Sustainable goals in 5 key areas

Resolutions can help us improve and work towards personal goals we set for ourselves. But it’s important to include sustainable goals that include the world around us, reminding us to strive for our collective betterment. After all, change begins with us.

While it’s not always possible to go all out and volunteer all our time and resources, we can start small by identifying our individual goals and how we can meet and contribute to those targets in our own lives. Here is a list of sustainable development goals to help you set up a framework for yourself.

Sustainability at home 

Start small by identifying areas of improvement around your own home. Take a look at your consumption patterns in terms of electricity, water, and other resources. It may be surprising how many sustainable goals you can meet in your household alone. Some examples are:

• Stop paper bank and phone bill statements by paying them online instead
• Fix leaking taps and pipes
• Add aerators to faucets to level the flow of water
• Segregate waste in different bins
• Recycle paper waste or look into companies in your locality that offer this service
• Remove the roof rack from your car to decrease fuel consumption by up to 30%
• Take shorter showers
• Carry a reusable water bottle and a cloth bag with you when you step out

Sustainability with your family

Sitting down with your family and working out a list of sustainable development goals together can help teach the importance of being mindful of the environment to children from a young age. It can also help family members keep a check on one another through daily interactions and by creating daily habits. 

• Take turns air-drying laundry to avoid using a dryer
• Create time after dinner to wash dishes together to avoid using a dishwasher
• In case your family follows a non-vegetarian diet, try to limit meals with meat, poultry, and fish, or try your hand at switching to a plant-based diet
• Indulge in arts and crafts during holidays to create eco-friendly decor for the house
• Grow a kitchen garden together which can also help you make healthier meals

Sustainability in the neighbourhood

Neighbourhoods often get together and work towards development goals to make a larger impact, as well as create time for community bonding. Consider reaching out to your own neighbourhood community to create a plan of action.

• Set up an efficient waste management system
• Invest in rainwater harvesting for the building 
• Grow and maintain terrace gardens together
• Create a compost pit and biogas plant, and ensure the two are maintained regularly 
• Install solar panels, and replace street lights and other outdoor lighting with solar-powered lights, or with lights adjusted to a timer

Sustainability at the workplace

A workplace is a great place to take a bigger step towards sustainable living, and you can even discuss taking these initiatives forward with the whole team for a larger impact. 

• Try to avoid printing documents unless it’s absolutely necessary. Try to e-mail them instead
• Replace plastic bottles in conference rooms with clean glasses and a refillable jug of water
• Organize workplace garage sales to encourage second-hand buying and raise awareness on sustainable buying

Sustainability at a global level

This may be a little tricky, but it isn’t completely out of reach. We can all try something small that has a large impact. The first step is to become aware of what options are available to us.

• Seek out environmental groups that commit to volunteering once a week
• Donate directly to a vetted organization that is contributing to a cause you care for
• Calculate your personal carbon footprint with a tool online, and evaluate how you can reduce emissions 
• Look at carbon offsetting programs and consider making a contribution 
• Petition your government to initiate change and prevent the destruction of environmental habitats for human developments 

By imbibing development goals in the many aspects of our lives, we can collectively bring about big changes. The need of the hour is to live more sustainably, and we at Assetz Property Group recognize this. Get in touch with us today if you’re looking for sustainable luxury in the best residential areas in Bangalore.