Lifestyle Sustainability Practices

There is much debate about the word “sustainability,” what it means, and why it matters. Our natural environment is changing at a rapid rate. We must all take action toward minimizing our environmental impact in order to create long term sustainability and vitality of both our mountain town, and our global community. It might seem overwhelming to see all of the changes that need to be made to gain momentum in a positive direction. But even a single individual’s actions can have a large positive impact with long lasting effects. And you don’t have to overhaul your entire lifestyle to create positive results. We’ve compiled a long list of solutions, both big and small, to help you create momentum towards helping to create a more sustainable future for our community.

Easy and Short Term Solutions

Adopting more sustainability focused habits doesn’t have to be difficult. Here is a list of some simple solutions you can add to your daily routine at the home and office.

Recycle: Familiarize yourself with local waste separation guidelines for recycling, composting, and regular trash. Follow these guidelines diligently.
Eat less meat: Vegetarianism isn’t for everyone, but minimizing your meat consumption even a little can go a long way towards minimizing your carbon footprint.
Choose locally-grown over well-traveled ingredients. Eat seasonally, locally, and organically when possible.
Better yet, grow some of your own food and plant a vegetable garden, plant a couple fruit trees, or if space allows (and it’s ok with your homeowners association) keep a few chickens or a beehive!
Kick the plastic habit: Single use plastics such as bags, bottles, packaging, etc., are choking the landfills. So skip them when you can. Instead look for opportunities to bring your own refillable water bottle, reusable bags, and even utensils so you can cut down your own personal waste.
Buy less. Buy used items when possible. And buy better quality for the items that you can’t or don’t want to buy used. The landfills and air quality will thank you.
Opt for less processed or pre-processed packaged foods and meals whenever possible.

Future and Longer-Term Solutions

If you’re ready to invest more time, energy, and money into your conservation efforts, here are some high-impact ways you can make an even larger long-term effect on the sustainability of our community and planet.

Conserve energy by unplugging your devices and electronic appliances when not in use.
Opt for public transportation and support our local trolley.
Carpool with your favorite coworkers a few times per week.
Self propelled transport: walk or bike to your destination when weather permits.
Buy in bulk: There are plenty of shops in town where you can bring reusable containers to purchase bulk food staples as well as home care and personal care items such as soaps, cleaners, and lotions.
Take a staycation, or travel close by instead of flying.
Travel smarter: take a train, or when flying opt for a direct flight. Pack lighter to lighten the load on the plane.

Summarizing

It can feel overwhelming to think about all the changes that need to be made to create long term sustainability and vitality of our mountain community. But even the impact of a single individual’s actions can have a large ripple effect with long lasting results. If overhauling your entire lifestyle doesn’t feel within reach, then why not just choose one or two of these solutions to test out for a few months, then reassess what works for you, your family, or your business and recalibrate accordingly? We live in a truly magical part of the world. Together, we can make strides toward preserving the natural environment and maintain the quality of life for the residents of our community.