Sustainable Lifestyle Tips for Fall
Fall is in the air! If you are trying to reduce your carbon footprint and switch to a greener lifestyle, there are numerous ways you can be more conscious during the change of seasons. Read on for a few tips to help you lead a sustainable lifestyle this fall.
Reuse Your Leaves
As you begin to rake up falling leaves, don’t just toss them – mulch them! Mulched leaves can be used around trees, gardens, and flowerbeds to help insulate the soil during the winter.
Have more fallen leaves than you know what to do with? Look into composting instead of throwing them away.
Invest in Sustainable Fashion
While Central Texas falls usually don’t require heavy sweaters or coats, the changing seasons often inspire wardrobe changes. Unfortunately, the fashion industry is responsible for more annual carbon emissions than all international flights and maritime shipping combined, according to the Princeton Student Climate Initiative.
Put a stop to the “fast fashion” cycle by choosing clothes from vintage and resale shops or investing in sustainable clothing brands. Focus on natural fiber materials like cotton, silk, linen, or wool rather than synthetic fibers that are known pollutants.
Additionally, look for the “Fairtrade certified” mark on clothing you buy. This means the product is manufactured by a company committed to sustainable production.
Enjoy Seasonal Products Sustainably
Tis the season of pumpkin spice lattes! When getting your caffeine fix, opt for reusable mugs or tumblers rather than single-use cups. It’s estimated that 50 billion paper coffee cups end up in U.S. landfills each year.
Check ahead with your favorite coffee shop for their policy on reusable cups. Better yet, support a local coffee shop with more environmentally-friendly practices! Cuvee Coffee Bar, located at 2000 E 6th St. in Austin, is one example of a local shop sourcing ethically-sourced coffee.
Choose Sustainable Fall Décor
Halloween, Thanksgiving… The upcoming holidays invite many opportunities to decorate your home in a sustainable way. Ditch single-use plastics and opt for recyclable or natural materials, including traditional pumpkins, dried leaves, and sticks from fallen trees. Get more sustainable decoration ideas for Halloween here and check out our blog on how to host a low-waste Thanksgiving!
Switch to Renewable Energy
There are so many small changes you can make to lead a more sustainable lifestyle this fall, but one of the biggest impacts you can make in your lifetime is the home you choose to live in. Whisper Valley homes are powered by geothermal and solar energy, which makes it possible for your home to generate as much power as it uses depending on good energy behavior.
Over 30 years, one EcoSmart home in Whisper Valley will save the equivalent of 45.8 passenger vehicles driven for one year, over 27 million smartphones charged, 23,868 gallons of gasoline consumed, and more than 233,718 pounds of coal burned.
New homes are available in the newest phases of Whisper Valley! Explore our current inventory or contact our builders to get started and visit our Discovery Center to learn more about Whisper Valley living.