Sustainable Living

Adopting a sustainable lifestyle means living with the lightest possible impact on the environment so that resources will not become depleted, leaving them in tact for future generations. From transportation to grocery shopping, everyone can start to live a more sustainable lifestyle by taking a few simple steps at a time.

Seven Rules for Responsible Consumption

• Give special attention to major purchases.
• Become a weight watcher (heavier things have more impact).
• Analyze your consumption quantitatively.
• Don't worry or feel guilty about unimportant decisions.
• Look for opportunities to be a leader. Being an early adopter helps spread the word if you make it visible – in consumption, at work, participating in politics or joining organizations.
• Buy more of the things that help the environment, such as microwave ovens which use less heat, recycled products which complete the cycle of re-use, telecommuting needs, water-saving faucets / toilets / showerheads, etc.
• Think about non-environmental reasons for reducing consumption, to step back from the focus on materialism and money-making, and have time for what's more important, such as children, community, etc.

Excerpted from Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices: Practical Advice From The Union of Concerned Scientists © 1999 Michael Brower and Warren Leon.