Sustainability – (im)possible? Well, you obviously already know what we think about that. So here are 25 small hacks on how you can be more sustainable.
Technology
- Use your old phone. Instead of buying the latest iPhone when a new model is coming out, repair the one you already have – take it into maintenance, put protective glass on it, and use strong corpus. Small steps make a big difference.
- If that doesn’t work, buy an used phone. You can have a couple of series old, yet like new phone two-three times cheaper than having the latest version.
- Use an old computer or buy an used computer – the mentioned phone-trick applies to computers and to other devices as well.
- Take electric devices out of power sockets when leaving home. All kinds of smart devices that you absolutely do not need (basically anything besides the refrigerator) – take them out and save from electricity.
- Delete e-mails. Just delete the e-mails that you do not need. On average every e-mail produces 4g of CO2. It might not seem like that much, but over time, it really adds up. So delete that calendar invite after accepting it.
Environment
- Do not own a car, own a Bolt, Citybee or Elmo Rent application instead. One of the latest Eesti Ekspress (an Estonian newspaper) had a story about how people save two or three times more money by not having a car. In addition to saving money, you’ll also contribute to life in the city by saving nature, reducing noise, creating more space, etc. Really, each of us does not need a car.
- Buy fresh food and say no to half-fabricated stuff. Stop eating pizza that you just can put in the oven. Instead, buy a banana. The fresher thing you buy the less it harms the environment + it is good for your body.
- Move your sofa away from the radiator. This way you save money on heating and also use less resources.
- Use designed nozzles. Save a lot of water when washing dishes, yet get the same result. Equally good: have a washing machine to save water.
- Lose weight. If you weigh less, you need smaller clothes, less food, less medicine and you are overall using fewer resources, so help the environment by helping yourself.
Social health
- When communicating with people: listen instead of talking. If you listen, you understand the other person. Besides that you are more likeable to him/her and that makes you happier. So to be happy – listen.
- Make small acts of kindness. Donate, give blood, compliment a stranger, etc. All these small acts of kindness make you feel better.
- Call instead of writing. Through calling you can transact more feelings. More feelings equals more positive feelings. More positive feelings equals a better life.
- Visit your family. Our parents and closest people to us in general are not here forever. Seeing them every year two or three times is just not enough. Value time with loved ones more highly.
- Go and learn something new. Will it be a dance, sports activity or something third – doesn’t matter. What matters is that you meet new people there and learn a thing or two.
Mental health
- Invest. Stressing about a bank loan, bills or whatever money problems is so 20th century. Nowadays you can auto-invest, use index funds or just let professionals (like Grünfin) do it for you.
- Hug. Doing that releases the hormone that makes us feel better and that way our mental health is stronger too. So instead of waving, hug.
- Meditate and/or breathe. Whenever stress hits you: just take deep breaths and usually you’ll feel better. Do it also when there are too many thoughts in your head – trust us, it helps.
- Keep the phone outside of your bedroom. The bedroom is for sleeping and for some other stuff. Having a phone there is just a distraction.
- Take time to just talk and have meaningful conversations. Humans are social beings, we need to communicate. In order to have good mental health, we got to have friends.
Physical health
- Use a bicycle or walk for all the distances that are under 3 km. If you live in Tallinn then you know that public transport isn’t always the fastest option. And going by taxi or paying for parking costs you money. So save money and build your health!
- Drink only water or juice, no alco. Each gram of alcohol has basically the same amount of calories as pure fat. And let’s not even start talking about all the other negative aspects of alcohol. So it really is an obvious choice to avoid alcohol and just drink water or juice.
- Buy yourself a table behind which you can stand. Good for burning some calories & good for energy level while being in a meeting.
- Get some sun (especially here in the Baltics). Take a walk in the daytime or enjoy some fresh air after waking up. Trust us, it makes you feel A LOT better.
- And lastly: be active instead of being passive. Use that principle in every part of your life. Instead of watching sport, do it; instead of going to restaurant, cook yourself; instead of asking for advice, test other solutions.
Check out 4x more ideas on how to be more sustainble from HERE. Obviously you’ll get a lot of tricks & tips at Impact Day also. And as always: let’s make sustainability a sexy standard!
