Sustainable September: smart (and surprising) ways to live greener

Sustainability doesn’t have to mean overhauling your life. Sometimes, it’s the small, less-obvious changes that make the biggest difference. This Sustainable September, we’re sharing a few clever (and hopefully new) habits to reduce your footprint, without sacrificing your lifestyle. 

1. Offset your air miles

If travel is on your calendar, consider investing in carbon offsets. It’s a small cost added to your flight that funds climate-positive projects like tree planting, renewable energy, or conservation. Many airlines now offer offset options at checkout, or you can search for trusted carbon offset programs independently.

2. Wash cold, dry slow

Skip the hot wash. Washing your clothes in cold water not only slashes energy use, but also extends the life of your clothes, reducing textile waste. And while we love the convenience of a dryer, line-drying your laundry helps preserve fabric quality and eliminate CO₂ emissions.

Bonus: the sun is a natural disinfectant.

Image: clothes drying in the sun

3. Run full loads only

Waiting until your dishwasher or washing machine is full before running a cycle maximises water and energy efficiency. It’s one of the easiest ways to conserve resources, plus you’ll save money on your utility bills too.

4. Collect cold water from showers

While you wait for your shower to heat up, place a bucket underneath to collect the cold water. It’s clean and perfectly reusable—for watering plants, cleaning floors, or even flushing the toilet. It’s an easy way to cut back on water waste without much effort.

For other water saving tips in the bathroom.

Image: water running in shower

5. Boil only what you need

It might seem small, but boiling a full kettle for one cup of tea is one of the most common home energy drains. Fill the kettle with your cup to heat just what you need. Less water = faster boil = less electricity used.

6. Make your devices last longer

Electronic waste is one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world. Extend the life of your tech by:

• Turning your phone or devices off at least once a week

• Uninstalling unused apps to improve performance

• Using protective cases and screen covers

• Getting old devices repaired instead of replaced

And when it’s time to upgrade? Donate or recycle through an e-waste program. Read this blog to learn more about e-waste and what you can do.

Image: woman with a laptop and phone

7. Declutter your cloud storage and inbox

All those old photos, unread emails, and cloud files live on energy-hungry data servers. Delete what you no longer need, it’s like spring cleaning for your digital footprint.

8. Unsubscribe from unused streaming services

Not watching it? Cancel it. Cutting back on unused subscriptions reduces streaming demand (and energy use) across data centers. Plus, your bank account will thank you too.

9. Try the “no new” challenge

Aside from essentials, try going for a month without buying anything new. Borrow, thrift, repurpose, or simply go without. It’s a great reset and often surprisingly freeing. If a full month feels like too much, try it for a week.

Image: clothing at a thrift store

10. Support B Corps & ethical businesses

How you spend your money helps shape what businesses thrive. Choosing certified B Corps or brands with ethical supply chains supports businesses that prioritise people, planet, and transparency. Look for labels that verify sustainability — and avoid greenwashing by researching what they really stand for.