What Black Families Should Know To Live A More Sustainable Lifestyle In The City

A report published by the Center For Sustainable Systems revealed that it would take 5 earths in order to support the current lifestyle of Americans today with its finite natural resource base.

Given that 13.4% or over 50 million of Black families are part of the U.S. population, implementing small and seemingly insignificant lifestyle changes to help save the environment can compound into something bigger that can help save the lives of both human and animals.

Read on for some helpful tips on how Black families can lead a green lifestyle despite living in the city.

Reduce Carbon Emissions from Cars

Transportation is indeed one of the main contributors of public health issues and reduces the quality of life for Black families who are living in highly congested communities.

However, not everyone can trade their old gas-guzzling cars for the latest solar-powered vehicle just to reduce carbon footprint.

Thankfully, there are many low cost options like walking, biking, or taking public transportation whenever possible to reduce significant environmental impact from vehicle pollution.

This is accompanied by some added health benefits since walking 10,000 steps everyday was proven to improve one’s sleep quality and reduce one’s risk for many diseases.

On the other hand, if a car-free lifestyle is not an option, you can opt for regular tire inflation and tune-ups to increase their vehicle’s fuel efficiency to about 40%.

Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products

Keeping a home clean is a must if you live in the city. Unfortunately, most of the cleansers and disinfectants available in the market not only harm people’s health, but they’re also toxic to the environment.

One way to practice eco-friendly cleaning is to hire professionals to do standard cleaning and regular maintenance every few months or so, since some companies make it a point to practice sustainable cleaning methods.

Meanwhile, when shopping for green cleaning agents, it is crucial to shop conscientiously and look for cleaning products made with sustainable ingredients.

Unlike the standard shop-bought cleaning products, environmentally-friendly cleaning products have far less of an impact to the fragile ecosystem. 

Another pro tip is to pay attention to labels and look for the Design for the Environment (DfE) certification label to identify products that contain safer ingredients for the environment.

Not only will this help the environment, but it will also help your family save a few bucks each time you go shopping.

In fact, after surveying 30,000 of respondents, the Nielsen Global Home-Care has concluded that families are now opting for cleaning products that are not formulated with harmful ingredients for human health and the environment.

Consume Sustainable Food

Eating sustainably means consuming locally-made food and produce, so shop for fruits and veggies that are in season, and limit the amount of processed food that your family eats.

You can also try container gardening to grow your own veggies in your house or apartment. You can also limit takeout and food deliveries and cook your own food as much as possible. 

Avoid Plastics and Non-Reusable Products

Today, tons of plastics are can be found in 40% of the world’s oceans, according to a recent study led by the Center for Biological Diversity.

These billion pounds of plastic never goes away and are ingested by sea turtles, seabirds, seals, and other aquatic animals.

To alleviate this problem, your family can implement simple things into your day-to-day lives like opting for  biodegradable containers when getting a morning coffee, or bringing a reusable bag rather than a plastic one when shopping groceries. 

With billions of people in the world, the demand for fossil fuel and other limited resources are pushing many species to extinction.

But despite all the disheartening things happening in our environment, individuals and families can still take action and make a difference to help slow climate change and save wildlife, despite living in a busy city.