Sustainability and Best Practices

Sustainable living is a way of life that aims to reduce your carbon footprint, through reducing, reusing, recycling, and conserving. There are many ways you can incorporate sustainable living into your life. These include utilizing more sustainable household technology, practicing green transportation, buying eco-friendly household products, and more. 

Sustainable living is the goal of making human civilization as environmentally friendly as possible. Luckily, we’re moving towards focusing on the planet as a resource that can be used up, rather than as a living entity that provides for us. This means more people are considering sustainable living as a means to prolong our natural resources, and contribute to the delicate ecosystem. The only way we can truly help preserve our planet is to live sustainably.

Did you know that installing solar panels on your roof can actually help you save money? 

Or that people who live in an eco-friendly home are less likely to get sick? 

Or that LED light bulbs use less energy, last longer, and are more cost-effective than other kinds of bulbs? 

We live in a world surrounded by technology and the energy it uses. It’s important to remember that we can use the technology at our disposal to help improve the world around us. 

The Importance of Sustainability

The idea of sustainability is to offer a better life for ourselves during our time here, and to future generations. We want them to have a better living environment and a better quality of life. This means that we need to find a way to preserve our resources and reduce our carbon footprint. 

That is why sustainability practices now are so vital. In the face of climate change, global warming, and the ever-declining health of our planet, we have to make some serious changes to the way we live by implementing these best sustainability practices. 

The good news is that there are plenty of things each of us can do to help slow down the damage we are doing to our planet. We can all start making small changes in the way we live and make sure our living spaces are sustainable.

8 Ways For Best Sustainability Practices

We all want to do as much as we can to save the world. We want to reduce our carbon footprint, live in a more sustainable home, and eat from our own garden. 

But where to start? 

How do we make an impact? 

There are so many things that we can do to live in a more sustainable way. Here are a few best sustainability practices that you can do to make your home more sustainable.

Wherever Possible Use Natural Lighting

The use of natural light in a room is always a good idea when designing the space. Not only does natural lighting bring in a sense of warmth and coziness, but it can also be a great source of energy. If you have the option to use natural light, it’s always worth it. You can use mirrors to bounce natural lighting around to make a room seem bigger and also make it feel less dark.

Recycle Water And Install Rainwater Tanks

Rainwater tanks are one of the best sustainability practices to be installed in a household. A good rainwater tank holds around 100,000 liters of water and can be used for flushing toilets, watering gardens, washing cars, filling pools, and for all other purposes that you would use water for. Moreover, a rainwater tank can be installed in your home to collect the rain from your roof. 

The recycling of water is not new. Rainwater harvesting is a popular practice, especially in arid countries. We all know that water is one of the most vital components of our lives, that we need it to survive and maintain the health of our planet. 

This means that it is our responsibility to conserve this resource and recycle it to the best of our abilities.

Did you know that Lightwater Cove has an entirely self-sustaining recycled water system?

Minimize Food Waste

The problem of food waste can be solved by recycling food, composting organic waste, donating excess food, and buying only what you need.

One of the best sustainability practices to reduce food waste is to plan meals ahead of time. It’s fantastic to have a freezer in which you can store some of your prepared meals for later in the week. If you have a lot of fresh produce, one of the best sustainability practices is to preserve it by canning or freezing. 

Finally, you can compost the food that you are not going to use. There are a number of composting programs out there that can take your food waste and turn it into rich soil. At Lightwater Farm, we use our compost to grow crops year round.

Reuse Your Recycling Containers

Most recycling containers have a dual purpose. They not only help you to recycle, but they can also serve as a storage container for many of your household items. Whether it’s storing clothing, toiletries, or even food items, recycling containers can be used for many different things. 

Use Natural Or Organic Cleaning Products

We all want to create a safe, healthy, and green environment at home, and there are various ways to do that, including the transition to organic or natural cleaning products. Modern cleaning products can often be full of chemical components that can be damaging to your health and the environment, and eco-friendly cleaning products make a great alternative. 

Just as you might opt for organic food, many people are now choosing natural cleaning products, which are derived from natural sources and are biodegradable. 

These products are great for the environment and safe to use around your family, are free of synthetic fragrances, animal products, and petrochemicals, and are also much less expensive than synthetic cleaning products.

Compost Wherever Possible

Composting is a revolutionary way to reduce waste and recycle food scraps into useful, nutrient-rich soil and is also a great way to turn kitchen scraps into a valuable resource for your garden. 

The tools and techniques for composting are simple, and you don’t have to have your own garden to start composting at home.

Composting does not have to be expensive, difficult, or time-consuming. To get started, you need to decide where you want to compost. The best and most convenient place is right in your own backyard. You can build a compost bin out of wood, brick, or even old tires.

Be Mindful Of Wasting Energy

Living sustainably is not just about reducing our carbon footprint, it’s about living a healthier and happier life. In the world we live in today, being energy efficient is a very popular topic. 

With the rising costs of energy, people are more aware than ever that we need to find ways to be more energy efficient in our homes and execute the best sustainability practices. There are many energy-saving products on the market today, but they can be expensive. 

We are now in a place where people don’t have the time to take notice of the energy they use to operate everyday items. It’s a place where people don’t realize that their energy habits are hurting the environment, and more importantly, the people who live in the environment. 

This is why it’s so important to be mindful of wasting energy, and to understand how much energy you waste and what you can do to help the world become a better place.

Choose Renewable Resources

If you want to make a positive change in the world, you have to start at your home. As an individual, you can positively impact the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. In personal terms, that means conserving energy, reducing waste, and increasing the use of renewable resources. 

It’s easy to become overwhelmed by all the information out there about making your home more sustainable. You can find tips for reducing energy costs, advice on improving the efficiency of your appliances, and the best sustainability practices for finding smart, green building materials. 

Lightwater Cove’s Dedication To Sustainability

Lightwater Cove is dedicated to sustainable living. We’re part of a movement that’s looking for ways to live in harmony with the planet, and with each other — and Lightwater Cove is a shining example of that. 

Our Lightwater Guesthouse is created from recycled materials, energy efficient resources, and we use organic and natural products and materials in our day to day. We’re dedicated to sustainability and committed to using everything at our disposal to create an environmentally friendly experience, including growing our own crops, composting, recycling water and more.

Discover the difference that Lightwater Cove is making in the world. Learn more about our sustainability practices, our organic farm, and book your stay at our luxury eco-resort on Salt Spring Island  today.