Living Basics
Turning off these when you leave a room saves energy.
What are lights?
Buying produce that’s in-season and grown nearby supports this kind of food system.
What is local or sustainable agriculture?
Instead of paper towels, use these washable alternatives.
What are cloth towels (or rags)?
Lowering this in winter and raising it in summer can cut energy use.
What is the thermostat?
Choosing products with this green symbol ensures they were made with the environment in mind.
What is an eco-label (or certified organic/fair trade label)?
Carrying one of these reusable containers reduces plastic waste from bottles.
What is a water bottle?
These types of bags can replace plastic ones at grocery stores.
What are reusable cloth bags (or tote bags)?
Swapping liquid soap in plastic bottles for this solid version helps eliminate packaging.
What is bar soap?
These long-lasting bulbs use less electricity than traditional incandescent ones.
What are LED light bulbs?
Buying from brands that publish full supply chain and labor practices supports this principle.
What is transparency (or ethical sourcing)?
This practice involves giving old items a new purpose instead of throwing them away.
What is upcycling?
The carbon footprint of this red meat is significantly higher than chicken or plant-based proteins.
What is beef?
Instead of single-use plastic cutlery, keep one of these compact sets in your bag.
What is a reusable utensil set (or travel cutlery)?
Installing these on your roof lets you generate your own renewable energy.
What are solar panels?
This type of packaging is made to break down naturally in the environment.
What is biodegradable packaging?
These reusable items have become popular alternatives to plastic wrap.
What are beeswax wraps?
This vegan protein source is made from soybeans and is often used as a meat substitute.
What is tofu (or tempeh)?
Baking soda and vinegar are often used as DIY replacements for these.
What are cleaning products (or chemical cleaners)?
Collecting rainwater for outdoor use is known as this.What is rainwater harvesting?
What is rainwater harvesting?
These short-lived, low-quality items often bought quickly and discarded are part of this harmful shopping trend.
What is fast fashion (or impulse buying)?
This global event encourages people to turn off lights for one hour to raise awareness of energy use.
What is Earth Hour?
Food waste often ends up in these sites, where it creates methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
What are landfills?
This movement encourages people to fit a year’s worth of trash into a single small container.
What is the zero-waste lifestyle (or zero-waste challenge)?
Homes designed to use natural light and airflow instead of heating and AC are called this.
What is passive solar (or passive house design)?
Companies accused of exaggerating their sustainability claims without real action are often doing this.
What is greenwashing?