5 Tips for a More Sustainable Lifestyle

Over ten years ago, the book with the ingenious title “Do not buy this book” was published. After reading a column about unnecessary shopping, Gramming made the radical decision to refrain from shopping for clothes, lunch and coffee in town for a year and strictly adhere to absolutely necessary shopping.

In loose diary format, she wrote about her thoughts on what she could and could not buy, buying bans in general and sustainable development. Since then, a lot has happened and more people have been inspired to join the movement. The blog Minimalisterna is run by the couple Byström-Ernfors and, according to their own statement, aims to share with readers their path towards a simpler and more harmonious life with minimalism.

With posts such as “10 things to lose weight this summer” and “Become a climate friend or a climate hero”, they illustrate how simple measures in everyday life can make a big difference when it comes to environmental and sustainability issues. In addition, there seems to be scientific support for at least the phenomenon of stop buying, according to researcher Åsa Callmer, who states that a year without a purchase is easier to achieve than most people think.

She believes that those who succeed in breaking old habits and acquiring new consumption habits often experience it as liberating to be outside the consumer society. In this article, we spin on the theme of sustainability and share five tips for a more sustainable lifestyle.

Set goals but do not be too harsh on yourself

When it comes to incorporating environmentally friendly habits into everyday life, few of us are completely spotless. Our first tip is therefore to set goals but not to be too harsh on yourself if you ever make mistakes in your quest for environmental friendliness. After all, it is the intention that is most important! In the latter respect, a sustainable lifestyle can be likened to a poker strategy; the results follow good decisions, and even the world’s best poker players (or environmental activists) sometimes lose. The goal should be to play / act to the best of your ability every time.

Buy second hand

The sustainability fighter prefers to completely refrain from all consumption that is not indispensable, just like Gramming, as we mentioned earlier. However, if you have to shop, it is a good idea to buy second hand as much as possible. The big second-hand chains have a rich selection of everything from furniture to clothes and household appliances, and on sites like Marketplace and Blocket, others sometimes post completely new things for cheap money that they are tired of.

Eat vegetarian

As is well known, meat has a significant negative impact on the environment, as cattle in particular emit enormous amounts of methane, which is a harmful climate gas. In addition, meat production requires its fair share of water and feed, which means that vegetarian on the plate is an obvious choice for the climate-smart. If you can also buy locally grown and eat fruit and vegetables according to the season, you get an extra plus on the edge.

Skip the car

The car is a clear environmental culprit and even if it simplifies everyday life, you can reduce its use. Riding public transport, cycling or walking works at least as well for most of us, even if you have to sacrifice a little comfort.

If you still have to take the car and go, you can try to drive as climate-smart as possible with few accelerations and hard braking, car pool with friends, and take the opportunity and carry out several different errands along the same distance if possible. Investing in an electric car is ultimately a clear bubbler in this context!

Inventory at home

Our final tip is to make a thorough inventory at home to see if you can make more environmentally smart choices. Older household appliances often draw more electricity than newer ones, and even if we advise against buying new, it may in the long run be the right decision in individual cases.

See if you can replace lamps and other light sources in your home with low-energy lamps. In winter, you can reduce the heat a bit and instead put on more clothes and make it a habit to always boil water with a kettle as it is more durable and fast.