How Our Cities Can Become More Sustainable

If we want to leave a livable world for future generations, we must make some changes and seek inspiration from the likes of Selwyn Duijvestijn. And, as over half of the world’s population now lives in cities, it’s time for cities to lead the way in sustainable change. Here are some ways our cities can become more sustainable places to live.

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Implement Renewable Energy Sources

One of the most important ways our cities can become more sustainable is by implementing renewable energy sources. Solar panels, wind, and hydropower are all renewable energy sources that can power our cities. Using renewable energy sources can reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, significantly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Not only would this help reduce pollution, but it would also create jobs in the renewable energy sector.

Increase Recycling and Composting Efforts

Another way our cities can become more sustainable is by increasing recycling and composting efforts. It’s estimated that about one-third of the waste produced in the US is recyclable, but only about one-tenth of it gets recycled. This means there’s a lot of room for improvement. Increasing recycling and composting efforts can reduce pollution and landfill waste and conserve resources like water and trees.

Promote Sustainable Transportation Options

Another important way to make our cities more sustainable is by promoting sustainable transportation options. This includes things like public transportation, walking, and biking. By nurturing these options, we can reduce reliance on cars and trucks, significant contributors to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Promoting sustainable transportation options can also help improve public health by reducing sedentary lifestyles and increasing physical activity levels.

Improve Building Efficiency

Another way to make our cities more sustainable is by improving building efficiency. This includes using energy-efficient lighting and appliances, insulating buildings, and using green building materials. By making these improvements, we can reduce energy consumption and water use, saving money and resources while also reducing pollution.

Support Local Agriculture

Our favorite places could become more sustainable by supporting local agriculture. When people buy locally grown food, they’re reducing the need for long-distance transportation, reducing pollution. Additionally, local agriculture often uses less water than large-scale industrial agriculture. Buying local produce also helps keep small farmers in business, strengthening the local economy. It could also help with the environment’s health by reducing the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides.

Reducing Energy Consumption with Solar Panels

By installing solar panels on rooftops, cities can reduce their energy consumption and reliance on fossil fuels. Solar panels capture solar energy from the sun, which is then converted into usable electricity. Not only does this help reduce pollution and lower energy bills, but solar panels can also provide a source of income for homeowners who choose to lease or sell the solar energy they generate.

Focus On Restoring Natural Ecosystems

A crucial aspect often overlooked in the quest for urban sustainability is the restoration of natural ecosystems within city limits, explains Selwyn Duijvestijn. Urban areas have historically expanded by encroaching upon natural habitats, leading to decreased biodiversity and disrupted ecological balances. To counteract this, cities can initiate projects like urban forests, community gardens, and green roofs, which provide not only green spaces for residents but also restore native plant and animal species. Wetland restoration can also be implemented to manage urban stormwater naturally and improve water quality. Establishing native plant corridors can support pollinators and local wildlife, helping them navigate and survive in urban settings. By integrating these practices, cities can enhance their resilience against climate change, offer therapeutic green spaces for their inhabitants, and foster a deep connection between urban dwellers and the nature surrounding them.

These are just a few ways our cities can become more sustainable places to live. But, if we want to leave a livable world for future generations, it’s time for us to start making some changes—and there’s no time like the present to get started.

Simple Tips To Help Keep Your Garden Healthy

Taking care of your garden can be a lot of work, especially if you want the best for your plants. If you have many different flower beds and trees to look after, then it can take up a lot of your day just to keep things under control. It’s important to make a habit of keeping your garden healthy if you want it to look stunning whenever you head outside, so we’ve put together a couple of simple tips to help you achieve this.

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Don’t go too crazy with lots of different flowers

It’s important to treat your garden design a bit like you would for home design. Try not to get too outrageous with your ideas and stick to simple and acceptable design options. In most cases, this means not going too crazy with lots of different flowers. Pick some flowers that you love, learn how to take care of them, and stick to them for a while. Different flowers have different maintenance needs and you might end up far too many responsibilities if you mix and match different kinds. Try and keep things as simple as possible.

Don’t overcrowd plants

It’s a good idea to space your plants out a little so that they’re not competing for space. Crowded plants can lead to issues such as powdery mildew to develop because of the increased moisture content. If you accidentally plant something that is diseased or has lots of bugs lurking in it, then this can quickly spread among crowded plants and cause a massive problem for the entire garden. Always try to give your plants as much space as possible while sticking to your design ideas.

Get some equipment to help make things easier

You shouldn’t be doing everything in the garden with your bare hands. Get some gloves, get a shovel, and even consider looking at power tools to help with certain tasks. For instance, you could take a look at a Greenworks corded string trimmer review to see if a trimmer is a good option to help you save time. Some people believe that they don’t really need powerful equipment, but when you realize that it can save you hours of work each week, it’s a no-brainer and well worth the investment!

Examine plants before buying them so you know they’re healthy

Depending on where you buy your plants, the quality of the roots and the plant itself can change drastically. If you buy from a reputable store, then there’s a good chance that you’re going to get extremely healthy roots because the seller has been taking care of the plants before selling them. Stores that don’t take care of their plants will have their flowers infested with bugs, their roots will be damaged, and these problems can quickly spread to the plants you already have in your garden.

In short, always try to look for a reputable vendor that knows what they’re doing instead of trying to go for cheap options because they’re not going to last as long.

How To A Live More Eco Friendly Lifestyle

Slowly but surely, many people worldwide are becoming more aware of the dangers of not maintaining an eco-friendly lifestyle. To live an eco-friendly lifestyle, many aspects of your daily life will be affected. This doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be affected negatively. Living eco-friendly also poses many benefits from your health to the health of our planet. Indeed, one person can never change the world, but one by one, the world can be changed eventually. Let’s look at some different ways to start leaving a green footprint on the planet.

Image by Sergei Tokmakov, Esq. from Pixabay

Food

One of the most significant contributors to unhealthy gas emissions in our atmosphere is the agricultural sector. This is through farming with animals that continuously emit more than 16% of greenhouse gasses worldwide. This can easily be prevented by people changing their eating habits from meats to meat alternatives. Many meat alternatives have been invented, and many people already lead this lifestyle. Many health practitioners also concluded that people not eating meat can maintain a much healthier lifestyle overall. Most of the world’s top athletes have already made the conversion, and it seems to be paying off for most of them.

Plastics

An interesting fact about plastic is that more eco-friendly options can already replace most uses of it. People, however, don’t make the change in their personal lives. Plastic bags can be changed to paper bags. Likewise, straws have been transformed from plastic to paper, allowing people worldwide to use eco-friendly straws. Plastic takes significant time to decompose in the sunlight, and when it does decompose, it releases toxic substances into our soil as well as cause air pollution. This can quickly be resolved by merely converting from plastic to safer alternatives.

Transportation

Transportation remains one of the highest contributors of carbon dioxide. A typical passenger vehicle emits roughly 4,6 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. With millions of registered vehicles worldwide, you can only imagine the impact this has on our sustainability. Electric cars were invented more than 100 years ago, yet people still tend to opt for something that causes more damage than they can foresee. Many people used excuses from performance to price. Well, Elon Musk destroyed these arguments with futuristic electric-powered vehicles performing better than most cars on the road and coming in at a considerably reasonable price tag. No more excuses for ruining our planets’ future with vehicles emitting unreasonable amounts of carbon dioxide.

In many ways, people have the power to make smarter and more sustainable decisions. No doubt about it, as time passes and technology improves, people will find more effective and affordable means of making the transition from combustion power to electrical power and phase out the need for plastics that ruin our world. There are experts such as Stephen Troese Jr who can provide insights on the best ways to start making changes as soon as possible. The more people that read up on positive changes and the impacts that they can have, the more informed our society will be, leading to better choices. Start thinking about the future you’re leaving for your children. A famous Native proverb once said, “ We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children”. If everyone can truly understand this concept, they’ll most likely do whatever they can to leave the world a better place for their children.

Making Your Home A More Sustainable Place

One of the biggest concerns in the world right now is the state of the environment. With the way things are going, we’re going to run out of resources in the next hundred years or so unless we change our ways. Now, you might be thinking that there isn’t much that you can do about this seeing as this is not the field that you work in, but you would be wrong. It all starts at home, and in this article, we’re going to be taking a look at how you can make your home a more sustainable place. Keep reading if you would like to find out more.

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Add A Vegetable Patch

Have you ever considered growing your own food? It’s such a good idea because it saves you money as well as being good for the environment. When you grow your own food, or at least some of it, there are going to be less pesticides being released into the air because you won’t be using any and the demand for such things will decrease. If everybody did this, at least in some capacity, then there would be far less dangerous chemicals released into the atmosphere on a yearly basis.

If you head down to your local farm store, we bet that you will be able to find some seeds that are an excellent price. Make sure that you purchase everything you’re going to need to keep and maintain your vegetable patch. As well as this, you need to be sure that you’re going to stick with it and not just let it skip to the back of your mind, otherwise the whole venture is pointless.

Again, with many cities and individuals embracing more sustainable lifestyles, you can find inspiration through platforms like Heritage Reforestation reviews to explore new ways you can contribute to building an eco-friendlier and sustainable world that is safe for everybody today and for future generations. After all, your home is part of the global village, and efforts at home, no matter how little, can have a significant impact.

Try Different Forms Of Energy

Another thing that you can do is try out different forms of energy. You don’t need to use electricity for everything, and one of the things that you can try is solar power. You can get in touch with a solar company who will be able to help you with this transition, and help you get everything you’re going to need set up. It is a much better alternative to using electricity for everything because it provides clean power. If you think about it, it is also going to be cheaper for you to use this type of energy if you live somewhere that gets a lot of sun. As such, not only are you going to be helping the environment, you’re going to be saving your bank balance as well!

Insulate The Walls

Finally, another thing that you can do is insulate the walls, floors, and everything else. You’re not going to need to use your heating as much to keep your home warm, meaning that less resources are being used at any given time.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the ways that you can go about making your home a more sustainable place. Good luck, and we hope that you end up with the results that you were looking for.

Simple Ways To Make Your Home Eco-Friendly

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Thanks to more education and access to more resources, the globe is doing everything it can to reduce the environmental damages we cause. There are new initiatives to cut down on single-use plastics and to reduce carbon emissions. People are understanding that in order for the plan to work, everyone has to do their part.

If you are looking for ways that you or your household can contribute to the ongoing efforts to heal our planet, check out these simple ways to make your home more eco-friendly. We understand that not everyone can afford to have a solar installation company put in solar panels. These tips are perfect for any budget.

Use Cold Water When Washing Clothes

If you use cold water when you wash your clothes, you could be saving a ton on energy as 90 percent of the energy used by a washing machine is because of the process it takes to heat up the water. Using cold water is better for the planet and your clothes anyway. Overtime hot water can damage the fabrics used in your clothes. Your colors will become less vibrant and they will deteriorate with continued use.

Hang Dry Your Clothes

Letting your clothes air dry is another simple step you can take to make your home more eco-friendly. This is especially a good idea during the hot and sunny months or if you live in a place with warm weather for most of the year. Your clothes and bedding will also last longer if you line dry. Do not have a line to dry? No worries! Use a drying rack outside instead. If you do not have space in your backyard, or you do not have a backyard at all, put a drying rack on your balcony.

Use LED Lights For Traditional Lights

LED lights are more energy-efficient. You will use less electricity while also making your home more eco-friendly. LED light bulbs also last way longer than the traditional lightbulbs. There is no amount of convincing that should ever persuade you that traditional lights are the better option because they are not.

Recycle, Recycle, Recycle

This is the quickest way to implement eco-friendly habits into your household. Get a recycling bin and make sure you do the proper research on how to properly recycle. In addition to getting a recycling bin, you could also get a compost bin. This could help you get rid of the leftovers that you do not want to put into the kitchen sink while also providing free fertilizer to your plants.

Start Your Own Herb Garden

Planting your own herb garden will not only save your money, but it could also help improve the environment. You do not have to waste money picking up fresh herbs at the grocery stores. You also do not have to worry about recycling the plastic containers they are typically sold in. Starting your own herb garden is easy. You do not need a lot of space.

Gardening For A Greener Future

We all know that’s taking care of the environment is going to help us create a better future for not only ourselves but for future generations, making sure that we aren’t damaging our environment too much through our actions is all of our responsibilities, and taking care of it on a ground level by starting at home is always a good idea. There are many studies that show if everybody was to take some action, to help reduce their carbon footprint, energy use, or general use of resources then we would see a significant improvement in the environment as a whole. So here are some ideas that can help you grow a beautiful garden, without worrying too much about the impact on the environment at the same time.

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Photo by Emiel Molenaar on Unsplash

Water
Making sure that we aren’t water in our gardens with direct water lines, that can be detrimental to the way in which we consume water, and thinking of unique ways in which we can keep our plants well-fed, without using too much of the water filtering systems, Which overall costs not only money but time and effort as well as energy. There are many ways in which we can store water, from small water butts to 5000 liter water tank, and be able to manage your water usage effectively is essential. Many people have come up with unique ideas on how to keep a garden watered, and avoiding using sprinkler systems too much. Not only is collecting rainwater a great idea, which helps reduce the amount of water we are taking from reservoirs etc, but it can help the wildlife thrive at the same time if you are clever about it.

Homegrown
The carbon footprint of the food that we eat can sometimes be quite shocking, we don’t always turn to think about where our food comes from, or how much energy I have taken to get to that point, but we can start to grow our own food at home, and many people even go on to have whole allotments where they grow a lot of the fruit and veg themselves. Depending on the resources that you have, and the amount of time that you are able to commit to growing fruit and vegetables, will depend on your harvest, but it can be quite surprising in how much you can grow just in your back garden, and it can be educational for the children as well!

Recycle
Making your garden look wonderful doesn’t necessarily mean you have to spend a fortune either, you can always recycle barrels, and create flower beds with old decking that you may have lying around. Many people are turning to recycle all sorts of pieces of wood into garden furniture, more recently a popular idea is to turn pallets into seating, so there is plenty of opportunities to recycle items that you no longer need or use, and turn them into wonderful garden accessories or even furniture as well.

WAMA – Sustainable underwear

Sustainable fashion

The fashion industry is the second largest polluter in the world, which has an enormous impact on the environment. A huge impact is felt within the Earths water supply through water pollution, mass water consumption and microfibers entering our oceans. Waste accumulation is another factor, causing chemical waste to penetrate soil systems and air networks. The production of fast fashion has also enhanced greenhouse gas emissions and contributed to rainforest destruction.

As we become more aware of the fashion industries impact on the Earth, more and more companies are making the move towards sustainable alternatives. Sourcing materials locally, employing local people, using less water in the production line and limiting the supply chain. Overall reducing the impact on the Earth. The clothing is also made to be more durable and long lasting. Buying sustainable clothing is another step in the right direction in reducing our carbon footprint. Every step counts, big or small.

WAMA Underwear

I am always on the lookout for sustainable clothing brands and was so happy to learn about WAMA underwear a company whose missions is to

pioneer the hemp underwear industry by making the best hemp undies in the world and constantly improving the fit, function and design.

leading the way to the future of sustainable hemp underwear for both men and women. Not only does WAMA use the worlds most sustainable fabric, they also work with small family run organic farms and ensure that each of their employees is provided with fair wages and good quality working conditions.

WAMA has been approved by PETA- People for the ethical treatment of animals and also by Green America – meeting high standards for social and environmental impacts. This is definitely a company that I can back and support.

Benefits of Hemp

Hemp is the worlds most sustainable fabric. Hemp is very gentle on the Earth, it requires little water for growth and relatively little land for it to cultivate. Hemp plants don’t require the use of pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. The process of the plant being transformed into a material can be done organically without the use of chemicals. Hemp material is extremely breathable and durable and is also anti-bacterial! Hemp can kill off any bacteria fungus or molds. Hemp underwear is a great addition to any sustainable wardrobe.

I have been extremely happy with my underwear from WAMA. The material is soft and breathable. To view the styles and colours from WAMA please click here 🙂

4 Reasons Ecuador Should Be Next On Your Bucket List

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador (Source)

I think the hardest thing about traveling is figuring out where to go. We’re blessed with so many incredible travel destinations, yet some places often slip under the radar. For me, Ecuador is one of the most under-appreciated countries in South America – and the whole world. It’s such an exciting and beautiful place to visit, and everyone should add it to their bucket list.

Not convinced? You will be after seeing these reasons to visit Ecuador:

The Galapagos Islands

Ecuador is home to one of the most incredible places on earth; the Galapagos Islands. Here, you will see some unique wildlife enjoying an untouched natural habitat. There are giant turtles, iguanas, seals, and even sharks. If you travel alone, it’s a joyous place to trek around as you take in all the beauty of your surroundings. For groups, there are Galapagos vacations for families that allow you to see all the amazing animals while being led around by a tour guide. You can’t really compare the Galapagos Islands to anything else because it’s utterly unique. It offers an experience like no other; it’s something you should see at least once before you die.

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Banos

Banos is a little town that’s full of wondrous things for tourists to do. It’s not your typical travel destination; you get a real authentic taste of Ecuadorian culture here as it’s not overly commercialized. The beauty of this place is that it provides natural thrills for you to enjoy. There are mountains to climb, flowing waterfalls to jump from, white water rafting, long rope bridges, and even a swing that sends you out over the edge of a mountain. So, if you’re a bit of an adventure traveler that’s looking to get an adrenaline spike on your next holiday, then Banos is the perfect place for you.

Excellent Food

The food in Ecuador is similar to most other areas of South America. As a result, it’s pretty damn delicious! You’ve got a host of sweet and savory treats to try, and plenty of small street food stalls or restaurants that serve the most authentic stuff. If you like fish, then try the ceviche in Ecuador as it’s really incredible. It’s also well worth trying cornbread as this is kind of a specialty in South America due to the diversity – you can have it with fillings for lunch, breakfast, or dinner.

Incredible Weather

Finally, the weather in Ecuador is a good enough reason to pack your bags and head out there. The country is unique in that it sits on the equator. As such, you tend to get a pretty consistent climate all year round. It’s permanently hot and sunny, and you can take advantage of this by heading to some of the stunning beaches dotted around the coast. Speaking of which, you have hundreds of miles of coast to enjoy, and plenty of beautiful places to go swimming, sunbathe or have a little snorkel underwater.

You see, Ecuador throw up lots of intriguing delights that make it a must-visit country. As a bonus, if you live in North America, then you’ll benefit from Ecuador using US dollars as its currency. So, there’s no need to worry about conversion rates when you set off!

Fight Back Against Water Pollution This Year

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We all care for the planet. It is more important than ever now that we take steps to keep our planet safe and ensure that all of the living creatures on it are able to live in a safe environment.

The oceans and waterways are some of the worst affected by our pollution in a number of ways and this is something which can have a knock on effect on the animals who live there. It is important for us to use oil water separators and be more conscious about the plastic we use each day because all of these things will have an effect on the planet as a whole. Today we are going to take a look at some of the things you can do every day to help fight water pollution and keep our oceans clean.

Slow it down

When water flows fast through the land and into the ground below and also the rivers, it can pick up a lot of things on the way which we don’t want. This is why slowing down water flow can be helpful and there are a few ways we can do this. First of all we can have a water butt in the garden which will collect rainwater for us to use at a later stage. We can also plant water living plants in the garden so that they will take in a lot of the water before it moves elsewhere.

Use vegetation

For those of you who live close to the waterside, the more things that stand in the way of your lawn and the water the better. One of the handy things you can do here is to plant some large shrubs and bushes to form a barrier and this will stop water from flowing through too quickly.

Go biodegradable

The worst thing you can use for your home is cleaning products which contain a lot of harsh chemicals which can end up going down the drain and into the water supply. The best option for you is to find some biodegradable cleaning products which will not have a negative impact on your water supply.

Limit pesticides

If you like to keep a clean and clear garden it stands to reason that you would also want to add pesticides to your garden to stop things such as slugs and snails. However these pesticides are bad for every creature in the garden and they can end up getting in the water supply pretty easily. Make sure that you think about limiting what you use, if at all, and this will make a big difference.

Join a clean up

One of the things you can do to be proactive in cleaning our oceans is to take part in a clean up and make a real difference to the world. There are always clean ups in your area you can join and it will allow you to feel like you are really making a difference.

3 Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Products You Use Every Day

Trying to live a green lifestyle is so hard because so many of the things that we buy and use on a daily basis are made in an irresponsible way. A lot of the time, things that you wouldn’t even think about are causing damage to the environment. The good news is, increased demand for eco-friendly alternatives means that there are more green products on the market than ever, so you can move towards living sustainably if you make a few simple changes. These are some of the best eco-friendly alternatives to things that you buy regularly.

Meat And Fish Alternatives

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Veganism has really taken off in the last couple of years and that’s largely down to the environmental impact. Producing meat and dairy takes a big toll on the environment so a lot of people are choosing not to consume them at all so they can reduce their carbon footprint. Even if you don’t want to go completely vegan, you can still swap out some of the meat that you eat for meat free alternatives. There are so many great ones available now and they’re not as expensive as they used to be.

Fish is one that people don’t consider as much, but it’s doing a lot of damage. Things like sushi have become very popular in recent years which means that fish consumption has gone up, but it’s actually very bad for the environment. Overfishing means that some species of fish are in real danger of being wiped out, so it’s vital that we limit our intake. There are a few new fish alternatives in the shops right now so you should give them a try.

Clothes

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People don’t often think that much about their clothes when they’re trying to be more green, but you should. First off, you need to consider how they’re being made. A lot of cheap clothes are made using very unsustainable methods that produce a lot of greenhouse gasses. You also need to think about the materials themselves because if you’re wearing clothes that are made with nylon, for example, you’re adding to the plastics problem. The good news is, there are alternatives; Lyocell is a material made from wood cellulose and it’s great for making clothes. You can get some great clothes that are comfortable and look great, but they’re not damaging to the environment.

Food Storage

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When you’re storing food in the fridge or putting it in the microwave and you need to cover it with something, a lot of people reach straight for the clingfilm. But that’s so bad for the environment because you’re just putting huge amounts of plastic into landfill and it’s ending up in the oceans. The good news is, there are some great alternatives out there. The Beeswax Wrap company sell a reusable covering that is made from eco-friendly materials. They’re easy to clean and you won’t need to use cling film or foil at all anymore.

Even if you’re making an effort to live an eco-friendly lifestyle, you could be doing more if you make these simple swaps.