5 simple tips for more sustainability at home!

In Germany, the ecological footprint is far too large. A more sustainable household can be created quickly and it is completely sufficient if we change our habits and our way of thinking a little. Not everything has to be perfect right away. If many "imperfect" people do their best, we will already be a big step forward.

It is up to us how we use resources correctly at home. Here we have explained in more detail five simple tips that ensure more sustainability at home:

Tip 1: Throw away less, repair more

The best-before date means "best before" and not "deadly after". So the rule is: look, smell, taste and only throw away if something is not right after this check.

In the refrigerator, the older foods should be at the front and the newer ones at the back. Just like in the supermarket.

Even broken items don't always have to be thrown away immediately. Many things can be repaired or repurposed. A T-shirt becomes a nightshirt and then, at some point, a cleaning rag.

Tip 2: Separate waste correctly

Garbage should always be separated thoroughly so that as much as possible can be recycled. Glass goes in the glass recycling container, paper in the bin provided for it and recyclables such as plastic or beverage bags made of composite material go in the yellow bin. Organic waste goes in the organic waste bin or on your own compost heap. Everything else goes in the residual waste.

Further information is available online, for example here at the Nature Conservation Association.

Tip 3: Reduce paper

It is easier to save paper today than it was 20 years ago. We can do this by relying more on emails and telephone calls. Many authorities now offer digital solutions to save paper. And you can unsubscribe from all the catalogues that arrive in your mail even though you never actually ordered them by email, instead of just throwing them in the recycling bin on a regular basis.

Tip 4: Use sustainable household products

Many everyday items can be sustainable. After the plastic boom of the last few decades, it helps to look back to grandma's time. What was common practice back then often still works very well today:

• Cloth napkins instead of paper napkins.
• Cloth cleaning rags or kitchen towels can be washed and reused several times.
• Citric acid and baking soda as alternatives to chemical cleaners.

Tip 5: Shop locally

When buying food, it is much more sustainable to only buy food that is produced locally and has not traveled thousands of kilometers. Why do we need an apple from South America when we can theoretically pick one from our neighbor's tree?

Have fun implementing it 😉 because only all of us together can save the environment! Do you have any more good ideas? Write to us!