Activities that won’t expand your carbon footprint.
Once you wrap your head around the need for sustainability, it can be tough to identify things you can do that don’t negatively impact the world around you. But good news! Once you set your mind to it you’ll quickly expand your list of hobbies and find new things that you love. Let’s take a look at a few sustainable hobbies that are good for you and the planet.
1. Running
Running is one of the purest forms of exercise and is a uniquely sustainable hobby. It’s just you and your body without any sort of equipment or supplies. All you really need to do is get a good pair of shoes and some athletic clothing. Please consider investing in shoes that are developed by an eco-conscious brand and, if possible, recycling them after you have worn through them. Carry a reusable water bottle if you anticipate needing water while you’re out or plot your route around existing water fountains or hydration stations. If you are running for an extremely long time then carry a reusable water bottle and bring energy boosting snacks in reusable packaging. By following these steps, you will have the smallest possible impact on the environment and get your daily exercise while engaging in a sustainable practice.
2. Reading
Reading is a hobby that is both personally enriching and sustainable. If you find yourself constantly purchasing books from a bookstore and then leaving them on your shelf once done, then you aren’t engaging in the practice in its most sustainable form. Fortunately, there are better options. Checking out books from your local library is a great way to reuse books. As long as you make sure to return them by their due dates, you essentially have an unlimited supply of books in a variety of genres. In this day and age, Ebooks are also excellent ways to read. When you read electronically, you create zero waste and limited emissions beyond those involved in the production of your reading device and charging their batteries.
3. Gardening
Gardening is another sustainable hobby. Not only are you not creating any waste, but you are planting seeds and flowers that will grow for future generations. Gardening can range from growing vegetables in your backyard to larger flowers and shrubs along your property. Once your garden is blossoming, you will enjoy both the beautiful flowers and the knowledge that your efforts have helped to bring additional elements of sustainability into our ecosystem. These plants will produce seeds of their own, and you can replant these to create even more offspring. This creates a cycle that may endure for an unknown length of time.
There are some things to look out for if you do take an interest in gardening. It’s important to practice good habits while tending to your garden. It’s easy to waste water if you do not water responsibly, and this is clearly not good for the environment. Garden plants that are native to your region rather than importing plants that will not survive your region’s summers or winters. Use the absolute minimum number of resources and don’t take anything more than is needed. Your garden will pay you back with beautiful flowers and vegetables when the time is right. Gardening is all about patience and waiting for the season of your fruit.
4. Volunteering
Volunteering is a wonderful and rewarding hobby. It is an investment of your time that yields substantial benefits. Volunteering at homeless shelters is a popular way to give back to your community. The hours at these shelters are very flexible, so it’s very easy to fit them into your regular schedule without changing much. Everything you need is provided by the shelter, and you won’t need to purchase any supplies on your own. It’s such a simple concept; you just have to show up every week and help as much as possible. Volunteering at a pet shelter is another great option. You can request to handle dogs, cats or guinea pigs as you desire and work with other animals as well. Much like a homeless shelter, you can feel good at the end of the day by your good deeds. Animals are beneficial for the environment for a number of reasons, and you’re saving animal lives every time you feed them. Lastly, volunteering at a preschool or elementary school is another great idea. Many schools need volunteers to look after children and conduct activities. The bottom line is, volunteering costs absolutely nothing out of your pocket and certainly doesn’t hurt the environment. You can have a positive impact every single time.
5. Vegan cooking
Cooking is a great hobby for people of all ages. Even better, vegan cooking tends to be healthier while just as tasty. Vegan foods are good for the environment and are easily composted. A vegan diet consists of lots of fruits, vegetables and nuts. If you don’t finish all the food on your plate, you don’t have to feel bad about tossing it back to the earth. On the other hand, processing meat can cost lots of water and electricity to handle properly. One package of mean, for example, can require hundreds of gallons of water to produce. Vegan cooking doesn’t consume as many resources and the results are just as delicious.
If you are looking for ways to draw down your carbon emissions then engaging in sustainable hobbies is a good place to start. This isn’t to say that you have to quit your unsustainable hobbies, but you should look for ways to make them sustainable. Not only is it good for the environment, but you also can feel good about doing them.