However, a lot of the headline discourse on environmental issues is going on at a political level, far away from the mundanities of everyday life. This means it’s easy to wonder why should we care for the environment, especially if you’re not glued to the news.

If you’re looking for the reasons why we should care for the environment, this article explores the seven key reasons why the environment and its care should matter to every person on the planet.

What do we mean when we refer to ‘the environment’?

Put plainly, the environment is the sum of all living and non-living things on Earth (including climate, radiation, electrical phenomena, and weather) and their non-artificial relationships and interactions. The natural environment exists on a continuum with environments that are artificial or at least heavily influenced by man.

The environment spans vast natural ecosystems, including rock, soil, water, and vegetation. Natural resources like fossil fuels and the atmosphere are also part. Constituent ecosystems within the environment consist of various forms of life, ranging from microorganisms to animals.

Of course, the environment we experience today has been shaped by the activity of man. Built environments are the opposite of natural environments and have been completely modified and developed to meet the requirements of man. Examples of built environments are farms and cities where the natural environment has been altered or effaced, and something else is in its place.

The environment has been impacted by the activity of mankind with contemporary challenges that include:

• Pollution
• Biodiversity loss
• Natural resource depletion
• Atmospheric and climatic changes

7 reasons why we should protect the environment?

1. Environmental degradation is destroying our health

The material benefits of the industrial revolution to much of the world are undeniable, but one of the major downsides of industrialization has been the massive amounts of pollution generated, with a catastrophic impact on human health.

Pollution generated by industrial processes such as mining, transportation, manufacturing, energy generation, and even food processing is incredibly pernicious, affecting almost every organ system in the body.

In many cases, such as the Dupont PFOA scandal, the DDT controversy, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the environment has been deliberately damaged through the dumping of industrial waste or negligent operational procedures.

Recognized effects of environmental pollution on human health include:

Respiratory disease

Air pollution is one of the most serious environmental issues and has been suggested by the UN to cause over 7 million premature deaths each year. Urban areas are particularly affected by dense particulate pollution that can cause or exacerbate respiratory diseases like asthma, bronchitis, and COPD.

In addition, indoor air pollution due to inadequately ventilated cooking or heating puts over a quarter of the world’s population at risk of developing cardiovascular or respiratory health problems.

Reproductive disorders

In many parts of the world, the environment has been polluted by the persistence of a variety of endocrine-disrupting chemicals. These ubiquitous chemicals, which include pesticides, plastics, heavy metals, and the oral contraceptive pill, disrupt the hormone-controlled reproductive processes of humans and animals.

Reproductive disorders like infertility, subfertility, and menstrual disorders may be driven by the pernicious effects of endocrine disruptors in our environment. Sampled average male sperm counts have decreased significantly since the middle of the 20th century, and the downward trend is accelerating.

Cancer

Environmental pollution has led to the widespread dissemination of cancer-causing chemicals called carcinogens. These substances are incredibly diverse and include byproducts of combustion, pesticides, hazardous waste, and ionizing radiation.

Prolonged exposure to these agents has been implicated in the development of cancers in people of all ages. For example, people living in environments with high levels of PM2.5 particulate pollution are at an increased risk of developing lung cancer.

2. Destruction of the environment puts the global food supply at risk

Environmental welfare is a distant thought when we buy our food from grocery stores and markets, but the effects of environmental damage are evident to the food producers who rely on clean water, fertile soil, and a supportive climate to grow and raise our food.

Agriculture is reliant on the environment but can also be one of the biggest polluters due to the use of pesticides, fertilizers, and the generation of agricultural waste. This essential sector is now being threatened by environmental damage in a variety of ways. Examples include:

• Decreasing biodiversity and soil degradation because of intensive farming techniques.
• Loss of viable agricultural land because of the physical presence of a landfill.
• Long-term land and water contamination from landfill leachate.
• Soil and water contamination due to the improper disposal of hazardous waste.
• Pesticides cause the loss of natural pollinators like bees, wasps, and other insects.
• Land loss because of desertification or flooding, driven by climate change. 
• Loss of farmland to construction to accommodate urban sprawl.

The effects of environmental changes may not be apparent in economically advanced countries because they can afford to import food. But poorer countries have a greater dependence on their domestic agricultural production to supply their food. These countries may also be food exporters, putting pressure on available land and compromising food security.

3. Caring for the environment helps us to live productive lives

The welfare of the environment is also important to our ability to work and the wider economy. Pollution has tangible human and economic costs that impact the lives of communities and nations.

According to the Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health pollution and environmental damage cost the global economy up to $4.6 trillion per year, more than 6% of the total economic output of the world! A large contribution to this sum is the loss of human productivity from health problems, polluted land, and population displacement due to environmental changes.

Human activity needs to be sustainable if we are to maintain our environment long-term and lead productive healthy lives. Developing sustainable ways of living and managing the Earth’s resources is, in fact, a major economic opportunity that could lift billions of people out of poverty.

For example, the $65 billion the United States has invested in air pollution control since the 1970s has yielded over $1.5 trillion in economic benefit. New and innovative solutions for the world’s most challenging environmental problems could lead to commercial sectors that every country can access and use profitably. 

4. Environmental integrity promotes peace

Though the causes of war are multifactorial, environmental degradation can be a significant stressor as nations and communities compete for dwindling natural resources. Over the last century, there have been numerous domestic and international conflicts as nations and people fight over water, land for agriculture and grazing, and natural resources.

Environmental changes like deforestation and desertification limit the natural resources available to communities. In pastoral or subsistence farming communities, the integrity and resilience of the environment can be the difference between life and death and increases the potential for struggles for the remaining land.

Wars damage and pollute the environment, exacerbating the scarcity surviving people experience. There needs to be a global effort to ensure that environmental conditions do not deteriorate in the poorest and most challenged regions so that people are less likely to resort to conflict.

5. Protecting the environment prevents the displacement of people 

Migration is a global issue that is heavily affected by environmental degradation. Pollution, drought, and local climate and weather changes are making parts of the earth uninhabitable for existing populations and leading to involuntary migration.

Environmentally displaced people

These people termed ‘Environmentally displaced people’, have no choice but to leave regions that have been degraded by environmental degradation or natural disasters, leaving them unable to pursue their livelihoods.

Large population shifts because of environmental change 

The neglect of environmental issues and subsequent stress and degradation could lead to upward of 200 million people being forced to leave their homeland and resettle by 2050. According to Oxford University’s Refugees Studies Center, countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Ghana, Kenya, and Somalia as well as the Pacific island are already affected by this problem.

6. Future generations will have to survive on the Earth we leave behind 

We are responsible for the environmental legacy we leave to future generations. All human activity affects the environment in some way. Sustained negative impact on ecosystems, will lead to the depletion of natural resources and loss of biodiversity, leaving the next generation to inherit our contaminated land, water, and air.

Unrestrained consumption leads to loss of resources

We are currently in the midst of a massive loss of biodiversity, with 25% of wild species facing extinction. This leaves the world a poorer and ecologically scarcer place with the absence of species that may have performed vital but unrecognized roles.

Industry and governmental stakeholders are already aware that the current rate of consumption of natural resources like oil may become critically diminished as the decades roll on. Future generations may not be able to live a lifestyle similar to the ones we’re used to.

However, the outlook isn’t all negative. Recognizing the need to care for the environment returns us precious time to remedy current environmental problems and find new ways to live more sustainably. With effort and investment, we may be able to leave the Earth better than we found it.

7. We are all called to be stewards of the environment we have received

Whatever your belief system, there is an innate understanding of our sovereignty and the need for us to become stewards of the resources that are in our care. Over millennia, mankind has cultivated and tended to its immediate environment with plant and animal husbandry continuing to be a key means of survival to the present day.

But, the mass production of goods and services and careless consumer culture has robbed many people of the sense of responsibility and moral obligation by which efforts could be made to live in a way that is less environmentally damaging. Not caring for or about the environment often serves the agenda of corporate interests that want to sell products at all costs.

Environmental damage for profit

Much of the damage to the environment has not been committed by individuals but by corporations who have exploited environmental resources for profits and polluted carelessly. Great wealth has been generated and is now held by stakeholders who have taught populations the consumerism that is now condemned. 

Control of populations 

Since the early 20th century, urbanization has accelerated. At the start of the 20th century, half of Americans lived on farms. The number of farms in the US has steadily declined from 7 million in the 1930s to 2 million today.

The impact of this massive shift in how people live, and work is that vast populations are completely disconnected from the land and obligated to be consumers of food and goods with little choice or say in how they are produced. This alienation is often the root of indifference to environmental issues across the world.

Making the individual a stakeholder

Fostering engaged, self-determining communities that care for the environment would require whole populations to regain sovereignty that has been ceded to commercial and governmental interests, with critical thinking and reflection on how the present environmental challenges have arisen. 

Many governments espouse behavioral change, sustainability, and reduced resource consumption as the key solutions to the environmental challenges of the 21st century, but without the reclamation of personal responsibility and equitable access and ownership of land, these changes are likely to be cosmetic.

The environment affects everyone

For many people, their immediate environment in a city or town is completely removed from rainforests, rivers, deserts, and the natural disasters we hear about on the news.

Caring for their environment may involve picking up litter, recycling, or choosing to drive an electric car. It is hard to see how the daily activities of running a household and feeding oneself are connected to famines and droughts.

Many countries are geographically and economically shielded from the stark consequences of environmental degradation, but they cannot be indefinitely insulated. Famine, war, and migration are capable of reaching any shore, and decades of unrestrained pollution affect the health of everyone.

Caring for our environment is a must if we want to guarantee ourselves a healthy life, as well as a good life for future generations. Our environment is life-sustaining and must be preserved for all.

How can we save our Earth?

Across the world, people are rightly concerned about the state of the environment and want to take action to make things better. The are numerous initiatives and protest movements that are pressing for urgent changes to the way we live to mitigate environmental damage. 

However, the steps that need to be taken aren’t specific actions, behavioral or lifestyle changes. These are superficial as long as the stakeholders who undertake the most polluting activities for profit on an industrial scale can continue to do so without meaningful change.

In many countries, a significant amount of the waste the people diligently separate for recycling is landfilled because it costs ‘too much’ money to recycle. Electric vehicles run on electricity generated by cutting down trees and shipping them thousands of miles to be burnt, all for profit. Groceries clock up thousands of air miles when they could have been grown locally.

Here are some thoughts on how the environment can be helped:

Regain individual sovereignty

We’re only going to care for the environment when we cultivate personal responsibility and see ourselves as stakeholders in the environment we live in. We need to push back against the disenfranchisement that comes with consumerism and dig deeper.

Take time to learn about the state of our environment and its root causes, drawing information from a range of sources that you can critically evaluate. Think objectively about the way we live and the true cost of convenience in advanced economies.

Develop productive local communities

Armed with personal sovereignty, people can come together and reason to gain a collective, objective understanding of why environmental change has happened and what needs to be done. With cooperation, productivity can shift from taking place at a national or international level to a local scale so communities become resilient and truly sustainable.

Strengthen national sovereignty

With strong, locally productive communities, nations become better equipped to manage their environment by harnessing the skills and expertise of their population to develop strong domestic economies. 

Rather than selling out to supranational interests, lawmakers and governments can hold these corporate and financial entities to account so that they have to change their polluting activities at their own expense.

As Steve Cohen from the Columbia Climate School states;

“I believe that on a more crowded planet, with instant and inexpensive global communication, a company that engages in wanton acts of environmental destruction will not survive long in the marketplace.”

Develop a less opportunistic global economy

We live in societies that are dominated by the demands of economic systems rather than what is best for individuals, communities, and the environment. This has led to the prioritization of global economic agendas and profiteering at the expense of environmental welfare and authentic sustainability.

Not everything should be done because a profit can be made, but until countries regain their sovereignty, they and their citizens are largely captive to a way of living that damages the environment and generates vast profits for a small group of people.

A step in the right direction would be nations coming together to insist that the crippling debts that prevent poorer countries from developing basic infrastructure for sanitation, waste management, and other environmental problems are canceled.

So why should we care for the environment? Because we need change!

Caring for the environment is really caring for ourselves, but it needs to be done with understanding rather than superficial choices and activities that do not contend with the sources of large-scale environmental degradation.

By making the decision to become an engaged and informed citizen, you can start to build grassroots communities that are truly sustainable and hold the sovereignty and power to hold the corporate polluters to account.

The average American produces 4.51 pounds of trash a day up from 2.68 pounds in 1960. Recycling has long been touted as the solution, but there are downsides to recycling too.

Pros and cons of recycling

Recycling can be an important part of waste management: effective recycling of all kinds of materials can prevent them from clogging up landfill, polluting the environment, and can avoid the environmental strain caused by manufacturing new items.

However, there are many issues associated with recycling. It’s important to understand these complexities in order to make more eco-friendly decisions not only around how you deal with your waste, but in how you live your life more generally.

Advantages of recycling

Before we dive into the issues and challenges associated with recycling, let’s take a look at the benefits of this approach and why it can be valuable in some circumstances.

Recycling helps reduce pollution

Traditionally, the world has dealt with its trash in one of two ways, both of which cause pollution:

In addition to these types of pollution, landfill also causes other kinds of environmental degradation. Most notably, large tracts of native habitats are cleared to make way for landfill, resulting in deforestation, which can, in turn, threaten endemic species, lead to water scarcity, and contribute to climate change.

One of the major benefits of recycling is that it can greatly reduce the amount of trash we send to landfills or incinerators, helping to reduce pollution as well as avoid other environmental problems associated with these approaches.

Additionally, responsibly recycling hazardous waste ensures that it won’t pollute the environment and threaten human health. For example, one quart of engine oil can contaminate over two million gallons of fresh water if not disposed of properly.

For advice on how to recycle or otherwise responsibly dispose of tricky household items, see our posts on LED light bulbs, kitchen knives, propane tanks, and broken glass.

Recycling cuts energy and resource use

By recovering materials rather than sending them to landfill, we don’t need to mine or manufacture new ones, thereby protecting our planet’s limited resources.

Furthermore, the mining and manufacturing industries damage the environment in a range of ways from clearing native habitats to leaching toxins into the soil and waterways and emitting greenhouse gasses which contribute to climate change.

Therefore, recycling materials can help to scale back these activities and reduce their negative impacts on the environment.

Recycling also helps to save on the energy needed to make these new products and materials. Although the recycling process uses some energy, this is generally much less than manufacturing new materials.

Glass, for example, requires less energy to recycle than manufacture, as existing glass melts at much lower temperatures than its raw materials. In this way, recycling helps to reduce fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as having economic benefits.

Recycling raises awareness of environmental issues

Getting people to recycle can have impacts far beyond the initial effect of recycling that plastic bottle or BRITA filter. By getting more involved in this process and making an effort to dispose of our trash more responsibly, we become more conscious of our eco-footprint.

Essentially, going through our trash and recycling what we can makes us think about the environment and how we impact it, on a regular basis. It makes us think about how much waste we create, and may well encourage us to take steps to reduce this.

Furthermore, for anyone who wants to be more eco-friendly, recycling can be an easy first step to take, as well as being a great way to teach kids about environmental issues. It can also be an important part of a mindset shift that may open people up to be more environmentally-friendly in other ways too.

In some cases, this can pave the way for other lifestyle choices that go even further to protect the planet, such as composting, installing solar panels, or avoiding palm oil.

Recycling can save you money

Not only can recycling be beneficial to the environment, but it can also be advantageous to your wallet.

You can make money through recycling certain materials, most notably some types of metals – learn how here. You’re unlikely to earn large amounts this way, but it’s something!

Some towns also offer cash incentives for recycling glass items or aluminum cans. Products made from recycled materials are often cheaper, so opting for these kinds of products can save you some cash.

The recycling industry creates jobs

Recycling is a labor-intensive process: large numbers of people are needed to run recycling facilities, from transporting and processing waste to creating new products from recovered materials. In this way, the industry can create a range of skilled and semi-skilled jobs.

Ecocycle.org estimates that we would generate around 1.1 million jobs in the USA if the recycling rate increased to 75%. Currently, we recycle around 30% of solid municipal waste.

According to the same organization, recycling and reuse creates nine times more job opportunities than incinerators and landfill sites.

Furthermore, the recycling industry has the potential to drive economic growth, creating new jobs as it does.

Pitfalls of recycling

While recycling can be environmentally, socially, and economically beneficial, the wide-spread and aggressive campaigns promoting it over the past few decades have overlooked its risks and downsides. This has also led to it becoming something of a band-aid solution that can allow us to overlook the more challenging, underlying causes of our waste problems.

Our recyclables may be exported

China took almost half of the world’s recycling waste for decades until they banned the process in 2018. In the years immediately before the ban, many Western countries exported large volumes of their recyclables there: in 2016, the US alone sent them 16 million tons of paper, metal, and plastic.

Of these, around one-third were not recycled due to contamination and ended up littering the Chinese countryside and oceans instead. We continue to send our recycling to low-income countries across the world, such as Kenya, Senegal, Ethiopia, Ghana, Laos, Bangladesh, and Cambodia.

Not only does this pass the waste problem on to others who are probably less equipped to deal with it, but it means we lose control of the process and how much of these materials are actually recycled. Not to mention the greenhouse gas emissions generated by transporting literal mountains of trash across the globe.

We also lose control of how this waste is handled, as the Chinese example shows: around 1.5 million metric tons of plastic is dumped off the coast of the country every year. It’s disturbing to think how much of this may be our own waste that we dutifully sent to recycling.

Furthermore, as more countries institute bans against accepting foreign recyclables – Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia quickly followed China and introduced laws against importing plastic waste – we need to look for other options. As a result, we’re increasingly relying on countries with poor environmental protections, opening this situation up to even worse impacts on the planet.

Recycling inadvertently encourages us to use disposable items

Critics say that recycling gives us a false sense of security, as it makes us feel like we’re solving our waste problem when really it’s only slowing down or delaying the damage we’re causing the environment. 

Recycling isn’t really the ultimate solution to pollution and waste management as it uses large amounts of energy, is expensive, and can be hazardous to people and the environment if not done properly.

Furthermore, plastics can only be recycled a limited number of times: usually once or twice, so we still need to keep manufacturing more plastic items.

It can even encourage us to use non-recyclable materials. For example, not all plastics are readily recyclable, but many people don’t understand this, so may use them under the false assumption that they can be recycled.

In this way, recycling can potentially do more harm than good by allowing us to justify using disposable items, not to mention using energy and resources as well as producing pollution and greenhouse gasses during the manufacture of these items and during the recycling process itself.

Recycling programs also fail to address our biggest source of waste. In the US, food waste makes up the biggest proportion of municipal trash.

Food can’t be recycled, so by focusing on recycling as the main solution, we’re overlooking this key issue. Food waste not only clogs up landfills and emits pollution as it breaks down there, but producing much more food than we need has a range of negative impacts on the environment, from the use of toxic fertilizers and pesticides to contributing to climate change.

Recycling requires consumers to carefully prep their recycling

Another major problem is it relies on individuals to prepare their recyclables properly before putting them out curbside or sending them to a recycling facility.

Recyclables can be contaminated by food waste or because they’re mixed with materials the recycling facility won’t accept, such as straws and plastic bags. Such items are a huge red flag for recycling centers as they could get stuck in machinery and damage very expensive equipment.

If items are not thoroughly cleaned and properly sorted it not only makes that item unrecyclable, but it contaminates the whole load. Essentially, one greasy food container could mean that an entire truck of recyclable materials gets sent to landfill.

Recycling uses energy and can generate pollution

Unlike reducing and reusing, recycling is a fairly energy-intensive process. Unless this energy is produced from renewable sources, it means relying on finite fossil fuels, which also generates greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to climate change.

Waste to energy plants could be a solution to this issue, but are not common in the USA.

Although recycling generally consumes less energy than sourcing and producing new materials, it’s better to avoid this energy use at all, for example, by reducing our consumption.

Properly recycling everything from plastic to silicon does not generally cause pollution and eliminates the soil, air, and water pollution caused by other forms of waste disposal. However, if the recycling process is not managed properly, it can contaminate the environment in a range of ways.

Electronics, for example, are sometimes sent to developing countries for recycling, where non-recyclable components may be thrown out, polluting land and waterways if that country doesn’t have strong regulations in place to prevent this.

Likewise, if plastics are not processed properly, they can release VOCs, volatile organic compounds, when they melt, which pose a risk to both human health and the environment. This can be damaging to human health, as well as pollute the local environment, threatening plants and animals.

Along with environmental risks, there can also be safety risks for workers if facilities are not properly managed. For example, If facilities don’t take proper safety precautions, workers may be exposed to toxic components when they hand-sort trash or handle recyclable materials.

Recycling is actually expensive

Recycling is an expensive process, and this is even more true of the initial costs required to set up recycling programs and infrastructure in the first place.

Import bans from China and other countries have also made recycling less economically viable. Just a few years ago, local governments across the US could make money selling recyclable materials.

These sums were generally modest – not a substantial revenue stream, but enough to make it worthwhile for sanitation departments to recycle all kinds of materials. However, now the situation has completely reversed, with towns needing to pay huge sums of money to run their recycling programs.

The US’ dependence on exporting recyclables for so many years meant that, unlike some European countries for example, we never developed extensive recycling infrastructure, exacerbating these issues.

The comparative cost of recycling also depends on other waste disposal options and how expensive they are. For example, in the US, it’s relatively easy and affordable to find space for landfills, making recycling programs a less attractive option.

This cost-benefit ratio relationship means some materials are more difficult to recycle than others and makes the future of recycling uncertain. Around 100 towns have already suspended their curbside recycling programs.

The real question is how long will cash-strapped local authorities sponsor our addiction to disposable materials?

How can we fix the recycling problem?

One solution that would address some of the issues associated with recycling in the US would be to invest in recycling systems and infrastructure. This would make the process more efficient and cost-effective, making it more viable for local authorities to sponsor local recycling programs.

In turn, this would reduce our reliance on exporting our recyclable materials, giving us more control over how much of our waste is actually recycled and under what conditions, and avoid dumping our waste problems on other countries.

This investment would also need to be matched by a commitment by authorities to sponsor recycling programs, as even with better infrastructure, these processes are still costly. 

Encouraging businesses to use recycled materials in their products would also help to expand the domestic market and make recycling more economically viable, though it’s unlikely to cover all costs.

Legislation to restrict or eliminate landfill could also be part of the solution. Making it more expensive to send our trash to landfill would make recycling comparatively more affordable.

Simply put, as things stand, we make it too easy to send waste to landfill, passing the cost on to the environment instead.

A more radical approach could be to pass the cost of recycling disposable materials on to the companies that produce them, such as by requiring brands to pay a deposit or penalty for selling products in certain types of packing or containers. This would ultimately pass the cost on to the consumer, as manufacturers would undoubtedly put their prices up accordingly.

However, it would also encourage both brands and their customers to explore other options, including truly zero-waste solutions.

Although these steps can help to make recycling more efficient and cost-effective, a big part of the solution should also be pursuing alternatives in order to reduce our reliance on recycling.

Viable alternatives to recycling

While recycling undoubtedly has its place in both waste management and living an eco-friendly lifestyle, it’s not the end of the story. In fact, recycling should arguably be seen as a last resort after you’ve tried other approaches to dealing with and eliminating waste.

Go zero-waste

A zero-waste approach can go a long way to minimize our impact on the environment. There are a range of ways to achieve a zero-waste lifestyle, such as:

• Only buy products in reusable containers, and get refills of everything from grains to shampoo
• Compost your organic waste
• Look for zero-waste products such as toothpaste, deodorant, and even toilet paper
• Get creative and reuse, repurpose, and upcycle whenever possible
• Buy second-hand clothing and accessories rather than new items

Going completely zero-waste can be a challenge, especially at first. However, avoiding single-use plastics with reusable bottles, coffee cups, and shopping bags can be a good start.

Opt for quality over quantity

Another powerful way to reduce both our rate of consumption and the amount of waste we produce is by buying quality products.

Society has become geared toward cheap, disposable products. Much of what we buy today, from clothing and electronics to single-use plastics, is only built to be used for a short period of time before it breaks, wears out, or stops working.

On the surface, this doesn’t matter, as we can easily buy a replacement for a nominal cost. However, the cost is passed on to the environment through the additional drain on resources and energy needed to manufacture new items, not to mention the waste that is produced.

In contrast, when we buy good-quality items that last a long time, they don’t need to be replaced so often, so we throw away less. Additionally, less energy and resources need to be used to produce the replacement items we buy.

We can even go a step further and try to cut down on the amount of stuff we buy entirely. It’s important to buy quality-made products, but in some cases, we can avoid buying anything at all by adopting a more minimalist approach.

Repair rather than throw away

All too often, we throw away items that could be as good as new with a little TLC. Your toaster breaks, and instead of taking it to the repair shop, you jump online to buy a new one.

Likewise, the heel comes off your favorite pair of boots (an easy fix), and you buy a new pair, or rather than mending a ripped seam in that near-new sweater, you get a new one.

The low cost and easy availability of all kinds of consumer items are largely to blame for this: it’s often quicker and even cheaper to buy a replacement than to have it repaired (or fix it yourself).

However, the cost to the earth is immense: every new product we buy takes energy and materials to make and probably produces pollution in the process. What’s more, our old item becomes trash that ends up in landfill or pollutes our waterways.

In contrast, repairing things typically involves minimal use of energy and resources, making this a huge net gain for the environment.

Should we skip recycling?

The short answer to this question is no: we shouldn’t ditch recycling entirely. Recycling can be an effective way to deal with trash and can form a vital part of a multifaceted approach to waste management and looking after the environment more generally.

However, over-reliance, particularly using recycling as an excuse not to pursue other tactics, is highly problematic, especially over the long term.

Arguably, we should see recycling as a short-term solution while we restructure how society functions, from production to consumer habits, in order to slash the amount of waste we produce or, better still, eliminate it entirely.

Check out our guides to recycling difficult items like cork and razor blades, and learn more about going zero-waste.

This considered approach to harnessing resources maintains them so they can be harnessed over the long term. Sustainability has the potential to transform society with a new generation of high-longevity enterprises that are self-sustaining.

This article explains sustainability and shares 20 real-world examples of thriving businesses and projects that embrace sustainability.

What is sustainability?

Sustainability is the ability for an activity or process to be supplied and supported continuously over an indefinite period or at least a long time. Sustainable commercial or industrial activities minimize their environmental impact and consumption of natural resources.

In recent times, sustainability has come to the fore as governments, think tanks, and other stakeholders look for solutions to problems like environmental degradation and the depletion of natural resources. Sustainable business practices could lead to meaningful change and improvements regarding biodiversity loss and pollution while providing economic stimulus through innovative new sectors.

We categorize sustainability as economic, environmental, or social. Environmental sustainability is focused on resource conservation, while social sustainability involves diversity, inclusion, and equity to ensure that enterprises or projects can maximize their engagement. Ideally, environmentally and socially sustainable projects will be economically sustainable, providing long-term economic growth on a local or national scale.

20 examples of sustainability from around the world

The best way to understand sustainability is to see it in action in real-world scenarios. These 20 examples come from around the world, with businesses and organizations of all sizes finding ingenious ways to be productive in a sustainable way. Take a look at these remarkable examples of sustainability:

1. Mobius Farms’ Black Soldier Fly larvae farming in Australia

Mobius Farms in Barossa Valley, South Australia, is an excellent example of sustainable and innovative agriculture, turning food waste into a protein-rich animal feed with commercial value.

This farm breeds the black solider fly, a common fly species known for its fat and protein-rich larvae used to supplement feed for chicken and other livestock and pets.

Mobius Farns collects large volumes of food waste from hospitality businesses, breweries, and caterers. Voracious black soldier fly larvae feed on this waste and produce nutrient-rich manure that farms and community gardens can use.

These little critters are so efficient that one kilo of harvest-ready black soldier fly larvae can consume more than 4 kilos of food waste. The process is entirely sustainable and requires minimal water and land. The farm sells live, dead, and dehydrated larvae to farms and the public.

2. Sambhav’s reclamation of degraded land in India

The work of Sabarmatee and her father, Radhamohan, in Odisha State, India, is an amazing example of how degraded land can be reclaimed to become fruitful and productive long-term. 

In 1988 the father-daughter duo purchased an acre of degraded land. This was done as an experiment to see if the land could be transformed into a forest using simple organic techniques. When they began their project, organic farming was not widespread in India, so they has to acquire knowledge and expertise as they went along.

Their efforts in transforming the land into a fertile, naturally irrigated food forest were successful, and the land reclamation has grown to a humbling 90 acres and initiatives to provide local communities with food and occupation.

Sabarmatee continues her father’s work under an NGO called Sambhav, teaching organic cultivation techniques, cataloging heirloom seeds, and furthering Indian ecological conservation.

3. The Zero-Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) movement in India

The ZNBF movement is another Indian initiative creating a new, sustainable, and inclusive way of participating in agriculture. ZBNF involves farming a variety of livestock and crops without using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, or other agricultural materials. The cost of raising crops is kept as close to zero as possible so that the farmer can generate a profit.

With ZBNF, farms rely on locally available natural resources that can be gathered and used for free. This farming system uses special techniques based on ancient knowledge to minimize the need for irrigation and develop nourishing fertile soils.

ZBNF has been championed by Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, who believes that Indian agriculturalists and farmers need to relearn ancient farming techniques and sharpen and scale them for modern use. He has championed ZBNF as part of India’s ParamparagatKrishiVikas Yojana (PKVY) scheme.

4. Sustainable tourism in Yakutia, Russian Federation

The Sakha Republic (Yakutia) is Russia’slargest territory and home to a wide range of North Asian indigenous peoples who live near the arctic circle. Yakutia has some outstanding natural beauty, with almost 40% of the territory protected in a variety of nature reserves, more than double the UN’s global target of 17%.

Yakutia is harnessing the wealth of its natural beauty and extreme environments to introduce sustainable tourism to the region. Interest in this remote and unusual part of the Earth has been piqued by the success of online content that has documented the lives and culture of the various indigenous peoples of the Sakha Republic, including the popular Kiun B channel on Youtube, which boasts several million followers.

The plans for sustainable tourism in the region involve providing tourists with an immersive experience of the Yakut way of life and traditions at temperatures as low as -90 degrees Fahrenheit (-68 degrees Celsius). Participatory activities and tours are to be offered to nature enthusiasts and explorers, and participants are invited to get involved in the efforts to protect the vast Siberian wilderness for a premium price of $25,000 per person.

5. Sea salt production on the Isle of Wight, U.K

Commercial salt production is a high-energy process that involves salt mining and the forced evaporation of brine under a vacuum (PDV) to produce the typical granular table salt you find in the grocery store.

But sea salt is a far less energy-intensive and more sustainable type of salt, increasing in popularity worldwide. Many countries have a tradition of producing sea salt naturally evaporated by sun and wind in salt pans near coastal waters. Sea salt production has a carbon footprint of a quarter of rock salt and is almost 31 times smaller than PDV salt.

On the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom, Simon Davis of Wight Salt is reviving traditional sea salt making sampling clean coastal waters and evaporating them slowly to create a mineral-rich and delicious sea salt.

Davis produces his sea salt naturally and sustainably by evaporating the salt in salt basins to produce coarse and crumbly crystals that foodies love.

6. Banana leaf tableware, Tamil Nadu, India

With US states like California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, and New York combatting out-of-control plastic pollution by banning single-use plastics, food vendors and caterers are searching for a suitable biodegradable alternative.

Banana Leaf Preservation Technology is an Indian company that has developed a chemical-free, proprietary method of preserving Banana leaves, which usually start to rot after approximately three days. This remarkable process is being used to produce eco-friendly disposable tableware, a multi-billion dollar global industry heavily dominated by plastics. This 100% sustainable material is chemical and water-resistant and suitable for use in the microwave or freezer.

Banana leaf preservation was developed by Tamil Nadu resident, inventor, and eco-activist Tenith Adithyaa. He worked on his process from a young age, experimenting in a homemade lab. His business provides his banana leaf preservation technology to Indian businesses.

7. The Farmer’s Market Coalition, California, USA

The National Farmers Market Coalition is a nonprofit organization that supports the development and growth of farmer’s markets as community assets that safeguard income for growers and other producers by selling directly to the public.

Farmer’s markets are known for their sustainability. The food sold is locally produced, often using less intensive, organic methods. Across the U.S., customers are flocking to local farmer’s markets to access fresh, healthy food that has been produced with environmental responsibility.

The National Farmers Market Coalition ensures that farmers can earn a good living without becoming dependent on contracts with grocery stores, where they struggle to compete with the huge corporate farms that can produce large volumes of food.

By selling via farmer’s markets, smaller farmers can profit from using sustainable farming practices to produce food that does not require high-energy transit to the consumer.

The local communities that are served by the market access healthy food at competitive prices as the farmer does not have the expense of storing or packaging it for a prolonged period before the sale.

Farmer’s markets also drastically reduce the amount of waste generated by food retail. The markets also provide a great educational opportunity, where customers can learn more about the food they eat and sustainable farming practices.

8. Fairphone, The Netherlands

Mobile phones are a massive contributor to electronic waste, with over 150 million smartphones hitting landfills each year. This is one of the worse ways to dispose of electronics, especially as they can leach toxic compounds that cause land and water pollution.

Throwing old or broken smartphones away also leads to the loss of precious metals and rare earth minerals that have to be continually mined, creating environmental damage.

Dutch mobile phone company Fairphone has sought to address these issues by designing a smartphone that is more sustainable and has a much lower environmental footprint than the mainstream models.   The company, founded in 2013, has been producing a unique modular smartphone that has components that can be easily removed and replaced by the consumer.

By making smartphones that can be repaired and customized by the consumer, the Fairphone prolongs its service life. Damage to a single part of the phone can be easily repaired without discarding the whole phone. Fairphone can reduce the CO₂ emissions associated with its phones by 30% just by increasing the lifespan of its phones by two years.

In addition, Fairphone has established fair trade relationships with miners who mine the minerals and metals used in their electronics, ensuring they are paid a living wage. Customers find it easy to recycle their phones with Fairphone, where all components will be put to good use.

9. The Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA), San Diego, California

The Zero Waste movement, led by the Zero Waste International Alliance, based in San Diego, California, has been successful in engaging the public in actionable and impactful consumer choices that can tangibly drive down the massive amounts of waste generated by product packaging.

The movement started in the early 2000s and developed from the Grassroots Recycling Network (GRRN) in California and a passionate desire to reduce the amount of waste that was simply being incinerated worldwide. Zero Waste focuses on five areas of action to drive down waste: 

1. Refusal of packaging
2. Reduction in consumerism
3. Reuse of items to maximize their lifespan
4. Recycling of discarded products
5. Rotting of organic matter into compost

Founders and trustees in the ZWIA include academics and industry experts on waste management and recycling. ZWIA is currently active in many countries around the world. Other champions and advocates include Bea Johnson of Zero Waste Home, who famously reduced her family’s annual trash volume to a single jar.

In many places,  the public face of this sustainability movement is Zero Waste stores. These stores shun the use of product packaging and instead encourage customers to bring and fill their containers from a bulk supply of the product they want. Many Zero Waste stores offer a comprehensive range of items that are sold by weight or volume.

10. Recycled race car tires, Tokyo, Japan

Yokohama Tires is one of the world’s leading tire manufacturers. This Tokyo-based conglomerate is renowned for the quality of its racing tires which are used in championship races in Japan. Yokohama has begun to develop performance tires using recycled tires to improve its sustainability profile.

Yokohama has been working on recycled rubber tires for many years. The company has developed a novel tire using a combination of scrap tires, rice husk silica, and natural oils. They have found that the performance of their racing tires has not been negatively impacted by these materials.

The new tires are due to make their debut in the 2023  Super Formula racing season. If successful, Yokohama has the goal of supplying tires with a minimum of 35% recycled material content.

Yokohama Tire’s sustainability drive is continuing with ongoing projects to develop a synthetic rubber material from biomass. They are also researching a recyclable thermo-reversible rubber.

11. CARIB Brewery bottle recycling, The Caribbean

Bottle recycling used to be routine across the Caribbean, with youngsters earning a few cents for every soda bottle they returned to the store. For many Caribbean people, hunting glass bottles for cash was a fun part of growing up; however, the practice has fallen off in recent years, and glass waste on the islands has increased.

This is a massive problem for CARIB Brewery, the Caribbean’s leading beverage producer, which relies on glass bottles being returned to keep its business financially viable. CARIB produces almost one million bottles of beer daily with exports across the disparate Caribbean islands, complete with logistical challenges.

As the only glass bottle producer in the English-speaking Caribbean, CARIB relies on bottles that are returned in a reusable state (up to 90%) with a proportion that will be crushed and recycled. CARIB is so desperate for returned bottles that it currently offers 30 cents per glass bottle returned and over $2 for its valuable plastic crates.

CARIB commercial director Miguel Marquez insists that the return of bottles is also essential to prevent the island of the Caribbean from being marred by waste, which also impacts tourism in the region. The company has launched a campaign in grocery stores to encourage the return of the bottles.

12. Biodiesel production from waste cooking oil, Vernon, California

Baker Commodities, a California company, has made a commodity of waste cooking oils and fasts, which it converts into high-quality biodiesel. This sustainable business has a dedicated biodiesel processing plant that produces diesel and processes rendered fats for international export.

The company has a fleet of waste fat collection vehicles which collect fats from food processors, hospitality, restaurant, food service businesses, and even the military. By collecting waste oil for biodiesel production, it does not have to be disposed of by businesses and organizations, potentially clogging drains.

Baker Commodities takes the collected yellow grease from vegetable oils, tallow, and lard and cleans and filters them. The resultant fats are refined using a transesterification process that converts the fats to high-grade biodiesel.

The company sells its New Leaf Biofuel to Southern California residents. It can be safely used in diesel vehicles. They also offer a version that is blended with petrodiesel for use in haulage fleets and other commercial vehicles.

13. Coppiced woodlands at Fooder Farm, New Zealand

Coppicing is a once-common way of managing woodlands for a sustainable wood supply. Rather than cutting down an entire tree for lumber. Young trees would be cut back to a stump or the trunk and then allowed to regrow, with periodic wood harvesting from the new growth only.

Communities relied on coppiced wood for manufacturing everyday materials like tools, utensils, charcoal, and firewood. Following the acceleration of industrialization after the world wars, the practice became less widespread, with a greater reliance on fast-growing coniferous trees for wood supply.

In New Zealand, homesteaders David and Rebecca Stuart at Fodder Farm are reviving this sustainable form of forestry. The harvested wood is in demand for various woodland crafts, including activities like green woodworking and roundwood building. The staggered harvesting of timber from the dedicated woodlot ensures the trees stay alive and minimizes disease risk.

14. Recycled textiles by Vivify Textiles, Adelaide, Australia

Textile waste is a significant waste management issue. Ninety-two million tons of clothing hits the landfill each year, the equivalent of a full dumpster truck every second. To tackle this problem, Australian company Vivify Fabrics has taken discarded textiles and transformed them into luxury fabrics used in the world’s leading fashion centers.

This unique, sustainable textile company manufactures high-quality fabrics from recycled fibers harvested from discarded clothing and textiles. This makes the business extremely sustainable as these premium fabrics are reintroduced to the luxury market.

The textile waste is shredded and unraveled into its fibers. Natural textile fibers in the textile waste are sorted by material and color to reduce the need for dying. The fibers can then be cleaned and re-spun for weaving into new fabrics or compressed into filler material for mattresses and upholstery.

Vivify Textiles has won several international awards, including the Second Hightex award from Munich Fabric Start in 2018. The Australian Government has also approved and promoted the company as a promoted export partner.

15. Co Cars Car Hire Exeter, United Kingdom

Exeter is a historic U.K. city known for its ancient cathedral, leading university, and fantastic green spaces. The long-term plan for the city involves developing a sustainable transport system that provides residents with easy access to a variety of shared transport options that reduces the need for individual car ownership and the consequent pollution.

Car hire and car clubs provide a sustainable solution for personal transport in a compact city. Exeter’s Co Cars offers residents access to a fleet of electric and hybrid vehicles and electric bikes at convenient locations across the city. Residents can register with the company and hire a vehicle whenever they want for as little as $7 per day. Members are billed per hour and benefit from access to well-maintained personal transport for as long or as little as they require.

16. Repair Cafes in the Hudson Valley and Catskills, New York

Repair Cafes are community events where people gather to learn how to repair and restore a wide range of broken and neglected items. The Repair Cafe initiative started in the Netherlands and has spread worldwide.

By repairing items rather than discarding them, Repair Cafes not only prevent landfill waste but also reduce the expenditure of resources and energy to produce new items. People become empowered to complete simple repairs themselves, saving time and money.

Repair Cafes at Hudson Valley and Catskills offer repair coaches who can help people fix:

• Clothing
• Mechanical items
• Ornaments
• Wooden items
• Small appliances
• Tools

The team can fix most items they encounter, and even when they fail, people learn that repairing items is a valid option when their fail. The cafes have been running since 2013 when volunteer organizer John Wackman brought them into the area.

17. Sustainable seafood, Alaska

Alaska is world famous for its rich stocks of quality seafood and rich fishing heritage. It is also leading the way in the adoption of sustainable fishing practices. Their holistic approach harnesses science to carefully monitor fish stocks so that the marine ecosystems of Alaska can thrive and stay productive for the fishermen.

Where fishing is undertaken sustainably, it provides an extremely environmentally efficient. Alaskan fishing is carefully regulated to ensure that fishermen maintain environmentally responsible practices. Unlike other U.S. states, sustainable fishing is written into the Alaskan state constitution.

The success of sustainable fishing relies on protecting the marine environment and the people who live and work in these fisheries. Local knowledge and expertise are highly valued as it has been handed down through generations. This, coupled with a science-based precautionary approach, means Alaskan fleets respond sensitively to ecosystem changes.

Plus, when catches are landed, the Alaskan authorities ensure that 100% of the fish is utilized to minimize any waste of this valuable natural resource.

18. Sustainable pencil production in Tokyo, Japan

Kitaboshi is one of Japan’s leading pencil companies and has produced traditional wooden pencils for over a century. In Japan, the company leads its industry in using innovative sustainable practices to minimize waste from its manufacturing processes and derive the maximum utility from the wood used.

The Sugatani family, who own the company, sources the wood for the pencils from abundant basswood species that they manage sustainably. The company is widely known for almost entirely recycling the waste wood and sawdust from pencil manufacturing.

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Kitaboshi’s main circular economy product is a special sawdust modeling clay called Mokunen-san which dries to a hardwood finish and can be cut, drilled, varnished, and even composted. The company also produces unusual paint from wood waste, producing a uniquely textured paint finish that can be sanded or carved.

The Kitaboshi factory is open to tourists and educational visits where they demonstrate their manufacturing and wood waste recycling techniques.

19. Mellowcabs, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa

Mellowcabs, founded by Neil du Preez, is a South African company that makes and operates a network of lightweight electrical vehicles in urban centers nationwide. These simple, affordable vehicles provide a cost-effective taxi service that offers safe, emission-free transport for its users.

Commuters book their cabs online, via an app, or by phone and can travel within a three-mile radius of the company’s operating area. This micro transport project has been so successful that Mellowcabs is expanding its operation to include a novel van design for courier and last-mile delivery services.

20. E-Waste Jewelry from Paris, France

The jewelry sector is in the midst of a revolution, realizing that up to 7% of the world’s gold is languishing in disused and discarded electronic devices. Smart and savvy independent jewelers have realized that mining more gold is pointless when there is so much to be reclaimed from electronic waste.

French high-end jeweler Courbet uses precious metals extracted from e-waste alongside its signature lab-grown diamonds. This ecological and creative jewelry features the same fine craftsmanship and quality that the French are renowned for.

In conclusion

As you can see, sustainability is a viable and actionable way of living and working. When done well, new industries and markets are created using our existing resources rather than looking for more.

Companies and organizations that have successfully implemented sustainable practices are engaging the public, demonstrating what can be done to manage resources better and protect our environment.

There are many rainwater harvesting benefits; collecting rainwater for household use can make houses and communities more sustainable and reduce pressure on the municipal water supply. This article explains rainwater harvesting and shares 15 key benefits of this water collection technique.

What is rainwater harvesting?

Rainwater harvesting is simply collecting rainwater for use at home or in industry. People harvest rainwater using anything from a simple container, to a sophisticated installation that channels water into dedicated cisterns.

Rather than being absorbed into the ground or becoming surface run-off, the rainwater is directed using sloped surfaces, channels, and gravity into the storage location. For most properties, the roof of the building provides a large surface area for intercepting and channeling rain.

Collecting rainwater can occur at scale, with massive installations providing a large surface area for collections. Regions with flooded forests, sunken basins, or reservoirs can capture large volumes of water from heavy seasonal rains for community use.

Rainwater harvesting also includes systems to collect dew, fog, and mists using nets and condensing devices. Collected water can be stored for use in tanks, cisterns, pits, boreholes, wells, and reservoirs.

Rainwater harvesting has been a feature of almost every major civilization

Rainwater collection is an ancient practice that goes back millennia. There is archaeological evidence of this practice taking place in the Neolithic Age, and rainwater cisterns have been used by the Ancient Egyptians, Minoans, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, and Ancient Timbuktu.

How is harvested rainwater used?

Collected rainwater can be used as a water source for any daily activities that require water. Depending on location and the available infrastructure or plumbing, we can use rainwater for:

• Drinking water
• Laundry
• Personal care
• Household cleaning
• Toilet flushing
• Irrigation
• Gardening
• Replenishment of reservoirs and groundwater supplies

15 rainwater harvesting benefits

Rainwater harvesting is a great way of taking advantage of a freely available natural resource. Even the simplest rainwater collection systems can have many benefits for households. Here are 15 need-to-know advantages of collecting rainwater:

1. Rainwater collection is free (wherever it is allowed)

You may have to pay for water that comes in a bottle or out of a tap, but when it comes to rainwater, this essential natural resource is 100% free anywhere on the earth. Some regions do have water rights regulations (explained in the FAQs), but generally, if it drops out of the sky, it’s yours!

2. Rainwater collection is extremely simple 

The principles of collecting rainwater are simple and can be replicated anywhere in the world. A basic rainwater system exploits gravity and the flow of water to channel water that flows off a sloped surface into a storage vessel.

Simple rainwater collection systems worldwide use roofs and other slanted surfaces and even an ‘upturned umbrella’ design to collect rainfall efficiently for later use. A collection system does not have to be sophisticated or expensive to do a great job of harvesting rain:

3. Rainwater harvesting systems can collect an impressive amount of water

The amount of rainwater you can harvest shouldn’t be underestimated. For every inch of rain you receive, you can collect as much as 550 gallons of rainwater for every 1000 square feet of rainwater collection surface area you have available.

If you live in a temperate region with moderate rainfall or have a monsoon or harmattan season the amount of collected rainwater you can be substantial and boosts your household’s water resilience.

4. Save on mains water for domestic use

Collecting rainwater reduces reliance on a mains water supply for meeting all of your household’s water needs. The average American family can use as much as 300 gallons of water daily, with 70% of this water used indoors.

Collected rainwater provides a water source that offsets this volume. Stored rainwater can be immediately used for outdoor uses like watering plants, and car washing and may be plumbed in to supplement the domestic water supply for laundry and flushing the toilet.

5. Rainwater collection can be used anywhere in the world

Precipitation can be harvested for use in the most extreme environments on earth, and for many populations is an important method for accessing water. 

In desert environments, sub-surface desert water harvesters can be used to collect precipitation and surface run-off water while preventing stored water from evaporating. Micro catchment systems like these have been used in semi-arid and arid regions to provide water for wildlife and can even be used to feed long-term underground water storage.

In extremely cold environments, where households do not have a mains water supply, snow is routinely collected in containers and heated for household use.

6. You can save money by harvesting rainwater

Accessing water from a municipal water supply costs money, with many countries instituting water meters for the measurement and billing of water consumption. In the United States, the EPA reports that a family can expect to pay at least $1000 annually to water companies for the water they use.

The monitoring of water consumption has proved to be a great incentive for reducing water use. Rainwater collection can help by instantly providing families with an unmetered water supply that can be used to reduce billed water consumption.  An efficient rainwater harvesting system can save homeowners as much as 40 to 50% of their water bill!

7. Harvesting rainwater saves energy

If rainwater harvesting was routine, there would be a massive decrease in demand for municipal water supplies. This would also lead to a reduction in the energy consumption required to draw, treat and deliver mains water to homes. This more renewable water source also requires zero energy for collection and storage furthering its environmental benefits.

8. Rainwater harvesting can reduce groundwater demand

Many countries around the world are finding that they can ease the demand for precious groundwater supplies by using rainwater collection systems. Iraq is a relatively arid country that has implemented rainwater conservation projects to safeguard its groundwater which forms about 14% of the country’s water supply.

With the support of UN Aid, local environmental scientists are installing rainwater collection systems using ponds and dams to protect the deep aquifers that take a long time to be replenished.

9. Rainwater is a valuable supplemental water supply during drought

If you’ve experienced your water company instituting a hosepipe ban during long hot summers, you will understand the benefit of having an independent supply of water on your property. Water collected during periods of wet weather can prove invaluable in times of drought, where it can be freely used to water a garden.

Many gardeners maintain a rainwater collection system for this reason. The stored water can be used to maintain irrigation systems, and in agricultural settings, ensure that livestock and plants can be sustained in hot, dry periods.

10. Reduces the erosion caused by stormwater run-off

Stormwater is a massive environmental problem causing up to $2.2 billion of damage in urban areas alone. Uncontrolled and undirected surface run-off from storms is a major cause of flooding, property damage, soil and land erosion, and harm to aquatic life.

Proactive integration of rainwater harvesting in the design of buildings could massively impact this global problem. By routinely including robust rainwater collection systems in urban architecture, towns, and cities could prevent the damage associated with stormwater and recover valuable water resources for residents.

11. Rainwater can be used as a source of drinking water

Though rainwater is not potable in its natural state, it can be collected and treated to provide households with drinking water. This is an ideal solution for remote properties that may not have access to a mains water supply and want to maximize their natural water sources. On-site water filtration and treatment systems for rain, well, or spring water add significantly to the cost of a rainwater harvesting system.

12. Supports water self-sufficiency

A reliable clean water supply is essential for consistent off-grid living. Many properties that are not mains connected may have a spring or well available, but they may not be able to fully meet household demand. By adding rainwater harvesting, households can establish a truly independent water supply.

People can do this by maintaining a store of rainwater that can sustain a household until it rains again. A rainwater collection system that can collect enough water to do this requires professional design and installation to ensure that adequate surface area is available to catch rainfall.

13. Rainwater is soft!

A popular benefit of rainwater is that it does not contain the hardness that can affect mains water. Water hardness is because of the presence of magnesium and calcium salts that are present in the groundwater drawn for municipal water supplies. Hard water buildups cause limescale, with damage to appliances like washing machines and dishwashers.

Rainwater has no hardness and is ideal for laundry and other uses where water softness is valuable. In fact, many people in hardwater areas actively collect rainwater because of its softness and use it for car washing, laundry rinses, and watering plants.

14. Rainwater systems can be sized to meet your household needs

Rainwater collection systems are infinitely scalable and can be sufficiently large to meet some or all of a household’s water requirements. In fact, the world’s largest rainwater harvesting system in Karnataka, India collects as much as 4 billion liters of rainwater from a network of collection systems on school rooftops in the region.

15. Installation of a rainwater harvesting system can increase the value of your home!

A high-specification rainwater collection system is a positive modification to your property that could increase its value, especially as the awareness of eco-friendly homes has increased. A prospective buyer would have the benefits of an independent water supply and reduced water bills which are tangible benefits in a similar way to a solar panel or wood-burning stove.

Frequently asked questions about rainwater harvesting

What are some of the disadvantages of rainwater harvesting?

When it comes to harvesting rainwater for use, it’s not all benefits. Here are some of the key disadvantages of collecting rainwater:

• Rainfall can be unreliable, meaning that a home rainwater harvesting system may not be able to provide your household with water consistently.
• The capital costs of installing a modern rainwater collection system can be high.
• Rainwater storage may take up productive space on your property.
• Rainwater harvesting systems require regular maintenance to ensure that they do not become blocked, unsanitary, or infested.
• Roof materials and conditions may be a source of contamination of rainwater run-off.

Is rainwater collection legal in the United States?

In the United States, the collection of rainwater is regulated as a natural resource and in some states, the collection of rainwater on your property is frankly illegal. This is because certain states consider that the collection of rainwater deprives neighbors of having access to the volume of water you collected via groundwater supplies. States that restrict rainwater collection include:

• Utah
• Colorado
• Idaho

All states are beginning to recognize the importance and benefits of rainwater collection, so these prohibitions may be relaxed in the near future.

How much does a home rainwater collection system cost in the US?

The costs of a home rainwater collection system will vary according to the level of sophistication and any post-collection water treatment. Prices can range between $120 for appropriate gutting and a pair of large barrels to over $21,000 for a system with cisterns, filtration and plumbing so that it functions like a well or spring home water supply.

Can you drink rainwater?

According to the Centers for Disease Control, untreated rainwater shouldn’t be consumed. This is because rainwater often contains atmospheric pollutants and contamination that have been washed into the collected water. Microorganisms that are present in untreated rainwater include amoebas, bacteria, and parasites.

Untreated rainwater can be used straight from the barrel for laundry, flushing toilets, and watering plants. Water for drinking, cooking and personal care should be treated before use.

How do you treat collected rainwater for drinking?

Stored rainwater will need to go through several treatment steps to become potable. Water treatment is one of the main costs that can make rainwater harvesting expensive. This is because it is multistage, to ensure that all contaminants are removed from the water. The main stages of rainwater treatment are: 

1. Filtration: Removal of large and solid contaminants by passing the water through mesh and steel filtering layers. Vortex filtration also helps to remove sediments in the rainwater and oxygenate it. 

2. UV treatment: Ultra-violet light is used to kill pathogens and microorganisms that may be present in the water. This stage can only take place once the water has been thoroughly filtered from particulates that could shade microbes from the UV rays.

3. Carbon filtration: Carbon filtration is an additional treatment step that can make the water more palatable and ensure that any remaining substances are adsorbed.

4. Storage of water in a cool dark environment that prevents microbial growth or infestation.

In conclusion

Rainwater harvesting can prove to be an effective method of conserving water. Collecting rainwater can help your household become more self-sufficient and save on mains water costs. In the US, there is increasing recognition of the benefits of rainwater harvesting, meaning that it is legal in most states.

Our environment is all we have. If we don’t take care of it who will? The following quotes on sustainable development are some of the many ways that we can learn and understand the importance of sustainable development.

I have compiled a list of the best quotes on sustainability to help us understand better the whole concept.

64+ quotes about sustainability

Let’s get into our list of quotes about sustainability and sustainable development. We will break out the quotes into the following categories: famous quotes, food sustainability quotes, hard-facts quotes, inspiring quotes and short quotes.

This will help you find your favorite quotes to live by and use to continually improve your sustainability efforts.

Famous quotes about sustainability

1. “The best way to predict future is to create it.”

– Peter Drucker

2. “Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

– Gro Harlem Brundtland

3. “Sustainability is a political choice, not a technical one. It’s not a question of whether we can be sustainable, but whether we choose to be.”

– Gary Lawrence

4. “There must be a better way to make the things we want, a way that doesn’t spoil the sky, or the rain or the land.”

– Paul McCartney

5. “Our biggest challenge in this new century is to take an idea that seems abstract – sustainable development – and turn it into a reality for all the world’s people.”
– Kofi Annan

6. “No matter how complex global problems may seem, it is we ourselves who have given rise to them. They cannot be beyond our power to resolve.”

– Daisaku Ikeda

7. “The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities is the bedrock of our enterprise for a sustainable world.”

– Indian Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi

8. “How long can men thrive between walls of brick, walking on asphalt pavements, breathing the fumes of coal and of oil, growing, working, dying, with hardly a thought of wind, and sky, and fields of grain, seeing only machine-made beauty, the mineral-like quality of life?”

– Charles A. Lindbergh

9. “The first rule of sustainability is to align with natural forces, or at least not try to defy them.”

– Paul Hawken

10. “Without environmental sustainability, economic stability and social cohesion cannot be achieved.”

– Phil Harding

Inspiring sustainability quotes

Here is a list of some inspirational quotes on how to adopt sustainable development.

11. “Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.”

– Edmund Burke

12. “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

– R. Buckminster Fuller

13. “Our ancestors did great work for humanity. What will we do for the next generations?”

– Lailah Gifty Akita

14. “Real human beings take precedence over partisan interests; however, legitimate the latter may be.”

– Pope Francis

15. “We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.”

– Howard Zinn

16. “Do not wait for extraordinary circumstances to do good action; try to use ordinary situations.”

– Jean-Paul Richter

17. “Building a world where we meet our own needs without denying future generations a healthy society is not impossible, as some would assert. The question is where societies choose to put their creative efforts.”
– Christopher Flavin

18. “We can chart our future clearly and wisely only when we know the path which has led to the present.”

– Adlai E. Stevenson

19. “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

– Margaret Mead

20. “The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river.”

– Ross Perot

21. “The sustainability revolution will, hopefully, be the third major social and economic turning point in human history, following the Neolithic Revolution – moving from hunter-gathering to farming – and the Industrial Revolution.”

– Prince Charles

Quotes about sustainable food

If we negatively impact nature, water and food are some of nature’s gifts that will become a luxury. If we can’t take care of nature, nature can’t take care of us.

22. “Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man.”

– Stewart Udall

23. “A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.”

– Franklin D. Roosevelt

24. “We never know the worth of water till the well is dry.”

– Thomas Fuller

25. “Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.”

– Cree Indian Proverb

26. “Forests and meat animals compete for the same land. The prodigious appetite of the affluent nations for meat means that agribusiness can pay more than those who want to preserve or restore the forest. We are, quite literally, gambling with the future of our planet – for the sake of hamburgers.”
– Peter Singer

27. “If civilization has risen from the Stone Age, it can rise again from the Wastepaper Age.”

– Jacques Barzun

28. “Anything else you’re interested in is not going to happen if you can’t breathe the air and drink the water. Don’t sit this one out. Do something. You are by accident of fate alive at an absolutely critical moment in the history of our planet.”

– Carl Sagan

29. “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”

– J.R.R. Tolkien

See Related: Caring for the Environment – Why It Matters

Hard-facts quotes on sustainable development

Sometimes it is not enough to just inspire people; giving them the hard facts, is some instances the best way. These are quotes on sustainable development that will help us be prudent when making some decisions.

30. “The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function.”

– Albert A. Bartlett

31. “Global warming will not end by Earth finding shade under the trees but under our hands joined together.”

– Agona Apell

32. “What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

33. “21st Century choice: Look after our planet, and it will look after us, or don’t and face the consequences.”

– Phil Harding

34. “An act of violence against nature should be judged as severely as that against society or another person.”

– Dr. Michael W.Fox

35. “It angers me when sustainability gets used as a buzz word. For 90 percent of the world, sustainability is a matter of survival.”
– Cameron Sinclair

36. “In America today, you can murder land for private profit. You can leave the corpse for all to see, and nobody calls the cops.”

– Paul Brooks

37. “People ‘over-produce’ pollution because they are not paying for the costs of dealing with it.”

– Ha-Joon Chang

38. “Because we don’t think about future generations, they will never forget us.”

– Henrik Tikkanen

39. “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.”

– Mahatma Gandhi

40. “Sustainable development is a fundamental break that’s going to reshuffle the entire deck. There are companies today that are going to dominate in the future simply because they understand that.”

– Francois-Henri Pinault

Funny sustainability quotes

Although these sustainability quotes may sound humorous, they are as serious as the lack of water can be to our environment. They intend to help us see the sarcasm in what we do in the name of development.

41. “Until man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so-called scientific knowledge.”

– Thomas Edison

42. “It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.”

– Ansel Adams

43. “Our life is frittered away by detail…Simplify, simplify, simplify! Simplicity of life and elevation of purpose.”

– Henry Thoreau

44. “The difference between animals and humans is that animals change themselves for the environment, but humans change the environment for themselves.”

– Ayn Rand

45. “Nature provides a free lunch, but only if we control our appetites.”
– William Ruckelshaus

46. “Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.”

– W. H. Auden

47. “Sustainable Development is more than meeting the needs of today and future generations; to my understanding, this definition better fits the sex industry.”

– M.F. Moonzajer

48. “It is not reasonable that art should win the place of honor over our great and powerful mother nature. We have so overloaded the beauty and richness of her works by our inventions that we have quite smothered her.”

– Michel de Montaigne, Cannibales

49. “A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman of the next generation.”

– James Freeman Clarke

Short sustainability quotes

50. “There are no passengers on spaceship earth. We are all crew.”

– Marshall McLuhan

51. “Sustainability is here to stay, or we may not be.”

– Niall FitzGerald

52. “We have a duty to care for the environment.”

– Lailah Gifty Akita

53. “Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.”

– Aldo Leopold

54. “We can never have enough of Nature.”

– Henry David Thoreau

55. “We can’t just consume our way to a more sustainable world.”

– Jennifer Nini

56. “He that plants trees love others besides himself.”
– Thomas Fuller

57. “When the soil disappears, the soul disappears.”

– Ymber Delecto

58. “Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them.”

– Albert Einstein

59. “Consume less; share better.”

– Hervé Kempf

60. “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”

– Robert Swan

61. “Treat the Earth as though we intend to stay here.”

– Crispin Tickell

62. “One planet, one experiment.”

– E. O. Wilson

63. “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”

– Robert Swan

64. “Ownership is a sine qua non of sustainable development.”

– James Wolfensohn

Want more quotes like these? Check out our list of quotes on climate change.

Most people noted that they already recycle, use reusable bags, and avoid single-use plastics. However, green living and sustainable habits go beyond just these three actions. 

So why don’t more people swap their lifestyle choices for greener options? Often, it’s difficult to know where to start. Luckily, there are many books on green living that can help anyone start living a better lifestyle.

Whether you’re looking for recommendations for your home, garden, personal life, or spending habits, these books will equip you with the tools to help fight against global warming and preserve our environment in its true natural spirit.

Let’s dive into some of the best books on green living that will surely inspire you to prioritize sustainable lifestyle choices.

20 of the best books on green living

1. Live Green: 52 Steps for a More Sustainable Life

Live Green is a practical guide of 52 sustainable living changes, one for each week of the year. These are changes you can make to be more self-sufficient and reduce your impact on the environment.

Presented in a colorful, easy-to-understand format, this is one of the best books on green living because it examines all areas of your life: your cleaning routine, home furnishings, food shopping, fashion choices, beauty routine, and even Christmas habits.

Some of the recommendations presented by author Jen Chillingsworth include making your own eco-friendly cleaning products, buying vintage furniture, and making your own moth repellent.

Her green ideas and small steps to help reduce our impact on the planet can also help save you money as well.

2. The Everything Green Living Book: Easy Ways to Conserve Energy, Protect Your Family’s Health, and Help Save the Environment

Are you interested in making more sustainable lifestyle choices, but don’t know where to start? The Everything Green Living Book written by Diane Gow McDilda is an informative guide on green living.

McDilda covers several topics in this book, including ways to get involved on Earth Day, what goes into a green, sustainable house, non toxic cleaning supplies, organic foods, and many more.

Overall, the book presents green topics in an easy-to-understand manner, and because of this it is one of the best books on green living to share with children, teens, or keep on hand to reference later on.

If you’re just starting out on your green living journey, this is a great pick for you. McDilda makes it easy for the average homeowner, family, and individual to apply these sustainable changes to their own lives.

3. Prefabulous and Sustainable: Building and Customizing an Affordable, Energy-Efficient Home

Prefabulous and Sustainable is a highly recommended book on sustainable homes and green living. This book primarily dispels the wrong myths associated with prefab homes. In fact, this book helps the readers to understand the true idea behind green prefab homes.

Author Sheri Koones clearly explains how the prefabricated house is greener, more energy efficient, cost-effective, and sturdier than a site-built home. This book is divided into three basic categories: green, greener, and greenest.

Koones provides examples of sustainable prefab homes that have been customized to offer a level of sustainability beyond the inherent qualities of prefab.

The featured homes differ in terms of design, style, and mode of construction. Most of these homes are capable of offering the highest level of sustainability, making a great case for those with green and sustainable lifestyles.

4. The Green Body Cleanse: How to Live Green & Live Well

The Green Body Cleanse by Dr. Edward Group III is one of the best books on green living focused on organic cleanses. Winner of the Green Book Festival, this work has helped many people change their lives by offering clear, sustainable solutions to cleanse the body, workplace, and home from toxic materials.

Dr. Group explains that when the environment around you is toxic, you can suffer from different diseases. In fact, these toxic elements suppress our body’s self-healing mechanism.

To cleanse the body, Dr. Group asserts, it’s important to shift from eating processed foods to organic foods. This is because, as genetically modified crops, frozen meat, processed milk, white flour, MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), heavy metals, and industrial chemicals are harmful to humans.

With over twenty years of research, tips, recipes, and facts included in this book, The Green Body Cleanse is an informative guide that will allow you to make healthier, greener choices for yourself and the planet.

5. Easy to Be Green: Simple Activities You Can Do to Save the Earth

Easy to Be Green is one of the best books on green living for children who would like to play their part in the fight against global warming. Beside their elders’ efforts, kids can do a lot when it comes to protecting our environment.

This book not only includes tips on how to protect our environment but also coloring pages and simple activities for kids to help save the environment.

From activities like recycling to composting to finding their voice by writing to politicians and talking to people about climate problems and solutions, this book will encourage children (and their caregivers) to take action in their communities.

This work not only talks about sustainable living but also gives practical implications.

For instance, the paper in this book comes from 100% post-consumer waste recycled material and is printed in soy ink.

6. Green, Greener, Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-Smart Choices a Part of Your Life

Green, Greener, Greenest by Lori Bongiorno is one of the most practical, easy-to-implement works on green living available today. Bongiorno includes hundreds of flexible tips on making greener choices that you can use in almost every aspect of your daily routine.

Interestingly, this book offers tips in accordance with the specific budget and schedule of its readers. It helps readers choose the green advice that fits their schedule, their budget, and interests, with the understanding that there’s more than one way to make a difference.

Ultimately, the expansive research and applicability of this work will improve your ability to live a more sustainable lifestyle, no matter your schedule. Making an individual difference is all about your choices to live a more eco-friendly life.

If you’ve been looking to make practical, greener substitutions to your routines, this guide is a great place to start living sustainably and doing your part to make the world a better place.

7. Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century: The Complete Guide to Sustainable Living Today

Any reader can find their way to a more sustainable lifestyle with Dick Strawbridge and his son, James in Self-Sufficiency for the 21st Century. This book empowers readers to take steps to reduce their carbon footprint and be more self-sufficient.

The book references green living choices such as cutting back on plastic or food waste, growing vegetables, preserving meat and fish, preparing jams and chutneys, or keeping a chicken or two.

This book is particularly unique because its authors know what it’s like to make more sustainable lifestyle changes: they’ve lived on a smallholding, in a terraced house, and even in a chateau.

Now, they’re sharing everything they’ve learned and providing the tools you need for a more rewarding and environmentally conscious life. Check out one of the best books on green living for a realistic, experience-backed take on sustainable lifestyles.

8. Year-Round Solar Greenhouse: How to Design and Build a Net-Zero Energy Greenhouse

The Year-Round Solar Greenhouse is one of the best books on green living to help readers design and build a solar-powered greenhouse that promotes carbon-free sustainable living.

Authors Lindsey Schiller and Marc Plinke have laid out exactly how to build your own greenhouse that is capable of harnessing the sun’s energy and storing it. You can grow lush green plants, vegetables, and fruits even in the winter season.

The main premise of this book is to teach anyone how to build a unique greenhouse that utilizes the sun’s natural energy and manages all its operations without using the grid. There are numerous sustainable advantages of greenhouses and vertical indoor farming.

An in-depth section of the book covers sustainable ways of heating the greenhouse without fossil fuels. If you’re looking to grow your own crops sustainably, look to this complete guide on one green way to do so.

9. Easy Green Living: The Ultimate Guide to Simple, Eco-Friendly Choices for You and Your Home

In her book Easy Green Living, Renée Loux demonstrates that being green at home is easy, affordable, and better for our health, families, and the planet! This is one the best books on green living by creating an eco-friendly home.

Loux illuminates expansive topics like global warming, climate change, and renewable energy while also talking about smaller, everyday choices and how to deal with them.

This book is filled with examples of people’s daily choices that can keep their homes, personal care, and beauty routines free of toxins.

Loux includes compelling and inspiring facts, “5 Step” lists, products and recipes for green cleaning, helpful charts, safer choices for every room, and inspirational advice so that anyone can make more sustainable actions in their own life and home.

10. Going Off the Grid: The How-To-Book of Simple Living and Happiness

Are you interested in living off the grid, but don’t know where to start? Going Off the Grid by Gary Collins is a great book to learn more.

Collins provides step-by-step instructions that you can follow to live your sustainable living dream in the wild, off the grid. The book helps you identify the primary factors associated with off-the-grid living, including identifying and removing unnecessary stressors from your everyday life.

You’ll also learn the basics of off-the-grid living from home construction to energy alternatives, from sewage disposal to internet access. By following these rules and suggestions, you can easily come up with a lifestyle that promotes sustainable living.

This book will empower you to start living off the grid by building a self-sustainable home. Collins provides all the information and regulations imposed by relevant state authorities that can impact your off grid journey.

All in all, this is one of the best books on green living if you are switching to an off-grid green lifestyle.

11. Make Your Place: Affordable & Sustainable Nesting Skills

In Make Your Place author Raleigh Briggs collects zines, illustrations, and thoughts around what it is that makes a great DIY household.

He dives into creating homemade cleaning solvents that aren’t made from poison, herbs that can heal you, and even how to set up your own excellent home garden.

This book is highly recommended as a go-to reference for any homeowner or anyone simply looking to learn practical skills that apply to their everyday life.

Written in a conversational and witty tone, Briggs inspires readers to better their lives with his simple tutorials.

12. The Green Book: The Everyday Guide to Saving the Planet One Simple Step at a Time

Did you know that turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth could conserve up to five gallons of water per day?

In one of the best books on green living, The Green Book, you’ll learn more about surprising actions that can actually make a huge difference in conserving the Earth’s water, energy, and valuable resources.

This New York Times Bestselling book provides a wide range of solutions related to almost every aspect of our lives. The authors Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas Kostigen highlight the small changes that create a big impact on our struggle to save the planet, and why with research-backed explanations.

The book is a quick read at around 200 pages, but is jam-packed with hundreds of practical tips and ideas to conserve energy and resources at home, work, and school every day.

13. Building Green, New Edition: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods Earth Plaster

This best-selling book and its latest updated version is a great option for those who love the idea of sustainable living. This is a completely revised version with more interesting stuff to read.

Building Green: Alternative Building Methods doesn’t just dive into green house-building techniques: it actually shows readers with more than 1,200 step-by-step photographs that follow the actual erection of an alternative building from site selection to final-touch interior details.

In addition to the clear step-by-step guides, this book also throws light on the fundamentals of green building and construction. It helps anyone follow alternative approaches when it comes to style and design, allowing you to build a greener home.

One such example is using cob to build a pizza or bread oven and create inexpensive walls around your garden. This useful reference guide will help anyone learn more about green building styles.

14. The Forest Garden Greenhouse: How to Design and Manage an Indoor Permaculture Oasis

The Forest Garden Greenhouse is a groundbreaking book by Jerome Osentowski, one of North America’s most accomplished permaculture designers.

This book shows plant and flower enthusiasts alike how to bring the forest garden indoors is not only possible, but doable on unlikely terrain and in cold climates, using near-net-zero technology.

Unlike other greenhouse design and management books, Osentowski advocates for indoor agriculture using permaculture design concepts. These are focused on integration, multi-functions, perennials, and polycultures.

This belongs to the list of the best books on green living. Osentowski demonstrates how it is possible to create a natural forest in your backyard without using energy from the grid.

15. The Rough Guide to Green Living

The Rough Guide to Green Living is a fact-filled book that offers insight into living an eco-friendly, low-carbon life. Author Duncan Clark includes hundreds of green tips that specifically address consumer topics like recycling, green shopping, and renewable energy sources.

Duncan thoroughly explains how we can lower the level of carbon footprint by making small lifestyle changes. This guide explains a wide range of simple and easy-to-adopt green choices. The most notable changes include green travel habits, kitchen gardening, and ethical shopping.

The book itself is interesting, surprising, and highly readable. It helps the readers to set their environmental priorities and identify the facts.

In short, this book is the ultimate guide to understanding everything about green living. If you want to make a difference in your daily life, this book is an excellent pick.

16. 40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead: A Hands-on, Step-by-Step Sustainable-Living Guide

40 Projects for Building Your Backyard Homestead is one of the best books on green living for those that want to be completely self-sufficient. Author David Toht is a former contractor with decades of hands-on experience, infusing his knowledge into this informative guide.

The book includes 40 sustainable projects that readers can learn how to build, from garden structures to fences, chicken coops, and many more.

Inside the book, you’ll find every project broken down into step-by-step directions with sequenced photographs for easy reference. Each project has a handy list of tools and materials at the beginning, as well as an overview of the design you’re about to build.

The projects in this book are designed with simplicity, convenience, and budget in mind, while also meeting the needs of those who wish to live more sustainably.

17. Green Metropolis: Why Living Smaller, Living Closer, and Driving Less Are the Keys to Sustainability

David Owen’s Green Metropolis is a fascinating book that will challenge the way that you view cities. This book demonstrates how residents of urban centers individually consume less oil, electricity, and water than other Americans.

How? They live in smaller spaces, discard less trash, and, most important of all, spend far less time in automobiles.

Written in an easy-to-understand format and backed by research, this book makes a strong case for green urban living in surprising ways.

This book explains how other settled locations can become more like urban centers and come closer to meeting the environmental goals that our planet desperately needs. If you’re looking to learn more about how sustainability factors into different living situations, this book is an informative choice.

18. Sustainable Home: Practical Projects, Tips and Advice for Maintaining a More Eco-Friendly Household

Sustainable Home is an inspirational and practical guidebook to maintaining a more environmentally-friendly household. Written by sustainable lifestyle blogger and professional Christine Liu, readers are taken on a tour of the rooms of their home.

On this tour, Liu offers tips, tricks and 18 step-by-step projects designed to help you lead a greener lifestyle.

From guidance on living minimally to advice about plant-based foods to tips on repairing old clothes, this book touches every aspect of home life. Liu even includes a recipe for making your own toothpaste.

If you’re looking to make small changes in your home and daily life, this book can give you a great place to start, and continue on your green living journey throughout the years.

19. Living Off the Grid: What to Expect While Living the Life of Ultimate Freedom and Tranquility

Living Off The Grid is your first step towards a simplified off-grid existence. One of the most comprehensive, informative, and best books on green living, it clearly shows how this unique off grid lifestyle would look in practice.

Off-grid lifestyle expert Gary Collins uses a conversational tone in this book, making it easy-to-understand complex topics and activities that you may not be familiar with. He dives into theoretical situations as well as practical instructions that will help you save time and resources.

The book is filled with wisdom about the off grid lifestyle: strategies for running a business while remaining mostly unplugged, and ways to remain socially and professionally connected in your new lifestyle.

When you are living off the grid, your energy source is completely behind the meter, and you are participating in one of the most sustainable forms of living. You won’t need to rely on power prices and utilities to consume your natural resources.

20. It’s Easy Being Green: A Handbook for Earth-Friendly Living

The climate crisis has illuminated the fact that although everyone is aware of the damage being done to our beloved planet, most are not doing much to save it. In It’s Easy Being Green, Crissy Trask dives into just why so many people find it so difficult to make sustainable changes.

This book can also serve as a practical day-to-day guide that offers easy suggestions to start living more sustainably in many aspects of your life.

For instance, Trask suggests initiatives such as installing rain barrels and gutters to collect rainwater, and then reuse it to water your plants. The book even delves into how to make effective household cleaners instead of relying on commercial products.

Trask includes comprehensive advice for adopting greener buying habits and identifying earth-friendly products, shopping for green products online, and even participating in online activism. For those with busy schedules, this book offers several ways to make greener habits.

In conclusion: these are the best books on green living

All of these books on green living are written by knowledgeable authors who are committed to spreading awareness about global warming, sustainable lifestyle choices, and guiding people on how to do their part no matter the daily routine.

These authors are highly influential experts in their fields who have the authority and knowledge to discuss the key issues related to climate change and living green.

By going through any of these books, you can extend your knowledge and inspiration about green living. The suggestions and tips will help make certain changes in our lifestyle which, over time, may prove to make a big difference against global warming and climate change.

If you are an advocate of environmentally-friendly living or want to learn more about how you can do your part in saving the earth, any number of these green living books can help you on your journey.

Our 15 favorite palm oil free products

Thankfully, thanks to the growing awareness of the issues associated with palm oil production, there are now plenty of palm oil free products of virtually every kind. Here are our favorite palm oil free soaps, moisturizers, spreads, laundry detergent, and more!

1. Simplici Lemongrass & Calendula Soap

This palm oil free soap from Simplici is made from all-natural ingredients, including lemongrass essential oil for an invigorating scent, and calendula flower petals for its moisturizing properties. This refreshing citrus smell will wake you up in the morning or give you an extra boost after a long day.

Another key ingredient is coconut oil which helps the soap to lather without needing harmful chemical lathering agents found in many mainstream soaps. The coconut oil also helps to harden the bar, helping it to last longer, so it won’t disintegrate in your shower.

The soaps are handmade in the USA and come in zero-waste packaging.

2. Deep Sea Cosmetics Dead Sea Hand and Body Lotion

This hand and body lotion’s key ingredient is Dead Sea salt from The Land of Israel, which is believed to have anti-aging properties, restoring the skin’s moisture and flexibility. It also boasts other beneficial natural ingredients, including shea butter, avocado oil, calendula, patchouli, and vitamins A and E for intense moisturizing without being greasy.

A unisex product designed for both men and women, it contains no artificial fragrances, only the gentle, calming aroma from its natural ingredients. You can use it to keep your hands soft and supple, apply anywhere on your body after a shower, or as an after-sun treatment.

3. Hello Activated Charcoal Teeth Whitening Toothpaste

Hello Oral Care toothpaste uses only natural ingredients, such as farm-grown mint, coconut oil, tea tree oil, Aloe Vera, and Stevia Rebaudiana Leaf Extract, to keep your teeth white and your breath fresh. Unlike most kinds of toothpaste, it contains absolutely no palm oil, no artificial flavors, dyes, or gluten.

This vegan and cruelty-free product will help to strengthen your tooth enamel, detoxify your gums, and prevent cavities thanks to its key ingredient, activated charcoal. The kit also contains a plastic-free activated charcoal and sustainable bamboo brush to further boost your oral health and whiten your teeth.

For more eco-friendly toothpaste options, check out our guide to the best zero waste toothpaste products.

4. Upcircle Skincare Bundle

If you want to take care of your entire beauty routine with all-natural ingredients, this popular bundle from Upcircle could be for you! It includes a face serum, face moisturizer, eye cream, cleansing balm, coffee face scrub, and eye cream.

All of the products are entirely vegan and free from palm oil, parabens, phthalates, silicones, mineral oil, or artificial fragrances. The brand also aims to reduce waste by using 100% recyclable packaging and including at least one repurposed ingredient in every product.

5. Grab Green Stoneworks Laundry Detergent Pods

These laundry powder pods from Stoneworks are made from naturally-derived, non-toxic ingredients, including patchouli, geranium, clove, and peppermint essential oils. The pods are formulated to deeply clean your laundry, eliminate odors, remove stains, and soften your garments.

The product is certified US EPA Safer Choice, meaning it contains ingredients that are safer for human health and better for the environment. It’s completely free of phthalates, solvents, ammonia, phosphates, fillers, optical brighteners, masking agents, or dyes.

6. Revision Skincare Hydrating Serum

This oil-free skin serum will keep your skin soft and supple without making it greasy or causing breakouts. The water-based, lightweight, and non-greasy moisturizer is suitable for all skin types, from dry to oily.

The product contains no palm oil, but instead boasts a range of natural ingredients, including honey and sea kelp extract, which help to condition the skin and keep it hydrated. Additionally, watermelon, apple, and lentil fruit extracts promote uniform hydration, while sodium hyaluronate binds water molecules to the skin.

The product also contains potent antioxidants, vitamin E and pomegranate extract, as well as palmitoyl tripeptide-5 to reduce the visible signs of wrinkles.

7. Whole Earth Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter

While most peanut butters you’ll find on supermarket shelves contain palm oil, this one from Whole Earth has no palm oil, sugar or salt additives and only contains natural, vegan ingredients. It’s made of a blend of roasted organic peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, and naturally-occurring sugars, so is a good source of proteins and fiber.

It’s perfect for making a healthy PBJ, or adding to your smoothies and milkshakes. It will give your snacks and drinks a natural, sweet flavor thanks to no added sugars, sweeteners, or artificial flavors.

8. Crazy Richard’s All-Natural Crunchy Peanut Butter

Another excellent choice for an all-natural peanut butter is Crazy Richard’s crunchy peanut butter. This product doesn’t contain any palm oil, as it’s only made from one ingredient: peanuts!

This also means it has no added sugar or salt, fillers or stabilizers. Keep in mind that due to the pure nature of this product, the oil can separate out, but all you need to do is stir the peanut butter and it’s ready to enjoy!

9. Scottish Fine Soaps Sea Kelp Hand Care Set

Scottish Fine Soaps makes a wide range of sustainable soaps and bath products. This set contains a hand wash and moisturizing hand lotion, both packed with the natural power of sea kelp to clean and hydrate your hands.

Both products have a refreshing, natural scent reminiscent of the sea. The bottles are made from 100% recycled and recyclable plastic, and the set also comes with a zero-waste ceramic caddy to keep your bathroom tidy.

10. Tiptree Chocolate Spread

This chocolate spread from TipTree is made from real Belgian Chocolate and is nut-free, palm oil free, and certified kosher. It’s perfect for nut allergies (though it contains milk and soya) and is entirely vegetarian.

Made by Wilkins & Sons in Essex, England, this intensely-dark spread will take your waffles, pancakes, smoothies, and ice cream sundaes to the next level!

11. Pure Organic Ingredients Vegetable Glycerin

This vegetable glycerin is ideal if you want to make your own palm oil free soaps, bubble baths, or foods. USA-based brand Pure Organic Ingredients make it to food and pharmaceutical grade standards.

The glycerin is made from various vegetables depending on seasonal availability and is colorless, odorless, chemical-free, and kosher-certified. Vegetable glycerin is ideal as a carrier oil, a filler, and helps oil and water-based ingredients to mix. It also has natural moisturizing properties.

This means you can use it to make a wide range of all-natural products in your own home, including cooking oil, snacks, moisturizer, shampoo, toothpaste, and candy.

12. Larabar Coconut Cream Pie Bars

These Larabar bars don’t contain any palm oil or GMO ingredients and are entirely vegan. In fact, they’re made from just five natural ingredients: dates, unsweetened coconut, almonds, cashews, and extra virgin coconut oil, which gives them their coconut cream flavor.

High in protein and nutrients, they’re an ideal, energy-boosting snack for when you’re hiking or on the go. The bars are also gluten, soy, and dairy-free, so they are perfect for people with allergies!

13. Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

Keep your lips moist and protected from the elements the natural way with the beeswax lip balm from Burt’s Bees. This is the famous brand’s original product, first launched in 1991 and continues to be popular today.

Along with the key ingredient, beeswax to condition the skin, the lip balm has antioxidant-rich vitamin E to moisturize and peppermint oil for a refreshing touch. The balm is available in the classic plastic tube (which the brand will recycle for you if you can’t recycle curbside) or a reusable tin.

14. Simple Mills Almond Flour Crackers

These crackers have a simple, natural ingredient list: flour made from almonds, sunflower seeds and flax seeds, tapioca, cassava, organic sunflower oil, sea salt, organic onion, organic garlic, and rosemary extract.

They’re ideal for healthy snacks, lunchboxes, or taking with you whenever you need a quick energy boost. It’s also available in bulk: you can buy a pack of six boxes for a discounted rate, so if you love these crackers, why not stock up?

15. Palmer’s Coconut Water Face Moisturizer

If you’re looking for an intense, deep moisturizing product, this facial moisturizer from Palmer’s is for you! Infused with coconut water, hyaluronic acid, and papaya enzymes, it provides up to 24 hours of dewy, radiant skin.

The brand only uses sustainably-sourced shea butter, cocoa butter, and coconut oil – all of their products are palm oil free. This product has also been dermatologist tested to ensure that it’s hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic.

What is palm oil?

Palm oil is a vegetable oil extracted from the fruits of oil palm trees. Although most commercial palm oil trees are today grown in Southeast Asia, they’re not native to that part of the world: the African species was introduced more than a century ago as an ornamental tree.

Oil can be produced by either crushing the kernel of the palm fruit or from the reddish pulp of the fruit’s flesh.

The commercial value of palm oil became apparent during the 20th century, and the region started to plant large plantations of palm-oil-producing trees, cutting down native rainforests to do so. Malaysia and Indonesia produce around 85% of the world’s palm oil.

Palm oil is both cheap and highly versatile, with a range of different properties that make it ideal for foodstuffs, cosmetics, and personal care products. Therefore, it’s not surprising that it rapidly became the world’s most popular vegetable oil, and the industry is now worth over $90 billion and growing.

Even with growing awareness of the problems associated with palm oil production, you’ll still find the oil is in around half of the packaged products on supermarket shelves. It is a common ingredient found in foodstuffs such as long-life snacks, shampoo, deodorant, detergents, and animal feeds.

It is also used as a biofuel worldwide, although Europe aims to phase palm oil out of biofuels by 2030.

Why should you avoid palm oil?

Palm oil may be cheap, but it comes at a cost. Animals, people, and the environment more generally all suffer in order to produce palm oil, from growing the palm oil tree to extracting its oil.

Here are some of the main reasons why palm oil production is devastating for people and the planet.

It causes deforestation

As the demand for this cheap, versatile oil continues to rise, countries like Malaysia and Indonesia clear more native forests in order to plant more palm oil trees. According to the Say No to Palm Oil campaign, “every hour an area the size of 300 football fields” is cleared by the palm oil industry in these two countries alone.

Most of this land contains ancient rainforests that have existed for thousands of years, featuring giant trees and rich levels of biodiversity, being home to a wide range of plant and animal species.

Although this involves planting new trees, it’s not nearly the same thing. Replacing biologically-diverse old growth forests with monocultures like palm oil plantations destroys the habitats for a large number of plants and animals, contributes to climate change (more on this below), and can cause soil erosion as well as air and water pollution.

It’s putting species at risk of extinction

As great swathes of rainforest are cut down to make room for palm oil tree plantations, this destroys the habitats of countless animals. In Malaysia and Indonesia, this mainly affects the orangutan, an endangered species under threat of extinction, largely because the palm oil industry is destroying their natural habitats.

According to the non-profit the Orangutan Conservancy, over the last 20 years, orangutans have lost more than 80 percent of their natural habitat. Not just orangutans but a large number of birds and animals are under threat because of palm oil, including Sumatran rhinos and tigers.

It contributes to climate change

Old-growth forests like Southeast Asia’s ancient rainforests are highly-efficient carbon sinks capable of absorbing large amounts of CO2. Although they’re made up of trees, palm oil plantations simply don’t compare when it comes to absorbing greenhouse gases and mitigating climate change.

Cutting down rainforests and planting palm oil trees contributes to global warming, driving extreme weather, which could make distant parts of the globe uninhabitable and putting many more species at risk of extinction all over the world.

It can cause child exploitation and other human rights abuses

Unfortunately, the palm oil industry is largely unregulated and human rights organizations report that it rife with unfair labor practices, child labor, and other human rights abuses. The industry drives the demand for human traffickers, who illegally bring people, many underage, to work on the palm oil plantations for low or non-existent wages under terrible working conditions.

It’s bad for you, too

Palm oil not only has a range of terrible impacts on the environment and the people involved in its production, but it’s also bad for your health. Palm oil may be a vegetable oil, but it’s high in saturated fats, and there’s scientific evidence that it’s bad for your health.

In one study, participants ate a diet rich in palm oil for five weeks. The study found an increase in LDL cholesterol levels, the type of cholesterol that’s been linked to cardiovascular diseases, among the participants.

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) also recommends consumers avoid palm oil because when processed at high levels it can contain carcinogenic substances.

Fight palm oil with your wallet

The palm oil industry has a range of devastating impacts on the environment, causing deforestation, contributing to climate change, and driving animals to the point of extinction. Furthermore, the palm oil industry has been linked to child exploitation and human trafficking, not to mention that eating palm oil is actually pretty bad for your health.

Thankfully, we as consumers have the power to drive change in this area. By looking more closely at the items we buy and choosing palm-oil free products, we do our part to reduce the demand for palm oil and help stop this devastation from continuing.

This also sends a message to brands that sustainability matters, and encourages them to use more ethical and eco-friendly ingredients in their products.

If you’re interested in learning about how you can make other eco-friendly choices in buying household goods, check out our guides to sustainable makeup, furniture, and deodorant.

Approximately 35% of the world’s wetlands were lost between 1970 and 2015, mostly due to urban growth and development. For this reason, the process of wetland mitigation is critical to ensure that these areas do not remain desolate after a project takes place. 

But what does wetland mitigation involve, and what are the benefits and downsides of this process? Let’s dive into all you need to know about wetland mitigation. 

What are wetlands?

To understand the concept of wetland mitigation, it’s necessary to first know what spaces are defined as wetlands, and how they are classified. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines wetlands as areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods during the year, including during the growing season. 

The hydrology, or water saturation, of these areas determines how the soil develops. It also determines the types of plant and animal communities that live in and on the soil.. There are generally two classifications for wetlands recognized by the EPA: 

• Coastal/tidal wetlands: these wetlands are found along the oceans on the coast, and they are linked closely to the U.S.’s estuaries where sea water mixes with fresh water to form an environment of varying salinities.
• Inland/non-tidal wetlands: these wetlands are most often found along rivers and streams, along the margins of lakes and ponds, and in isolated depressions surrounded by dry land.  

Whether tidal or non-tidal, there are four main types of wetlands that you’ve likely heard of, or at least come across before. These types are:

• Marshes: marshes are defined as wetlands frequently or continually inundated with water. 
• Bogs: bogs are characterized by spongy peat deposits, acidic waters, and a floor covered by a thick carpet of moss.
• Fens: fens are peat-forming wetlands that typically receive nutrients from upslope sources through drainage from surrounding mineral soils and groundwater movement. 
• Swamps: a swamp is any wetland dominated by woody plants.

Each type of swamp has its own essential function and values, but each is crucial for surrounding ecosystems to thrive. 

However, like most of our environment, a variety of human activities can easily impact wetlands by altering their topography or hydrology. These activities can lead to the loss of the wetland habitat and negatively affect the surrounding ecosystem of plants and animals. 

What is wetland mitigation? 

Wetlands play a critical role in creating conditions that favor the growth of plants and soils, and support bird and animal species that can thrive off these foods. For this reason, protective measures are taken on a local, state, and federal level to protect these important regions. 

Wetland mitigation refers to these steps that are put into place to restore, create, enhance, or replace the original state of wetlands. 

Wetland mitigation is crucial to ensure that negative impacts resulting from projects near or on wetlands don’t obliterate these ecosystems. Legally, wetlands may be destroyed, but their loss must be compensated for by the restoration, creation, or enhancement of other wetlands, resulting in “no net loss” of wetlands. 

So, what does the process entail? 

The process requires the assessment of the impacts of a project or damage done to wetlands, and actions to be taken to mitigate these impacts either through replacement or restoration.

The ideal mitigation activities for wetland losses might include offsite or onsite enhancement, or in other cases, buying of credits. Individuals usually buy these credits from any permitted wetland mitigation bank.

Restoration of wetland areas is vital to restore and enhance the conditions of the affected ecosystems, whether it be rivers, estuaries, or springs. In various instances, wetlands act as buffers that safeguard wet and dry ecosystems by eliminating pollution before it reaches more fragile regions.

Development and growth in population are some of the main causes of environmental destruction like the damage that occurs in wetlands.

What is wetland mitigation banking?

Mitigation banking refers to the process of restoring, enhancing, or creating new wetlands, and it aims to compensate for the impacts on wetlands in a different location. 

The process is primarily done to compensate for damage caused to wetlands due to developments nearby. However, it can also be undertaken for agricultural impacts to wetlands. Banks provide the option of purchasing credits to offset the unavoidable impacts of a project.

Mitigation banks occur in two categories: they include wetland mitigation banks and conservation mitigation banks.

Wetland mitigation banks provide the option of purchasing credits to offset the unavoidable impacts of a project on aquatic resources. 

Conversely, conservation mitigation banks are built to offset losses that occur on habitats of threatened and endangered species, as well as other special-category species.

The Swampbuster Provisions, or section 404 of the Clean Water Act, protects the wetlands for the numerous benefits these regions offer. This program discourages farmers from altering wetlands by withholding Federal farm program benefits from any person who: 

• Plants an agricultural commodity on a converted wetland that was converted by drainage, dredging, leveling, or any other means. 
• Converts a wetland for the purpose of or to make agricultural commodity production possible.

Together with the Highly Erodible Land Conservation Program (HELC), wetland conservation also aims at reducing soil loss in areas prone to soil erosion. 

These two provisions apply to all wetlands or any land that is highly erodible. They also impact land that is farmed or owned by an individual who voluntarily participates in USDA programs. Farmers must manage highly erodible land according to an approved conservation plan or conservation system which protects the land from water, wind, and gully erosion.

Those seeking to benefit from various USDA programs are required to be compliant with the conservation provisions by filling out a form known as AD-1026. The form helps to ascertain that these individuals will not dredge, drain, or fill wetlands as they look for places to grow their crops.

However, in certain situations where on-site prevention mitigation becomes a challenge, the Farm Bill permits for offsite mitigation, which is done through mitigation banking. 

How does mitigation banking work?

Now that we have a basic understanding of what mitigation banking entails, how does the process really work? 

Producers are allowed to purchase credits from approved wetland mitigation banks, and these credits are meant to pay for the impacts resulting from lost wetlands. 

Wetland mitigation banks are defined as a wetland, stream, or other aquatic resource area that has been restored, established, enhanced, or preserved for the purpose of providing compensation for unavoidable impacts to aquatic resources.

A mitigation bank is established by a government agency, corporation, nonprofit organization, or other entity that undertakes these activities under a formal agreement with a regulatory agency. 

In the establishment of a mitigation bank, landowners retain both the ownership and use of the property. However, a conservation easement is established to protect any degradation activities on the wetlands.

The quantity of the available credits for sale depends on the scope and size of the wetlands’ restoration, enhancement, or creation. The seller and the buyer agree upon the prices of these credits. 

How to develop mitigation banks

Bank sponsors are the ones who establish mitigation banks. But who is a bank sponsor? 

A bank sponsor refers to any person or entity that establishes wetlands to be used in wetland mitigation banking. Bank sponsors cater to both the cost of developing the wetland and its long-term maintenance, which ensures that the wetlands remain functional well into the future.

Usually, mitigation credits are formulated through a functional appraisal procedure that assesses individual wetland functions. There are only a set amount of credits for sale, and ecological assessment techniques are required in order to certify that the credits compensate for the required ecological functions.

Every credit purchase is deducted from the mitigation bank, until there are no credits left. When all credits have been sold, the bank closes.

Mitigation banks are comprised of four separate components, including:

The bank site

The bank site refers to the physical acreage or land which has been established, preserved, restored, or enhanced. 

One prospective source of space to use for wetland mitigation banks is the land from wetland practices registered in USDA’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The National Food Security Act Manual permits the use of CRP land for wetland mitigation after the expiration of the CRP contract.

The bank instrument

The bank instrument is the formal contract between the bank owners and regulatory agencies, which establishes liability, management, monitoring needs, performance standards, and the terms of credit approval by the bank.

The IRT (Interagency Review Team)

The IRT is the team that offers services such as regulatory review, approvals, and the bank’s oversight. 

The service area

The service area refers to a geographic region in which mitigation credits can be used to compensate for impacts on wetlands. However, these impacts must be permitted, and the credits must be purchased at a particular mitigation bank.

Wetland restoration definitions

Aside from coastal and inland wetlands, the process of wetland mitigation involves a few more frequently used definitions. 

Let’s look at the difference between restored, enhanced, and created wetlands. 

Restored wetlands

Restored wetlands refer to when the land is mostly reverted to its former state through an adjustment in hydrology. However, the restoration of wetlands can fall into a few different categories, as defined by the EPA. 

There are three most common types of restoration-related activities: creation, reallocation, and enhancement. They are similar to restoration, but differ in their processes.

Reallocated wetlands

When most, or all, of an existing wetland is converted to a different type of wetland, it has been reallocated. 

One example of this type of restoration would be when an emergent wetland is converted into a pond. In doing so, one type is converted into another type of wetland, fundamentally changing its function.

Enhanced wetlands

Enhancement refers to the modification of one or more structural features of an existing wetland. One example of enhancement is increasing the depth of the water to better support the growth of plants and wildlife. 

Wetland enhancement is always done to improve the space, whether it creates new positive conditions or enhances current aspects of the wetland. 

It’s important to note, however, that a positive change in one wetland function may negatively affect other wetland functions. This is why these alterations can often be more costly to produce and maintain in comparison to restored wetlands.

Created wetlands

Created wetlands are typically developed in areas where there were no wetlands previously. For this reason, a more elaborate architectural design is necessary, as well as fitting of structures and water pumps.

Fundamentally, created wetlands are placed in an area by some form of human activity. They are typically created to support wetland species’ growth by establishing the correct hydrology. 

What is a wetland mitigation credit?

Wetland mitigation credits, also known as stream mitigation credits, are units of trade which aim to compensate for the ecological losses occurring in U.S. waters. Both the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers control the credits.

These credits require an individual to meet their environmental mitigation permit requirements before they can impact waters or wetlands.

In the past, mitigation banks were built to help compensate for effects caused on various types of wetlands, but they can now be used to cater to particular effects on streams as well. 

In the U.S., the ACE and EPA are the bodies responsible for regulating and approving impacts that occur on aquatic resources. 

On the other hand, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) are responsible for the control and approval of impacts that occur on habitats of listed species.

These four federal agencies help to determine the ideal form and amount of compensation for ecological losses. 

When developing mitigation banks, all these agencies must be involved and they must review and approve the ecological evaluation techniques. This is done to ascertain that the mitigation credits provided offer the necessary environmental functions to compensate for the impacts.

The pros and cons of wetland mitigation banking

Since the first wetland mitigation project that took place in the 1980s, wetland mitigation banking has gained much popularity. 

However, multiple agencies are now shifting from case-by-case wetland mitigation to relying on mitigation banking. This is the restoration, enhancement, or creation of new wetlands prior to a proposed development that will destroy a wetland.

In this scenario, individuals or companies can buy mitigation credits from mitigation banks, as opposed to working through the lengthy process of permitting and mitigation.

The pros of wetland mitigation banking include:

• The wetlands are usually larger.
• They are developed before the destruction can take place on a wetland, allowing them to serve as natural wetlands sooner.
• Money and time is saved through the consolidation of mitigation efforts for several projects.
• The process helps to establish self-supporting wetlands that are environmentally equivalent to the impacted sites.
• The process can lead to the appreciation of the land, especially if private developers want to use it.

The cons of wetland mitigation banking include:

• The process comprises a higher loss of smaller, more remote wetlands that serve a vital purpose in their ecosystems. 
• Wetland mitigation banking can lead to reduced wetland area overall and in a certain watershed.
• Even with the most articulate planning and consideration, the negative impacts on wetlands and streams are sometimes inevitable. Increased development resulting from rapid urban growth requires more and more natural spaces. 
• Although mitigation banking can be potentially profitable, it comes with numerous costs, especially in the review and approval process.

Mitigation banking and land use

When it comes to the selection of sites for wetland mitigation banks, the only sites that qualify include restored, created, or enhanced wetlands. The preservation of current wetlands does not qualify for this process, because it does not offer additional acres of wetlands.

So, what type of land is the best for wetland mitigation banking? There’s a few. 

1. Generally, previous wetlands that have been restored to their original state offer the best possibility for success in improving wetland values and functions.
2. After the restored wetlands, enhanced wetlands are second best in providing optimal success opportunities. 
3. Lastly is the creation of wetland in an area that has never been home to a wetlands. 

When choosing a site, it’s vital to consider the area’s stability, as the bank sponsor must provide long-term maintenance of the site. This helps to ensure that the new wetland remains functional and thrives. 

Final thoughts on wetland mitigation

The protection of our planet’s ecosystems is undeniably one of the best things we can do for future generations. Wetland mitigation is just one of the various ways we can ensure that our wetlands and the habitats for listed species are protected.

If you wish to learn more about how to develop a wetland mitigation plan, you can visit the Interagency wetland mitigation guidance for more information.

Green Coast is a renewable energy and green living community focused on helping others live a better, more sustainable life.

Let’s understand what exactly makes a gift sustainable, and explore 25 examples of sustainable gifts that everyone in your life can enjoy. 

What exactly are sustainable gifts?

The practice of gift-giving has become increasingly wasteful over the years and has the potential to contribute to our landfills worldwide.

In 2019, Americans alone spent around $15.2 billion on unwanted holiday gifts, and 4% of these gifts ended up in the trash can. 

And we know what happens to waste once it finds its way into a landfill – plastics can take hundreds of years to biodegrade, emitting harmful greenhouse gasses as they do so. Textile waste can also emit harmful gasses and release toxins into surrounding water and soil. 

It’s easy to forget all of the processes that went into creating that discarded gift sitting in a landfill. Manufacturing products requires copious amounts of energy, water, and raw materials like trees and fossil fuels, not to mention the resources that are expended transporting products.

Gift wrapping and packaging is particularly wasteful as well – especially items that come packaged in bubble wrap or other plastic materials that are difficult to recycle.

In light of all of the damaging effects that gift-giving can have, sustainable gifts have been rising in popularity in recent years. But what makes a gift sustainable? 

Sustainable gifts are items made from sustainable materials that will not harm the environment once they are at the end of their useful life. These materials are also extracted ethically and do not damage our natural landscape further. Sustainable gifts are also typically packaged in recycled materials that can be recycled again. 

Because of this, purchasing sustainable gifts offers environmental, economic, and social benefits while playing a part in protecting public health. 

Why shop for sustainable gifts?

If you’re aiming to live more sustainably, it’s crucial to think intentionally about the gifts you give. 

You don’t have to be an environmentalist to appreciate receiving a gift that has little to no impact on the environment. Gifting one of these sustainably-made items will not only make you feel good, but your recipient will be thankful for it as well. 

When looking for the perfect gift for a loved one or a colleague, numerous eco-friendly items can pass the test. From ethically-sourced chocolate, or slippers made from responsibly-obtained wool to vegan bags, the list is endless.

Let’s dive in – take a look at these unique sustainable gifts that you can give year round. 

Sustainable gifts for her

From self care products to comfortable pajamas and slippers – these sustainable gifts are perfect for the women in your life, no matter her age. 

1. EarthHero Assorted Self Care Gift Box

This self care gift box is a great option for a day of relaxation. Made up of items from EarthHero brands, this box includes a non-toxic soy candle, a herbal lotion bar, a detoxifying bamboo charcoal soap bar, plant clay face mask, and an exfoliating agave fiber washcloth. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• Ships plastic-free in packaging made with recycled content.
• All of the items included are handmade in small batches in the USA, and thus have less of the negative impacts of manufacturing and transport. 
• Items include all natural, paraben-free ingredients. 

2. Bambüsi Cheese Board and Knife Set

Do you have a cheese lover in your life? This Bambüsi set is an excellent choice for serving cheeses. It offers the best way for you to enjoy those Italian Ricotta slices, French Vacherine, or English Cheddar accompanied by a glass of wine.

Why it’s sustainable: 

• Handcrafted from 100% sustainable bamboo material for superior quality 
• Includes a stainless steel knife with a bamboo handle. 

3. Baabuk Mel Slippers

Looking for sustainably-made footwear for your loved one? These Baabuk slippers are the perfect cozy, high-quality option. Handmade in Nepal by local artisans and offered in eight colors from navy blue to pink, these slippers make a great addition to any outfit.

Why it’s sustainable: 

• Baabuk slippers are made of natural wool, crepe, and cotton 
• Wool is a long-lasting and renewable resource, and Baabuk gently sources their wool from New Zealand sheep twice a year

4. KicKee Women’s Short Sleeve Collared Pajama Set

Who doesn’t love a matching pajama set? This option from KicKee is extra smooth, soft, and easy to care for. KicKee’s Signature Bamboo Blend fabric is more sustainable than other fabric options. 

They come in five color options and a variety of sizes, making it easy to choose the right option for your loved one.

Why it’s sustainable:

• These pajamas are made out of organically-grown and sustainably-sourced viscose from bamboo, which is generally less chemically-intensive to produce.

5. HiBar Maintain Shampoo + Conditioner Bars

This set of Maintain HiBar shampoo and conditioner bars are a perfect gift for all hair types, these bars are 100% safe for color treated hair, and contain no sulfates, parabens, silicone, phthalates, or palm oil. 

These bars serve as a perfect replacement for single-use plastic hair care bottles, and will last as long, or longer, than a 16oz bottle when stored properly. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• This set is packaged and shipped 100% plastic free! 
• Using these products helps reduce reliance on single-use plastic shampoo and conditioner bottles, which are not typically able to be recycled.  
• When finished, these bars are able to be composted!

Sustainable gifts for him

Searching for sustainable gifts for him? Look no further – these items will inspire their recipient to cut down on single use plastics, and feel good while doing it.

6. EarthHero Sustainable Expert Kit

Have an avid hiker or camper in your life? This EarthHero set is perfect for those that are always on the go and want to cut down on single-use waste. The kit includes reusable grocery bags, reusable sandwich wraps, a utensil set, and a lunchbox. 

When it comes to sustainable gifts, this kit not only has great value but will allow its recipient to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• Each item in this kit is sustainably-sourced, made of 100% recycled materials, or stainless steel, making it an all-around sustainable option. 
• In addition, this set is packaged and shipped in recycled materials, and can also be recycled once opened.

7. Badger 3-in-1 Organic Shaving Kit

A family-owned and run company in New Hampshire, Badger’s products are made without chemicals, synthetics, fragrances, parabens, or GMOs. This 3-in-1 set of organic shaving products makes a perfect sustainable self care gift. 

This kit contains a pre-shave balm, shaving soap, and aftershave tonic. Ingredients like baobab, olive oil, witch hazel, and coconut oil create a smooth, moisturizing shave for anyone. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• These products are made of whole ingredients and free of damaging chemicals. 
• Badger’s formulas are USDA Certified Organic, and the company is a certified B Corp. 
• Each product is made locally in the United States. 
• This set is packaged in recycled material, and two products come in glass bottles.

8. Corkor Vegan Front Pocket Wallet

Corkor creates vegan wallets that are high-quality and a better option for the environment. 

This front pocket wallet fits up to ten cards, and is completely vegan. Local artisans produce Corkor products in small batches, ensuring less is wasted in the production process and quality is high. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• Corkor is a direct-to-consumer brand. This means middleman’s profits and commissions are directly passed on to you.
• All of the cork leather used for this wallet is FSC certified, ensuring the protection and adequate harvesting of the cork oak forest.
• Cork is obtained by removing the outer bark of the tree, without cutting or harming it. As the bark replenishes, cork can be harvested again and again.

9. Autumn Woods Collective Mountain Bespoke Bar Box Set

The Mountain Bespoke Bar Box Set contains a 6 oz flask and a bottle opener. The durable flask features a unique mountain design and is great for traveling or to give as a gift. Both wooden flask and bottle opener are handmade in the USA from stainless steel and sustainably harvested wood. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• Autumn Woods Collective plants a tree for every product sold – to date, they have planted over 110 thousand trees!
• Autumn Woods Collective makes their products from sustainably sourced wood that is not on the endangered species list. 

Premium sustainable gifts

These premium sustainable gifts are perfect for a big occasion or when you want to splurge on someone in your life. Take a look at these innovative items that help cut down on waste at home. 

10. Lomi Smart Waste Kitchen Composter

Have an avid gardener or chef in your life? This smart waste composter breaks down waste food and turns it into soil – right on your kitchen counter! 

The Lomi device speeds up the breakdown of organic waste into smaller fragments – quickly, and without the smell and mess. The end result is a natural source of soil nutrients that increase the organic content of soil, helping boost plant growth and soil enrichment. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• Lomi can reduce the garbage tossed in the trash each week by up to 80%. 
• This composter produces nutrient-rich soil which can be used for a garden outdoors, or houseplants alike.

11. AeroGarden Harvest with Gourmet Herb Seed Pod Kit

This innovative AeroGarden indoor herb garden is perfect for food-lovers and gardeners alike. Up to six plants grow at a time in the indoor garden, and they grow in water, so no soil is required.  

The AeroGarden Harvest garden includes a seed pod kit, and a high-performance 20-watt LED grow lighting system that results in rapid natural growth of the herbs. The item comes with a control panel that indicates when to add water, plant food, and automatically turns lights on and off for your indoor herb garden. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• This supply of fresh herbs all year round can reduce reliance on single-use plastics from the grocery store. 
• The nutrients AeroGarden provides contain no harmful pesticides or herbicides. 
• AeroGarden’s seeds are sourced from large and small vendors from around the world. Many are heirloom seeds, organic sources are chosen when available, and GMO seeds are never used. 

12. Twenty39 Qarbo Sparkling Water Maker and Soda Streaming Carbonator

Soda and sparkling water lovers alike will appreciate this at-home soda streaming carbonator from Qarbo.

This product makes it easy to add unique flavors and fruit directly into water, wine, or beer, and get the perfect carbonation each time. Qarbo’s bottles are made of BPA-free PET plastic.

Why it’s sustainable:

• This product can reduce the use of single-use plastics and cans that may not be reusable – most soda bottles cannot be accepted at recycling facilities because they contain a sticky residue. 
• Making soda and carbonated beverages at home can also reduce the environmental impact of producing these products and shipping them to stores where they are typically purchased.

Sustainable gifts for foodies

Food waste can be daunting, especially when it comes to the packaging and preparation of dishes. So for the food lover in your life, take a look at these ethically-sourced treats and sustainable gifts that help reduce waste.

13. Smash Eco-friendly Bento 8-Piece Lunch Kit 

This eco-friendly lunch kit includes everything you’d need to enjoy a waste-free meal on the go: a three-compartment stainless steel lunch box, utensil kit, water bottle, and snack bowl. 

Available in three colors, this leakproof and stylish meal kit will make a great gift for your loved ones that are on the go frequently. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• This set can be reused over and over, helping to keep single-use plastics out of our waterways and landfills.

14. Flying Bird Botanicals Chocolate Lover’s Hot Chocolate Gift Box Set

As the holidays approach, hot chocolate is a favorite gift for all ages. This Flying Bird Botanicals hot chocolate is delicious and ethically-sourced. 

This box set includes four unique flavors: Chokola, Especial, Lavender Mint, and Vanilla Orange. Flying Bird Botanicals takes the extra step to ensure all ingredients are sourced ethically. Their cacao is sourced from Ecuador, one of the few locations that sustainably-grown chocolate is harvested by farmers earning a fair and living wage. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• All products included are compostable.
• Cacao used in this box set is sustainably harvested in Ecuador.
• This set comes in a reusable tin made with recycled steel, and it ships plastic-free in recycled and recyclable content.

15. Conscious Collection Gift Box

This gift will not only delight its recipient, but also has a substantial social impact. The Conscious Collection was designed to make ethical gifting effortless.

From ethically-produced dark chocolate to Earl Gray Tea that supports local tea production and education, each item in this set has a uniquely social and environmental impact.

Why it’s sustainable:

• The Buttery Shortbread Biscuits included in this box were made entirely from renewable energy. 
• The Madagascar Dark Chocolate Napolitains contribute to reforestation projects and use innovative packaging to reduce waste. 
• The Lemon-infused Sparkling Water is made from wonky lemons that would otherwise go to the landfill, helping fight food waste.

16. Ecozoi Large Bamboo Cutting Board with Containers

This Bamboo cutting board from Ecozi is an eco-friendly and BPA-free gift for the chefs in our life. 

However, this is no ordinary cutting board – it is uniquely designed to organize cut veggies and meat on the go while you are preparing your food. The set comes with 2 stainless steel organizer trays to collect the cut food items, saving time, counter space, and dish washing.

Why it’s sustainable:

• The stainless steel and bamboo materials used in this product are more sustainable alternatives than traditional plastic made to create cutting boards and food storage containers. 
• Ecozi uses zero-waste packaging that is made from recycled material.
• Ecozi products are sourced from local artisans, and a tree is planted for each purchase, contributing impactful reforestation and poverty alleviation support.

Sustainable gifts for kids

From eco-friendly beach toys to colored pencils, these sustainable gifts are great options for the little ones in your life.

17. LoveLotte Eco Beach Toy Set for Toddlers & Kids

Looking for an alternative to the plastic beach toys that break year after year? This eco-friendly beach toy set from LoveLotte is a natural, BPA-free alternative to cheap plastic toy sets that harm our environment and the health of our children. 

The deluxe soft-touch bamboo fiber that is used in this beach toy set is heavy duty and stands up to harsh waters and play. The set contains a bucket and three digging tools, perfect for children of any age to enjoy. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• These beach toys are biodegradable! If lost in the ocean or buried in the sand, they will break down into harmless organic matter within approximately 12 months. 
• Produced by a small family business, the purchase of this set will allow LoveLotte to donate a portion of their profits to Plastic Oceans to continue their work educating and promoting change.

18. Sprout Pencils Special Mix Edition

These lead-free pencils seeds in place of an eraser! For those who love drawing, you can help them channel all their artistic desires by gifting them these coloring pencils. After the pencil is used up, they can do more good to nature by planting the seed at the bottom.

The Sprout pencil pack contains eight eco-friendly and biodegradable Sprout pencils: six colored ones and two graphite ones. Each pencil has a capsule at the bottom that carries flowers, herbs, or vegetable seeds.

Why it’s sustainable:

• Sustainable and eco-friendly: the Sprout coloring pencils, as well as the graphite ones, are all lead-free and eco-friendly. They are biodegradable, non-toxic, and made from sustainable materials.
• Sprout pencils and packaging are either PEFC or FSC certified. This means that every time a tree is harvested, another one is planted.

19. Bamboo Little Soft Baby Bamboo Footie Pajamas

For the precious little one in your life, these bamboo footie pajamas make a great sustainable gift. Made out of bamboo jersey made of 95% bamboo viscose, these fabrics are breathable and hypo-allergenic, perfect for sensitive skin. 

Available in sizes from 0-24 months and fifteen colors and patterns, there’s an option for everyone. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• Bamboo plants are grown in water, pesticide-free. They also self-regenerate, making this material a sustainable alternative to other fabrics used in footie pajamas.

20. Pick a Toy Bamboo Rainstick

Music-lovers will adore this sustainably-made rainstick that creates soothing rain sounds. 

This rain shaker from Pick a Toy is made with high-quality bamboo that is easy-to-use, durable, and produces a beautiful rain sound that children of any age will enjoy. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• Bamboo is one of the most sustainable natural resources that can be used to create toys, and a great alternative to unbiodegradable plastics that are typically used.

Sustainable gifts for pets

Sustainable gifts aren’t just for people! These gifts are sure to delight any of your furry friends – without damaging the environment or their health.

21. EarthHero Pampered Pup Dog Gift Box

Have a furry friend that you want to spoil? The Pampered Pup Dog Gift Box is a perfect starter kit for a new and energetic puppy. 

This set comes with essential toys like a tugg-able hemp ball, organic cotton-stuffed dog bone, paw protection salve, and tasty calming chews to entertain any pup. These products are cruelty-free and not tested on animals. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• These products are free of dyes, parabens, chemicals, fragrance, sulfates, and detergents. 
• Every item is made from earth-friendly and plastic-free materials that are safe for pets, humans, and the planet.
• Each product is ethically made in the U.S. or China.

22. Beco Pets Natural Rubber Dog Treat Ball

This natural rubber dog treat ball from Beco Pets is an eco-upgrade to the classic tennis ball that dogs of all ages love! 

Made from 100% natural rubber with a vanilla scent, this ball features a hollow center for hiding treats. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• This item ships plastic-free in packaging made from recycled content. 
• The ball is BPA-free and responsibly-made in China. 

23. Spot Ethical Products 3 Pack of Bam-Bones

Bones are important for the health of any dog’s teeth, but can sometimes cause irritation because of their harsh materials. These Spot Ethical bam-bones are made of strong bamboo fibers that are long-lasting and won’t irritate the pup in your life! 

Why it’s sustainable:

• Bamboo is a more sustainable and gentle material than is typically used in dog toys. 

24. Beco Pets Hemp Ring Dog Toy

Do you know a pup that loves to fetch? This hemp ring dog toy from Beco Pets has you covered! 

Made from recycled cotton and sustainably-harvested hemp, this durable dog toy has tough fibers that clean your dog’s teeth as they chew. Its shape is also perfect for fetch and play indoors and outdoors. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• Hemp is a sustainable material that grows without pesticides, needs very little water and returns 60-70% of its nutrients back to the soil.
• This item ships plastic-free in packaging made from recycled and recyclable content.
• Beco Pets donates 5% of profits towards the Beco Foundation, a non-profit charity run by a third-party board that donates to charities and causes helping animals across the world!
• Beco Pets does not test on animals.

25. Honest Pet Products Eco Mouser

Cats of all ages and temperaments will love this mouse cat toy from Honest Pet Products, which is made from 100% natural hemp canvas and filled with natural catnip. If you’re looking for sustainable gifts with a conscience, then this one should fit the bill!

The purchase of this item will help to support the Americans who help make them in Wisconsin, as well as the crafters in Nepal who handmake several of the wool parts used in Honest Pet’s items. 

Why it’s sustainable:

• Hemp is a sustainable alternative to other materials frequently used in pet toys like plastic or silicone. 
• This toy is 100% biodegradable and uses sustainable materials, helping reduce our carbon footprints. 

Choose sustainable gifts for every occasion you can

As consumers around the world become more eco-conscious with their gift-giving, sustainable gifts are available everywhere. 

The environment is all we have and must take good care of it if we also want to live abundant lives. Since gifting is something most people can’t do without, why not do it in an eco-friendly way?

With the above variety of sustainable gifts, and many more available both locally and online, we can continue creating awareness for every person to do their part in preserving our environment.

In this article, we explain what a circular economy is, how it works and the benefits it may offer, along with examples of circular economies that have already been implemented. 

What is a circular economy?

A circular economy or CE describes a pattern of production and consumption where the resources used are not wasted or eliminated but instead are utilized in ways that perpetuate their use and promote sustainability, incorporating elements of the 3rs of waste management process.

The characteristic of circularity in an economic or business model contrasts with the “take, make, waste” activities of a linear economy. Instead, features of a circular economy include:

Reusing

Rather than disposing of a product, a circular economy finds ways to reuse it again. This may mean that the product is re-sold second-hand, or new and innovative uses for the product may be found. 

Refurbishing

Businesses and individuals can restore items that have reached the end of their lifespan with new materials and components to prolong their use. This reduces the demand for brand-new replacement products.

Repairing 

In a circular economy, broken items do not head straight to the landfill. Manufacturers and retailers actively promote product repair rather than replacement to reduce consumption.

Sharing 

A single item or service can be shared by multiple individuals or households to drive down demand and consumption. The shared item is carefully maintained so that it is always available for use when required.

Leasing (or hiring)

People can lease or hire items for the duration they require them, rather than many people owning their own individual items. For instance, leasing solar panels instead of buying them makes solar energy available to more people.

Recycling

Spent products and items can be recycled into raw materials that are used to produce new items. This prevents the excessive extraction of natural resources and keeps existing materials in use as long as possible. Read more about the pros and cons of recycling.

The purpose of the circular economy

Circular economies have been extensively researched and developed as a strategy for improving environmental sustainability.

Because circular economies aim to eliminate waste, reduce pollution and circulate products and materials more widely, experts hope that the widespread adoption of the CE model will lead to a significant reduction in demand for natural resources and the polluting processes of manufacturing, leading to the regeneration of nature. 

Governments and investors also expect the development of circular economies to create new business models, trades, and livelihoods. The skills associated with activities like product repair and refurbishment may provide employment opportunities across the world. The productivity generated from CE could contribute to long-term economic growth. 

How does a circular economy work?

Circular economies are based on three key principles:

1. Designing waste and pollution out of the economy.
2. Maximizing the time products and materials are kept in use. 
3. Optimizing the regeneration of natural systems.

You can visualize a CE as a linear process spanning the lifetime of the item with multiple feedback loops indicating opportunities for reuse, repair, refurbishment, or sharing. At the end of the product’s usable life, it can be recycled to recapture the raw materials that were used to create it.

Waste materials that cannot be recovered in any other way can be burnt for energy or composted to return nutrients and biomass back to the soil. Used products no longer take up landfill space. When consumers are finished any usable materials are recovered. 

When a consumer finishes using a durable product, it no longer needs to sit in a landfill. The technical cycles of the circular economy make products part of the process so they can be recovered and used to create new goods repeatedly.

What are the benefits of the circular economy concept?

Governments are actively exploring the adoption and integration of circular economies because of their economic and environmental benefits. Advantages of the circular economy approach include: 

1. Reduced waste

One of the key benefits of CE is that it can cut down on the amount of waste that goes to landfill each year. CE reuses and repurposes as much waste as possible so that it can’t have negative impacts on human health and the environment. 

2. Creation of jobs

Running circular economies requires new skills and industrial processes. The International Labor Organization (ILO) suggests that CEs could create up to 6 million new jobs. As well as addressing the environmental impact of textile, metal and plastic waste, processing of these materials as part of a CE could raise living standards in low and middle-income countries. 

3. Reduced greenhouse gas emissions

As CEs consume fewer resources, there are less adverse emissions associated with the extraction, processing, and manufacturing of natural resources. By lessening landfill use, landfill gas emissions (LGE) are also reduced.

4. Business opportunities

CE can help businesses become more resilient. By using recycled or repurposed resources they do not have the expense of acquiring virgin materials. Circular economies may also mean that they can use resources more locally and save on transport costs. By lengthening the usable life of products companies can prolong customer relationships and build brand loyalty.

5. Economic growth

According to analysts at Accenture, the implementation of circular economies could generate over $4.5 trillion in economic output across innovation, new technologies, and employment. In particular, product-as-a-service (PaaS) technology could support sharing services that enable users to share products rather than own them individually. 

6. Reduced consumption

Industry leaders expect a switch from a linear model to circular economies to reduce the rate of resource consumption. There is also the benefit of reclaiming materials from existing products through repurposing and recycling goods on a greater scale. This will help finite raw materials and energy resources be used more effectively.

Circular economy examples

CE programs and strategies have been implemented in almost every industry. Applications of the circular economy include:

• Clothing rental: there have been several startups that have offered clothing rental to the public. Usually, the clothes and accessories offered are designer items. Some companies specialize in maternity wear or babywear.

• Take-back programs: Clothing retailers offer gift vouchers or discounts on new clothes when old usable items are returned. These items can then be processed for textile recovery or sold second-hand. 

• Car-sharing services: Car-sharing initiatives in urban areas can help people save on the costs of car ownership. Car sharing also reduces the number of cars in busy urban areas, reducing emissions.

• Concrete recycling: The construction industry is actively reclaiming and reprocessing concrete and other building materials. Stakeholders expect the adoption of CE to help reduce the significant amount of waste that the construction industry generates. 

• Rare earth elements recovery: Heavily polluting methods are used to extract the rare earth elements used in the semiconductors of electronic products like computers and phones and batteries. Recovering these precious metals from electronics at the end of their usable life reduces the demand for virgin materials and the ecological damage that comes with them. 

Wrapping up

The circular economy offers the promise of efficiently using the resources we already have. Transitioning more of our productivity to circular economy models offers new commercial opportunities and could drive economic growth. 

Currently, CE is being implemented across disparate industries and initiatives but governments and businesses are seeking to make the adoption of the CE approach more widespread.