Life in a fast-paced city can make leading a sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle seem difficult. Living in a small apartment means you barely have the space to fit everything you own, let alone own starting a compost or growing your own vegetables. This is why, most of the stuff you read online about living more sustainably can make it seem like the whole eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyle is not really for you.

But believe me, that’s far from the truth. No matter where you live, it is one hundred percent possible live greener and do your bit for the environment. Sustainable living isn’t only about the grand actions like installing solar panels or throwing out every piece of plastic you own. You can very much lead an eco-friendly lifestyle and do your bit for the planet by taking tiny, imperfect actions. Actions that can easily fit into your current, urban lifestyle without making you feel overwhelmed. And if you need a little inspiration about where to start your sustainable living journey as a city dweller, I’ve got you covered.

Scroll down for some simple ways to live more sustainably without breaking the bank. And the best part? These tips work even if you are an absolute beginner!

• Carry your own water bottle

This is probably the easiest way to be more sustainable in everyday life. Single use water bottles are made from plastic that cannot be recycled. These end up in the landfills and cause so much waste. Instead, start carrying your own bottle of water every time you step out of the house. This is such a simple and effective way to be less wasteful and a great place to start with reducing the use of single-use plastic.

• Use reusable shopping bags

This may seem like a no-brainer, but it took me the longest to adopt. Carrying your own reusable cloth shopping bags is such a simple way to live more sustainably. When you carry your own cloth bags, you don’t need to buy the single-use ones you get at the store. These take hundreds of years to decompose and usually end up at the bottom of the ocean. If you are anything like me and tend to forget carrying one when stepping out, then place them right next to the door or where you keep your wallet. This way you’re considerably reducing the chances of forgetting it at home.

• Switch to cloth rags instead of paper towels

Cleaning with paper towels is a lot quicker and easier, I get it. But it is also extremely wasteful when you think about the number of trees that are cut down to make paper only for you to use it once and then throw it out. Using cloth rags instead is just as effective and a lot less wasteful. You can use old t-shirts, pillowcases, microfibre towels or dish rags to easily clean up a mess without being wasteful.

I like to keep a small stack of these at various places around the house so that they’re easier to grab whenever needed. If you find giving on paper towels completely a little difficult, start with getting a smaller pack and keeping it out of sight. This way you are a lot less likely to grab one and instead reach for the very easily visible cloth rag.

• Reuse and recycle

Reusing and recycling what you already have is the first step to leading a more sustainable life. Before buying something new, think about how you’d be able to reuse it. A great way to do so is to avoid buying single use products and look for reusable products. For example, instead of buying paper or plastic straws, invest in good quality metal straws. Instead of wrapping your food in cling wrap, consider investing in good quality airtight containers to store your leftovers in.

Also, it would be helpful to look around your house to see the things that you can perhaps recycle and use in a different way. The glass jars that sauces come in sauces are a great way to store grains, pasta or spices in. Have a chipped mug you don’t want to drink coffee from? Convert it to a cute planter or a pen holder.

• Unplug your appliances when not in use

Did you know that your devices consume energy by just being plugged into the socket even if they are not being used. This ends up consuming a lot more energy than you can imagine, leading to power wastage. This includes your wifi, television, and your computer. By simply turning off the device and unplugging it from the socket completely helps save more energy. Oh, and don’t forget to turn off the lights and fans before leaving a room.

• Look for a library or switch to e-books

I’ll be honest with ya, this is something that took me a little while to implement in my own life. As someone who loves books and only needs an excuse to buy more, switching to e-books did not come very naturally to me. But buying a new book every time and then letting it just sit around at home not just occupies space but is also pretty wasteful.

Consider getting a membership at your local library. Circular economy is a great thing to adopt when it comes to sustainable living. You could even swap books with your friends and family. Getting an ebook reader has honestly changed the game for me. Not only do I not have to worry about not having space for my books, but i can also read as long as I want in bed without bothering my husband by keeping the light on. Recently, I have started listening to audiobooks on my walks and while doing chores around the house, and I must say that I am really enjoying it.

• Cook more meals at home

It can be very tempting to order in after a long day at work. But ordering food comes with excess plastic packaging and transport costs, which ends up being wasteful. Cooking more meals at home using fresh, local ingredients is an underrated yet great way to be more sustainable. If you find it difficult to cook every single day, try prepping your meals in advance or making simple recipes that do not require a lot of ingredients or time. YouTube has a tonne of those you can check out!