Every day we see sustainable habits as a new alternative knocking on our door, whether due to New Year’s resolutions, personal challenges, or (why not?) a little social pressure through media, social networks, and people close to us reminding us (or demanding).
But, what are they, how do they dress, what do they eat, and where can we find these so-called sustainable habits? The idea of this text is not to make you more sustainable people and give you a certificate or a sustainability star. The intention is to show that it is possible to include situations in your routine where sustainability is present in a practical, simple, and casual way… just like tying your shoes when putting them on.
What are Sustainable Habits?
Habits are recurring behavioral routines, often automatic.
This is a definition that can be found on various platforms or books specializing in concepts and meanings. Something your subconscious has already assimilated as part of your daily life and that you end up doing involuntarily “out of habit.” Some habits are like spasms of our body, like stretching when waking up, or putting your hand to your mouth when coughing or sneezing… others are social conventions, like apologizing when bumping into someone on the street, or stopping at a red light… humans are conditioned to observe, feel, and adapt to the environment we live in. Our eyes see more than we realize, and our minds assimilate everything that happens even unconsciously.
Back to our question, what would sustainable habits be then? It would be conditioning our lives to include small sustainability actions in our routine! There are various ways to do this, ranging from concepts of citizenship to social and sustainability projects, such as recycling, for example. The simple act of not littering is a sustainable habit. To improve on that, how about disposing of your waste in an appropriate location? The big challenge here is to find your motivation and where to start including sustainable actions in your routine until it becomes so common that it becomes a habit.
10 Examples of Sustainable Habits easily included in your daily routine:
- 1. Proper waste disposal (reuse of packaging, separation for recycling, donation of items to social projects or engaged cooperatives, and many other possibilities)
- 2. Reviewing dietary habits to generate less impact (see the Meatless Monday movement)
- 3. Conscious use of water
- 4. Choosing renewable energy whenever possible
- 5. Switching from a personal car to public or alternative transportation (bicycles, scooters, etc.)
- 6. Individual or collective composting practices
- 7. Substituting everyday items with biodegradable versions
- 8. Supporting local small producers
- 9. Using reusable bags (reducing plastic consumption)
- 10. Avoiding waste
Myths and Barriers Many people start this process of including sustainable habits and end up disillusioned or giving up for various reasons:
- 1. They can’t achieve the expected result.
- 2. What’s the point of one person doing it if others don’t?
- 3. This is the responsibility of governments and should be public policy.
- 4. And many others, each according to the personal moment of each individual.
The truth is, if we wait for others, our goals will never be achieved. We have to focus on doing our part and know that it was enough for today. Tomorrow, we will repeat and can do more. And, over time, our sustainable habits can be a stimulus for others to also start including sustainability in their routines.
Practical Example of a Sustainable Habit – Household Waste Let’s use waste as one of the examples of sustainable habits. Some say: “It’s useless for me to separate my waste if they’ll mix everything in the truck anyway!” This is a myth! The household waste cycle is much more complex than it seems, and simply separating yours can be a valuable sustainable habit.
The image portrays what would be the basic cycle of waste, within what society would consider the ideal model, with possibilities of selective collection, appropriate destination, maximum reuse of its possibilities, and return to the consumer in a recycled or reusable form. Many cities, especially large centers and capitals, have selective collection systems through their contracted urban cleaning companies, with collection on specific days and times that can be found on the websites of these companies or municipalities.
If your condominium or residence is not yet registered, this can be done and would contribute to better collection and disposal of household waste in your area. However, the process where household waste is today is much simpler (on a large scale) and can be summarized as follows:
- The waste is generated and disposed of in containers.
- The containers are collected by garbage trucks.
- The waste is taken to landfills or incinerators.
- The waste undergoes a disposal process.
Hence the importance of sustainable habits in your daily life. The simple act of separating your waste will directly affect the collection process of scavengers who make a living searching for materials that can be recycled and sold to institutions working with recycling, in addition to ensuring their safety and the safety of workers who handle your waste in some way, from the caretaker of your condominium to the street sweeper who puts the garbage in the truck.
You must have seen one of these scavengers tearing open bags and bags of garbage, sticking their hands into bins or containers, putting their integrity at risk. More than facilitating their search, you will be restoring the dignity of a citizen. Besides, the overturned trash hampers the collection of the street sweepers who often end up spreading the garbage while trying to put it in the truck due to the already torn bags. Simply separating your waste and identifying it would solve all these situations described above and would be just an everyday thing in your day.
Challenge: How about starting (or resuming) a sustainable habit today?
Everyone has a corner at home that is underutilized. Under the sink, next to the trash can, in that little room where “the mess” is kept. This is where the possibility of turning your sustainable habits into a routine comes in! Choose one of these places, put a bag there, and designate 1 or more items to be recycled*. Soda cans, PET bottles, glass, or any that you consider more practical for you (see list of recyclable items below). After consuming the product, wash it with your dishes and put it in the chosen location. In 2 or 3 days, you probably have a full bag to dispose of in your condominium or residence trash can. If you want to go even further, identify what is in the bag to make handling even easier.
Ready! Your sustainable routine has already begun. Don’t get stuck on the final result yet. Just do it! Your action is indeed making a difference, even if it’s not immediately visible to you.
Over time, this sustainable habit will already be part of your routine, and you will be separating more items and encouraging others to do the same because a sustainable routine motivates you and mobilizes others to be part of it too. Share your experience with us. Let’s show that it’s possible to be sustainable now! *Some recyclable items require specific disposal and preservation. Look for more information about certain items before starting to accumulate them at home.
