16 Ways To Be More Eco-Friendly That Are Actually Realistic

From mending clothes to owning chickens, these tips are pretty reasonable.

While the choices we make every day can help make a positive impact on the planet, it's not always easy to rearrange your lifestyle just to take on a new eco-friendly habit.

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So when Reddit user JDB3326 asked, "How can I become a more eco-friendly person without going over the top?", they were showered with answers from people who shared suggestions about realistic ways of being eco-friendly.

So without further ado, here are the best — and most practical — ways to be a lil' more eco-conscious every day:

1. "Buying secondhand."

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"Buying secondhand if I can. Clothing manufacturing is a big polluter and water usage–heavy, so if I buy from a charity shop or eBay then I’ve reduced demand." —u/RogueCandyKane

"Look into buying secondhand and enjoy the Armani blazer and Kate Spade handbags...but secondhand and affordable." —u/upbeatbasil

2. "Carry a reusable water bottle in your car."

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"Carry a reusable water bottle and tumbler in your car (mine live in my cupholder). Both have straws (either built in or a metal one) to make it easier for me to consume while driving.

Most convenience stores let me fill up my bottle with (fountain) ice water for free and most will give me a discount for coffee in the reusable cup." —u/crazycatlady331

3. "If you throw something away, look for ways to replace it with something reusable."

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"In general, if you throw something away, look for ways to replace it with something reusable or better yet find a way to just eliminate it all together. Even if it's recycled or composted, eliminating or reuse is better. Although switching from landfill waste to other streams is still a step in the right direction." —u/a_leprechaun

4. "Something that works well for me is a quick change in mindset when I'm shopping."

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"I'm the kind of person who loves impulse shopping. But now when I go into a store and see something that I like that was not already on my shopping list, I take a photo of it and I don't buy it that day. And I come back the next day for it if I still want it. More often then not I don't go back for it. And if I didn't even feel like I needed it 24 hours later, then clearly I didn't really need it. More likely than not I would just end up throwing it out or donating it. The amount of things I buy has gone way down and I've saved a lot of money!" —u/lamerthedestroyer

5. "Drink water instead of other drinks."

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"One of the easiest things to do, is simply drink water instead of other drinks as often as possible. It's also good for your body/well-being/teeth.

If you're going out to a bar, obviously you'll be having beer or cocktails or something, but if it's a hot day and you're thinking about buying a bottle of soda or juice, just have some water. You carry your own cup, bring water from home and fill it at the tap. At work, keep a cup you can refill from a tap. If you're outside, just choose not to buy a drink. Find a water fountain or if you go to Starbucks, they'll give you water for free (ask for a glass, not a paper cup)."

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6. "Cut down on how much you eat meat."

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"Choosing not to eat meat when I can, for example in a restaurant choosing from a menu. So it’s not exactly vegetarianism, but doing my bit to reduce the demand." —u/RogueCandyKane

"Could you cut down on how much/how frequently you eat meat? If you're doing chili, maybe you could do half ground beef and half TVP [textured vegetable protein]. Maybe you could do two vegan dinners per week. Don't look at it as denying yourself your pleasures — look at it as making compromises between your wants and the environment's needs. Shopping at local butchers can also help." —u/yasssbench

7. "Not surrounding myself with future garbage has had a great impact on my happiness."

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"I’ve found that not surrounding myself with future garbage has had a great impact on my happiness and nobody notices except at the grocery store. If anything, people assume I’m wealthier or have refined taste because I use/insist on quality materials over junk. A real espresso served in a little ceramic espresso cup is classier and less wasteful than a 20-oz Frappuccino in a plastic cup/lid/straw any day. It’s actually a pretty great lifestyle." —u/september2january

8. "Chickens."

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"Chickens. Get some chickens. Feed 'em scraps. Compost the waste in a garden. No matter where you go in the third world you will see chickens. Chickens." —u/Serendipity_Visayas

9. "Mend things."

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"My recommendation would be to buy secondhand where possible, and mend things so you can use them for longer before throwing them out. It looks like you already have that 'secondhand and mended stuff is as good as new' mindset, so that's cool!" —u/cassolotl

10. "Consider getting some reusable silverware to carry with you."

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"When you're out, consider the packaging in purchasing decisions and consider getting some reusable silverware and straws to carry with you. We found some bamboo sets that are dishwasher safe and love them!

Just through this, I've been amazed with what we've been able to replace or eliminate in our home." —u/a_leprechaun

11. "Ask what they're doing to make their packaging more sustainable."

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"I guess I would say that if you still want to eat a burger from a major fast food restaurant, you could write to them and ask them what they're doing to make their packaging more sustainable and stuff. You could recommend that they give a discount to people who bring their own reusable packaging and utensils, for example." —u/cassolotl

12. "Dyeing jeans that have faded rather than buying a new pair."

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"I don’t follow a set list but for me it’s a mentality. I try to consume less, reduce the demand on resources. That doesn’t mean I go without, I just do things differently. Examples include dyeing jeans that have faded rather than buying a new pair." —u/RogueCandyKane

13. "Buy top of the line energy efficient appliances."

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"One thing you can do to save yourself money while lowering your footprint is to buy top of the line energy efficient appliances that are Energy Star rated. Find a sale like Black Friday, and combine it with local rebates for maximum discounts too. Enjoy the utility savings!" —u/upbeatbasil

14. "Meatless Mondays."

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"Meatless Mondays has actually put quite a dent in the US beef economy. If you're looking for a small change, this is a great one to go after!" —u/churning_like_butter

15. "I save empty containers."

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"Reusing stuff or repurposing stuff. I save empty containers, so for example a used up moisturizer jar is actually quite useful so it gets cleaned and used for another purpose." —u/RogueCandyKane

16. "Ask yourself questions."

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"The answer to disposable plastic straws is not a reusable straw, but why even use a straw in the first place? If you have the ability to ask yourself that question about other things, you'll be fine." —u/Wuz314159

Answers have been edited for length and/or clarity.

Do you have any personal tips on how to be more eco-friendly that you've discovered? Share 'em in the comments!