Many want to live in a more sustainable way, where the choices made on a daily basis have the least possible negative impact on future generations and the environment.
So, what kind of action can you take to live more sustainably? By setting personal sustainability goals in everyday life, you can more easily find motivation to contribute to change!
First of all: What is sustainability?
Sustainability is, in short, about performing actions in line with the ideal of a more sustainable development - and then preferably based on UN sustainability goals.
The UN's objectives include eradicating hunger and poverty, halting climate change, saving marine life and ensuring a responsible relationship between consumption and production.
We like to distinguish between social and environmental sustainability. The former is largely about fighting distress, injustice and poverty. Environmental sustainability, on the other hand, is about combating environmental problems, ie problems that affect animals, ecosystems and nature.
Suggestions for personal sustainability goals
On a personal level, sustainability is often about having a lifestyle that meets one's needs, without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.
Even if you are just one person on a planet with more than 7.7 billion people, your choices can help make a difference. Here are some suggestions on how to look or get an appointment for personal sustainability.
Eat more sustainably
Food is something we all must have, and there are countless choices. However, whether the food you buy in the store is produced in a sustainable way can vary greatly.
The fact that food is sustainable usually means that it is produced in a way that does not go beyond the ability of future generations to produce enough food. In practice, this can be achieved by means of measures such as:
- Production methods that ensure the lowest possible greenhouse gas emissions
- Renewable energy sources are used for production and transport
- Reduced amount of water use
- Use of renewable and environmentally friendly packaging on food products
- Organic production methods are used where biological diversity and the environment are taken care of
If you choose to buy sustainable and organic food products, you can support sustainable food production.
Another tip is to throw away less food. Remember that a lot of food is also fully edible (and just as good!) After the expiration date. This includes eggs and dry powder products. You can also eat more sustainably by choosing short-distance and locally produced food, or growing your own food.
Travel in a more environmentally friendly way
Transport is one of the greenhouse gas worsts in Norway, and accounts for over 30 % of the national emissions. When getting to and from work for example, you can do this in a more sustainable way by:
- Walk or bike instead of driving
- Use means of transport that have a low fuel consumption
- Choose electric over fossil-powered transport
If you have the opportunity to work from home, you may be able to avoid transportation at all. Maybe the meeting can be taken over the phone or Skype, instead of in a physical room?
Contribute to digital sustainability
You can also contribute to a more sustainable world by taking digital measures. If all Norwegians delete five e-mails per day, this can cover the electricity consumption of as many as 1,000 households.
Emails are often stored on huge servers around the world. The more storage space is taken up - the more power is needed to power the server. By deleting emails, you can therefore contribute to a lower power consumption.
4. Focus on sharing economy and reuse rather than buying new
Having a large consumption of clothing, electronics and other things is usually unsustainable. Much of what we buy in stores requires large resources to produce, and may have been transported halfway around the globe before it ends up with you.
By buying used, you can contribute to a lower production need. Reuse is not only smart, but it is also trendy. Shopping for clothes, furniture and other things used is more popular than ever, and there are several used sales platforms you can check out.
Also keep in mind that you do not necessarily have to own things. Sharing economy is a smart concept that means that private individuals or companies can exchange or share between themselves instead of buying new.
For example, do you need a high pressure washer to wash your car? Instead of buying one, you can borrow one. If you can borrow more, you can also live in smaller areas, since you do not need as much storage space. And that in itself is a sustainable initiative!
5. Encourage those around you to live more sustainably
Another sustainability goal you can set for yourself is to become better at encouraging others to make sustainable choices in everyday life. At work, for example, you can encourage more people to drive together or cycle to the workplace, or perhaps suggest more digital meetings.
By setting a good example, you can also influence others to make more sustainable choices on a daily basis. This can have positive ripple effects. The more people who make sustainable choices, the greater the effect.
Flexistore believes in a more sustainable everyday life
As a private person, you can set personal sustainability goals in everyday life. There are many "small" actions you can take that can have a profound effect on future generations and our planet. Yes, as a sharing economy.
We at Flexistore want to facilitate a more sustainable everyday life for most people. We offer smart mini warehouses in Oslo and Bergen, among other places, and here you can store things. Such as a high-pressure washer or bicycle that is not used very often.
Using digital keys, one can easily give others access to the warehouse. This facilitates sharing economy, where you can borrow or buy items from each other instead of having to buy new.
We have prepared a concrete sustainability strategy, and works every day to make Flexistore Norway's most environmentally friendly storage solution!
