In case you are wondering what living green means. Here is a simple explanation to help you out. To live green means to make a lifestyle decision that directs one’s activities and engagements on practices which have little or no negative effects on the environment; in essence, plants and animals.

The word “Green” was adopted in the 1970s to qualify the noun “Environment”. The reason for choosing ‘green’ is obvious. It denotes the greenness of the environment. It should go without saying that the world experienced something fascinating on the 22nd of April, 1970, when some 22 million Americans gathered on the streets to call for a healthy and sustainable environment. 

Why is Green Living so important?

Green living helps the environment by bringing down the amount of pollutants that permeate the soil, enters the water or is released into the air. For instance, alternative energy sources have overtime helped to reduce the amount of fossil fuels being burnt. San Francisco and other cities across the world are leading the zero waste to landfill campaign. All these efforts would ensure that less amount of pollutants are exposed or released into the environment.

Studies have shown that by bringing down the use of products made from wood processing, such as paper will help to play in a role towards slowing the rate of extinction of some endangered species that live in the woods. 

Unrecyclable products and other waste materials that have found their way into the oceans have continued to pose a major threat to marine lives. 

How to Live a Greener Life

1. Have an eye on eco-friendly materials: Consider buying more natural fibres. As much as possible go for cotton over polyester. It is argued that cotton feels a lot nicer on the body. In addition to this, however, is the fact that they do not contain stuff like microfibers that enter into the flow through channels or into the oceans from our laundry base.

2. Eat more of a plant-based diet: It should be said that one does not necessarily need to go vegan before you could make an impact. By limiting the amount of meat consumption to a few days a week would go a long way. You can take your baby step but ultimately –see to it that you are making better choices.

3. Shun plastics as much as possible or other materials that are not widely recycled: There are a number of outlets around that are “Zero waste shops” where you could buy unpackaged food. Also, when you step into the supermarket, be deliberate at making sure you buy unpackaged vegetables and fruits.

Leading an eco friendly lifestyle is about living a life that cuts out needless buys. To live a sustainable lifestyle is about consuming less in general one expert once said. 

Green living is the key to having a cleaner environment. And by extension, a cleaner environment is what guarantees a healthy coexistence for all living creatures.

Leonardo DiCaprio is popularly known for his talents in the film industry most notably his role in the movie “Titanic.” He is an eco-activist leading an eco-friendly lifestyle by living green. Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the leading celebrities that has the best interest of the planet at heart. He has dedicated more than two decades of his life making sure this planet we call home is a healthy place to live in. His actions from starting his foundation which raises funds and awareness for the planet and its creatures, to his marching for the climate with fellow eco-activists. He also invests in the vegan industry and active making sure tigers do not go extinct.

A lot of people have also wanted to live a green lifestyle like their favorite celebrities. Leonardo DiCaprio is a great example to follow. Deciding to live an eco-friendly lifestyle is the most difficult step of starting an eco-friendly lifestyle because it requires making sure you commit to some big changes in your life. Sometimes this can be stressful. These are a few tips that can help you live a more eco-friendly lifestyle:

CUT DOWN MEAT CONSUMPTION: This is a huge decision to make but if you want to save the planet, cutting down meat consumption is one good way to do that. DiCaprio understands how important it is to preserve livestock. He has been a vegan for 20 years. He also invested into plant-based milk industry, Califia Farms, and plant-based meat industry company called Beyond Meat. If you really must eat meat or drink milk, you can turn to plant-based meat and plant-based milk such as almond milk.

CUT DOWN USAGE OF PAPER AND RECYCLE: The more paper you use, the more the number of trees in the forest that would be brought down. Using less paper means preserving the trees and the forest and this is a huge step in saving the climate. Recycling of papers used can save 17 trees in the forest according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and it requires less energy consumption. Recycling is one of the easiest ways to live green.

CUT DOWN ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN YOUR HOME: If you are one leaves electrical appliances on, you might need to start turning them off if you want to be more eco-friendly. Energy conservation is important to reduce carbon that is not healthy for the climate.

CUT DOWN FOOD WASTAGE: To live an eco-friendly lifestyle, you must be ready to stop wasting food or cut it down to the minimum. This is because food wastage contributes to the increase in the amount of carbon which is unhealthy for the planet. If you do not want the food, simply decrease your budget and refrain from purchasing.

CUT DOWN PLASTIC USAGE: Plastic usage seems to be the conventional thing to do but this is not good for the climate. Cutting down plastic usage would help the climate. Canvas bags can be used as alternatives for shopping. Also cease from buying wasteful bottled water. Using a water filter can give you quality water to drink and it saves you money. This is a win-win situation for you and the climate.

Greta Thunberg, the 16 years old climate activist addressed the issue of climate change in crystal clear words; when she voiced her resentment about the clouds of darkness hovering over the planet. We could all on some level relate to every bit of her speech. She stated, “You are failing us, but the young people are starting to understand your betrayal… the world is waking up and change is coming whether you like it or not.” We can no longer embrace the role of silent spectators of  climate change; it is about time that Gen Z capitalizes on its vigor and undying zest to help the earth successfully combat against the deadly climate crisis. 

• Increasing participation 

Two virtues principally define the present generation and they are their inclination to question everything at hand and a tendency to rebel. This infers that the youth will no longer blindly follow the mass and they will do everything to make things better. When young people participate in climate action, they automatically encourage the prominent leaders of the country and everyone around the world to join them with sustainable and out-of-the-box ideas. For example, Kherann Yao, the UNICEF Youth Advocate, discussed how schools can be made from recycled plastic bricks. This will not only help to fight pollution, but also increase employment by fabricating a whole new market for recyclables and inescapably escalate the literacy rate. 

• Force politicians to deal with climate change 

In a study conducted by the University of Yale, it was confirmed that the young voters have delineated climate change among the top 10 issues that will influence their decision in the upcoming election. Additionally, 37% of the millennials were of the opinion that they can get in touch with the politicians to discuss climate change if given a chance. And this is, however, not the story of a single country; the picture everywhere is pretty much the same. Owing to the sensitivity of the youth towards climate change, the politicians will be forced to implement wiser regulations in their reign to confirm that their most crucial vote banks are winning the poles for them. 

• The power of social media

After witnessing a steady rise in its popularity, social media has now successfully stepped into the vicinity of what we call the “mainstream” because of Gen Z. By coupling the latest social media trends with constructive campaigns such as the challenge to turn vegan, remove plastic waste from beaches or simply using hashtags to spread awareness will inevitably ring a bell with everyone else. The goal is to wake people up and show them in the eye that we will have to pave a more sustainable path and there can be no other recourse. 

• The leaders of the world must listen 

If the leaders of the world carefully look around, they will see that Generation Z is not asking for anything that is major or unattainable. They are only looking forward to implementing a few fundamental changes in the ways of the world because to roll out a fresh start, the government must take meaningful actions to address the emergency. Like we have already mentioned, the youth wants to do away with the basic glitches that are, reduction of inequality and enrollment of useful reforms that can halt the abuse of power and motivate the leaders to rescue the world from its deathbed with its ability to amend. 

• By educating 

Even though it is believed that knowledge is passed on to us by our previous generations, Gen Z should turn the table on this sequence for the better. According to surveys, children qualify as the decision-makers of the house as far as procuring daily needs from the market is concerned. This implies that whenever you go out shopping with your parents or the elders of your family, instead of tagging along with their choices that might leave a negative impact on the environment, you can educate them on how and why should they steer away from purchasing anything that is not good for the body or the environment.