Being sustainable and taking good care of planet Earth is important. There are many ways to go green, but if you’ve never considered living a more eco-friendly life, it can be challenging to get started. House and Garden SA spoke to Lizar Maluleke, a mother of three kids from Limpopo, who runs a recycling business with her husband who proposed some pragmatic sustainability tips people can incorporate into their daily lives.
The strong mom started the recycling business because she is passionate about the environment and wanted to spend more time with her children, especially her youngest son, who has cerebral palsy. Opening up about her passion for recycling, Lizar notes: “It [recycling] is important when you want to be environmentally friendly. It also cuts the cost of manufacturing products.”
“People should be sustainable to preserve their livelihoods, the ecosystem, and natural resources for future generations. We need to be able to co-exist with our natural resources without depleting them for the next generation. We need to be sustainable to avoid becoming extinct like dinosaurs,” Lizar laments. The 36-year-old shares some tips to follow if you want to be more sustainable. They are simple enough to incorporate into your daily life.
7 Sustainability tips
1. Walk more instead of driving to the shortest destinations. Your physical health depends on good exercise and healthy eating.
2. Take the stairs instead of an escalator or lift.
3. Donate or sell unwanted clothes, don't burn them.
4. Recycle as much as you can.
5. Plant a tree, ensuring your lungs get more oxygen.
6. Grow your own fresh produce.
7. Teach others about the importance of recycling and sustainability.