbish, grow your own vegies, use public transport and then undo all that good many times over by voting for the wrong political party. It is almost impossible for an individual to be truly sustainable because the problems are systemic. In the words of William McDonough all we can do at the moment is be "less bad".
So a very important role for individuals is to influence politicians and other decision-makers – the people who can actually change the system. You can do this directly by writing to your local MP or to a Minister. You could also write or call your mayor or local body councilor. You could join a lobby group or one of the numerous organisations who promote sustainability on a variety of areas. You could ask your family, friends and neighbours if they want to join too.
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