The Ultimate Guide to Sustainable Eco-Living for Conscious Millennials

Green living ought to be easy on the wallet and the body. Already you are well-acquainted (or at least it should be this way, but for generations hasn't been) that more than any generation that preceded you in at least some centuries (as in, more than at least the last few) you share your collective future, with all puppies and babies, because of the climate change future more than anyone else. The good news? Never has the eco choice been so easy to make — and generally cheaper besides. This is your guide to real, today-lifestyle ways to live sustainably without busting your bank account or your lifestyle.

One of the best parts, though, is that sustainable living can be a part of all of these stages of life (and even more — for example, as a college student in a dorm, young professional with your first apartment on your own or with roommates, or as you start a family). Today, we are going to explore how a handful of changes could make a large difference not just for the planet but for your wallet.

Going Green Starts with Millennials

At the moment, eco-friendly consumers are largely made up of millennials. They are the sons and daughters of Generation X, born between 1981 and 1996, and by the time they were old enough to be paying attention, the world appeared to be on its last breath: natural disasters have become de rigueur, and rising sea levels are no longer a vague and nebulous threat of a future that may or may not happen. Millennials are the first generation to grow up with green (environmental) education being "integrated into their learning experience up to and out."

Millennials are even more interested — 73 percent are prepared to pay extra for sustainable products. And they are more likely to look into environmental policies of companies they patronize. This generation knows that you doing something small, disjointed, on your own won't get you anywhere. On the other hand, persuade millions to just stop buying even one plastic bottle a day and we could have a national wholesale revolution.

It was a reminder of something that I know but don't think about very often: Millennials are the first generation to have grown up with the internet (and, in their case specifically, social media), and it has done wonders in terms of people being aware of the environment and their individual impact on it. People on Instagram and TikTok are rife with tips and tricks to live sustainably, in turn making going green cool and easy. Vegetarian and vegan recipes, fashion suggestions or zero-waste challenges give way to an emerging community of other young people who are joining the bloggers in their mission.

How to Green Your Home Without Breaking the Bank

Energy-Saving Hacks That Actually Work

You do not need to remodel your home in order to enable it to be more energy efficient. Begin with these simple tweaks that pay off in two to three months.

LED Bulbs: Upgrade your existing incandescent bulbs to LED bulbs. They also use 75% less energy and last 25 times longer. A typical LED bulb saves about $6 a year on electricity.

Smart Power Strips: Certain components use electricity whether they are off or on. These power strips shut down power to a number of types of plugged-in electronics in sleep mode as well, which also saves you an additional 5-10% on their energy bill.

Programmable Thermostats: Get to know your schedule and what makes you comfortable, and let your thermostat figure out the rest. Savings of up to $131 per year on heating and cooling.

Window Treatments: Insulate with heavy curtains or blinds to keep the heat out in summer and in during winter. The simple act of having the right window treatments can save you up to 15% of the energy you would otherwise use.

Water Conservation Made Simple

Water waste is a tangible thing that costs the city and the environment. These fast fixes can help you save water without disrupting your day:

Low-Flow Showerheads and Faucet Aerators - Cut water use by up to 50%

Repair those Leaky Faucets, Pronto - A leaky faucet may not seem like an excessive waste of water but it amounts to over 3,000 gallons per year for a single drip.

Brief Showers - 2 minutes less in your shower will save 5 gallons

Run Full - Save A Lot: Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes -- 1,000 gallons/month saved

DIY Natural Cleaning Products

Nearly all commercial cleaning products are overloaded with toxic chemicals, packed in unnecessary waste. "It's not only much more economical, it's a lot healthier for your house and the environment," she said.

Cleaning Task

Homemade Recipe

Cost Savings

All-purpose cleaner

1 cup water + 1 cup white vinegar + lemon essential oil, to your liking

70% less than store-bought

Glass cleaner

2 cups water + 1/2 cup vinegar + 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol + 1 tsp liquid soap

60% cheaper than commercial brands

Scrub cleaner

Baking soda + liquid dish soap until desired consistency

Extremely cost-effective

Air freshener

Water + your favorite essential oils + a spray bottle

Saves significantly over commercial products

Sustainable Eating on a Budget

Plant-Based Eating on a Dime

You needn't go all the way to full vegetarian to make a substantial dent. One day a week not eating meat can save 1,900 pounds of CO2 per year. How to eat more plants on a budget:

Seasonal Produce: Only buy what's in season. Seasonal produce can be found at a fraction of the price when produced outside of its growing season. You can score some killer deals on fresh, in-season produce at local farmers markets.

Opt for Frozen Vegetables: In fact, frozen vegetables are often more nutritious than fresh veggies that have taken a long truck ride. They're cheaper, and longer-lasting, too — meaning less wasted food.

Do Bulk Cooking: Prepare plant-based meals in large quantities and freeze what you did not use immediately. It saves time, money and effort by serving healthy food choices.

Grow Herbs: Herbs are so expensive – but you can easily grow them at home! Basil, mint, parsley fresh all year, from a windowsill garden.

Master Your Food Waste

Americans throw away 40% of all the food they buy, representing a cost of $1,500 per year for the average family. Economical ways to squash food waste and how you can save money with it. By taking these steps, you can minimize waste and keep cash in your pocket:

Weekly Meal Plan & Shopping List - Only buy what you need!

Storing Properly - This also means storing produce properly so that they last longer (dark and cool for potatoes, herbs in water, like you would flowers)

FIFO - First In, First Out - Utilize older items before new ones

The art of recycling - How to make yesterday's roasted vegetables into today's soup

Shop Local and Organic as Much as Possible

Local and organic aren't always better. Prioritize the items that have the largest environmental impact:

THE DIRTY DOZEN – These are the top 12 fruits and vegetables that you should try to buy organic whenever you can because they tend to have the highest pesticide residue:

1. Strawberries

2. Spinach

3. Kale

4. Peaches

5. Pears

6. Nectarines

7. Apples

8. Grapes

9. Peppers

10. Cherries

11. Blueberries

12. Green beans

Local Meats – If you must eat your meat, go for local, grass-fed options when you can. Local grass-fed meat has a smaller environmental footprint and will often be a better dollar value per pound than the fancy premium grocery store options.

Smart Transportation Cost Savings

The Case for Car-Free Living

The average person saves $9,000 per year by not owning a car and largely decreasing their carbon footprint. How to make car-free living work:

Public Transit: Try buying a monthly pass in most cities – it's probably cheaper than 1 tank of gas. Many employers provide transit subsidies that further push down costs.

Bike Share: $15-30/month unlimited use of bikes in many major cities. Perfect for short trips and errands.

Car Sharing Services: If you use a car for only occasional drives, both Zipcar and Car2Go are cheaper than owning if you drive less than 7,000 miles per year.

Electric Scooters: With fares starting at $1.00 a ride, e-scooters are fast, fun and cheap for trips between 1-3 miles. There are affordable scooter-share programs in most cities.

Optimizing Your Current Ride

But if you need to go somewhere, these are the ways to drive that will save gas and preserve the environment:

Keep Proper Tire Pressure - Improves gas mileage by as much as 3%

Lighten The Load - You lose 1-2% of fuel efficiency for every 100 pounds in your vehicle

Group errands together - Engines are less efficient when cold

Don't Jack Rabbit Away from the Lights - Aggressive driving reduces fuel efficiency by 33%

Use Cruise Control - Keeps vehicle speed constant for optimum highway mileage

How To Build A Fashionable Wardrobe Without Breaking The Bank

The Truth About Fast Fashion

The fashion industry creates 10% of all humanity's carbon emissions and is the second-largest consumer of the world's water supply. Fast fashion fuels a culture of disposability in which people purchase low-cost clothes that quickly fall apart and then get sent off to charity shops or landfills. The average American discards 81 pounds of clothing each year.

Smart Shopping Strategies

Quality Over Quantity: Purchase less, but higher-quality, items. Wear it just ten times and you've paid that shirt $1 every time you wore it, just $1.50 less than the cost per wear of that lusted-after item.

Shopping Second-Hand: Pay 90% LESS for designer clothing with the consignment shops. Thrifting keeps clothes out of landfills and also saves you money.

Clothing Swaps: Swap clothes with friends you would like to wear anymore. Everyone gets "new" stuff without having to spend and without having to generate production demand.

Capsule Wardrobes: 30-40 pieces in a closet to mix and match so that you never have to make a decision and everything gets worn.

Caring for Clothes Sustainably

Reasonable care increases the life of clothing and lessens environmental impact:

Cold Water Wash - Uses less energy and prevents color fading

Hang Dry If Possible - Save drying energy and avoid shrinking

Spot Clean - Only use clean water or a mild detergent in touch-up spots

Proper Storage - Use padded hangers and careful folding to protect clothes

Green Tech That Puts Money in Your Pocket

Solar Power Your Home

Solar has gotten way cheaper. These community solar programs are giving renters access to solar power, saving 10-15% on their utility bill with no upfront cost.

Residential solar panels were 70 percent cheaper in 2018 than in 2010 on a per-watt basis. It is thus financially convincing to invest in the system (payback period 6 to 8 years by electricity savings) instead of paying for up-front capital costs.

Smart Home Devices Worth Buying

Smart Thermostats: Versions such as Nest and Ecobee learn household patterns and the best home heating/cooling runs, cutting 10-15% off energy costs.

Smart Water Monitor: Instant leak detection and usage insights. Early leak detection stops water damage in its expensive tracks!

Smart Power Monitoring Outlets: Monitor actual use of individual appliances, appliances can also be turned on or off remotely.

Creating Community Around Sustainable Living

Local Environmental Groups

Join together with others who share your values to multiply your influence. Look for local chapters of:

• Sierra Club

• Environmental Defense Fund

• Local sustainability groups

• Community gardens

• Beach cleanup organizations

Online Communities and Resources

Offering advice, tips and finding local resources — these are the types of things people need to hear and can do so through digital platforms:

Facebook Groups: Join zero waste/ local environmental sustainability communities.

Apps for Sustainable Living:

• HappyCow: Vegetarian restaurant guide

• Buycott: Research companies' environmental practices

• JouleBug: Track sustainable living impact

• Too Good To Go: Purchase excess unsold food from restaurants and shops at a discount

Measuring Your Environmental Impact

Carbon Footprint Calculators

You can find out more about your environmental footprint, and where you could make improvements, here:

EPA Carbon Footprint Calculator: A free tool to estimate between 3 and 12 metric tons of carbon pollution per year produced by your household from energy, transportation and waste.

Carbon Trust Footprint Calculator: Detailed analysis including diet, shopping and travel.

Setting Realistic Goals

Sustainable living is not a place to arrive at, but it's on a spectrum. Keep it realistic and celebrate the little things:

Monthly Challenges:

• Week 1: Swap out one cleaner for a DIY alternative

• Week 2: Try three new plant-based meals

• Week 3: Walk or bike to do errands within two miles

• Week 4: Audit your energy consumption and tackle one efficiency opportunity

Annual Goals:

• Decrease energy use in the home by 10 percent

• Cut meat consumption by 25%

• Buy 80% of clothes second-hand

• Go one month without wasting any food

The Future of Sustainable Living

Emerging Technologies

Innovation brings sustainable living closer, cheaper:

Lab-Grown Meat: Companies such as Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods create plant-based alternatives. Lab-grown meat made of animal cells nears first commercial production.

Vertical Farms: Space-saving indoor farming for 360 crops/year, 95% less water, no pesticides! Advancements in technology will drive down the cost and availability of locally grown products.

Electric Vehicles: Growing charging infrastructure makes electric cars more practical. For a few more years, advances in battery technology will continue to drive the price of electric vehicles down.

Policy Changes to Watch

Sustainable ways of living have been increasingly encouraged by government legislation:

• Energy efficiency building standards for new construction programs

• More cities with bans on plastic bags and container deposit programs

• EV and charging tax incentives

• Clean energy procurement mandates

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Isn't sustainable living expensive?

A: Energy saving devices like LED bulbs, energy-efficient appliances and reusable items also help cut down on monthly costs. A lot of sustainable practices — cooking at home, eating less meat, buying thrifted clothes — are also cheaper right now.

Q: What sort of difference can one person make?

A: The contribution of any given person is more significant than people realize. If every American household reduced carbon output by only 10 percent, it would remove 600 million tons of CO2 each year. Personal changes also ripple out to friends and family, magnifying your impact.

Q: One change with the biggest impact?

A: The single biggest thing you can do is to reduce your reliance on cars and start using public transit, biking or walking instead of driving for most people.

Q: How do I stay motivated when sustainable living feels overwhelming?

A: Keep it limited to one area at a time initially. Join Facebook groups or local meetings for encouragement and accountability. And don't forget, practice makes progress, not perfection.

Q: How can I tell which eco-friendly products really are worthy of the name?

A: Try to find third-party certifications such as Energy Star, EPEAT or USDA Organic. "Steer clear of broad terminology such as 'natural' or 'eco-friendly,'" Mr. Szmigiel said. Study the real environmental practices of research companies rather than marketing claims.

Q: Can renters live sustainably?

A: Absolutely. The same can be said of efforts to conserve energy, save water, eat sustainably, commute green, drink mindfully and be a responsible consumer — none of which necessarily demands homeownership.

What to Do Next on Your Sustainable Living Journey

Living a sustainable lifestyle isn't an overnight event. Pick one or two areas to begin with, based on your desires and financial resources. Search for modifications that pay for themselves in savings on your utility bills and any positive impact on the environment.

It's all about progress, not perfection, when it comes to sustainable living. A step closer sparks movement that reimagines consumption, power use and the way Earth and we relate.

The first step is getting started. Pick one idea from this guide and try it this week. Once that change is a habit, proceed to the next. Before long, you'll be acclimated to a life that's healthier for the planet, and for you.

You can make a difference in this! And with every choice you make, no matter how deliberate, you cast a vote for the future. The planet — and your wallet — will thank you.