What Exactly is Sustainable Living?

I have been reading a lot about the sustainable living movement. It is growing by leaps and bounds, but as for a simple definition on how to live simply, well I am stumped.

If I said I was a vegan everyone would know that being a vegan means I don't eat dairy and I don't use eggs. When I tell someone I have chosen to live a sustainable lifestyle, most people would not know what I was talking about.

From the Wikipedia on line encyclopedia the term sustainable is defined as "the ability to continue a defined behavior indefinitely." They go on to further define sustainable living as, "a lifestyle that could, hypothetically, be sustained without exhausting any natural resources. The term can be applied to individuals or societies. Its adherents most often hold true sustainability as a goal or guide, and make lifestyle trade-offs favoring sustainability."

I wanted to find out what other definitions of sustainable living are out there. I felt that living a lifestyle without exhausting any natural resources was a little vague. How do I not exhaust any natural resources? I just did not understand?

I came across the Sustainable Living Network, an informal organization of people seeking to further understand the practice of sustainable living. They define the concept as, "an approach to social and economic, indeed, all activities, for all societies, rich and poor, which is compatible with the preservation of the environment. It is based on a philosophy of interdependence, of respect for life as well as non-living parts of Nature, and of responsibility for future generations. "

If we approach sustainable living as a way of life that will preserve and protect the earth for our children it makes the concept a lot easier to grasp.

To live sustainably means to live in a manner that preserves our environment. The path to living sustainably has many different roads. To live sustainably one would need to reduce the impact on the earths resources.

One easy way to do this is to think local when it comes to produce. Instead of going to the grocery store for your produce, check out your local farmers market. Most of the products are organic, and the produce will be coming from you home state as opposed to being flown in from across the country or even across the globe. This simple item will not only support your community but it will reduce your carbon footprint on this earth by cutting down on the amount of fuel needed to bring food to your table.

Another way to live sustainably is to live more simply. The first thing that comes to mind in living simply is reducing all of the frills and luxuries in our life that don't really add value to our lives. If you are living simply you don't need to go out and buy the latest hottest accessories to add to your collection, you have one a closet free of clutter, and are proud of the fact that you don't have a life riddled with excess.

Another way to live simply is to bike whenever possible. You will benefit from the fresh air, and freedom that you feel being outdoors. You will be able to go places you never knew existed, and you will be minimizing your carbon footprint.

Living a sustainable lifestyle will benefit the earth and it will benefit you. It isn't something that you will be doing all at once, but rather you can take one step at a time. Incorporate buying local produce whenever possible into your life until it becomes a habit, then reduce the time you spend in cars by bicycling. Sustainable living is a lifestyle choice that you will do, and do with pride every day.

Sustainable living is a practice that you can start today. What is stopping you from reducing your carbon footprint and living the sustainable lifestyle? Why not make a few simple changes today with pride to know that you will be contributing to make the earth a wonderful place for future generations to come.