Our lifestyle habits have a huge impact on our health and the environment. Turns out, what we wear, eat and how we live shapes our carbon footprint. The great thing is that it’s easier than ever to start living sustainably and helping the environment at the same time!

Here are my top 10 ways to live a more conscious, eco-friendly lifestyle! First order of business: our wardrobe.

1. Wear Organic Clothing

In addition to the environmental benefits, wearing organic clothing reduces toxic chemicals from entering our skin and body. Which is why I absolutely love Organic Basics ! Organic Basics clothing is often made from recycled materials, which reduces environmental waste. One of the best reasons to wear organic clothing is that it’s sustainable for the environment, and for your bank account. That’s because organic clothing is high-quality and made to last longterm. Bottom line: organic clothing is cozy, stylish, good for your health and the environement? What’s not to love! Use code TRAILOBC2 for 10% off your order.

2. Eat Organic Meats and Seafood

Food is fuel, and one of the main ways I reduce my carbon footprint is by eating organic meats and seafood. My go-tos are sustainably raised grass-fed meats and wild fish⁠ from Belcampo, Butcher Box, US Wellness Meats and Vital Choice Seafood. Why eat organic meat? Meat produces 63% of greenhouse gas emissions. But that doesn’t mean you have to chop it from your diet. Eating organic meat is much better for the environment because it reduces energy consumption and environmental pollution, not to mention you are not growing GMO grains to feed to factory-farmed cattle, YUK.

3. Buy Local Organic Produce

The health benefits alone are a great reason to eat organic produce—you’ll get more nutrients, antioxidants and flavor. Additionally, you cut out pesticides and hormones from your diet, which are bad for your body and the environment because synthetic fertilizers and pesticides generate agricultural pollution. The good news is that organic and local produce is all around! You can pick up all your produce from a local farmer’s market, or choose a weekly CSA Box⁠ like Farm Fresh to You, which is my personal fave!

4. Cut Out Plastic

Plastic is a huge pollutant, and the sad thing is that so much of it ends up in our beautiful oceans. That’s why I eliminated most plastic in my kitchen by storing food in glass containers because plastic is gross and leaches chemicals into our food. I also eliminated single-use plastic in my kitchen for the same reason. With so many alternatives available—from glass containers, reusable utensils, eco-friendly straws and beeswax or silicone food wrappers—there’s really no reason to keep using plastic.

5. Install a Whole House Water Filter

Water makes up a huge part of our daily habits: we need to drink it to survive, we use it for cooking, we shower, bathe and brush our teeth with it—as you can see, it’s vital! That’s why one of the things I did to be more sustainable and reduce waste was install an Aquasana brand filter in my home.

This water filter effectively eliminated the need for bottled water, cut out toxins like heavy metals and chlorine from my water intake, is better for hair and skin, and reduces plastic waste. No more buying bottled water for me. I can take my purified clean water on the go with me in a glass reusable water bottle as well.

6. Use Non-toxic cleaning products

Another major pollutant in the home and environment actually happens when we clean! That’s right—I’m talking about cleaning products. Sadly, commercial cleaners contain loads of toxins and chemicals that aren’t safe for us to be breathing. Additionally, these chemicals are bad for the environment—not to mention the plastic waste. I personally love Branch Basics, which are biodegradable and plant-based cleaning products that are safe for you and the earth! (Use code TrailToHealth15 for 15% off your starter kit).

7. Work From Home or Use Eco-Friendly Transportation

Working from home has made a huge impact on my carbon footprint. It’s no secret that auto emissions are toxic to the environment, in fact, they make up 75% of carbon monoxide pollution. That’s why it’s important to think about your commute. I personally work from home which means I don’t drive much. I actually only have 9,700 miles on my car after living in LA for 2.5 years! Now, I realize not everyone can just up and work from home. However, there are eco-friendly commute alternatives! Consider buying an electric car, hybrid, riding your bike, carpooling or using a ride-share service. These types of small lifestyle changes make a huge impact on the environment!

8. Cut Back on AC Use

Where you live will have a large influence on how much AC you use. We rarely use the AC in our home, and fortunately, living by the beach makes this an easy adjustment. For those hot summer days, open up the windows and let in the breeze. If you live in humid or hot climates, another option is to take a look at the type of energy you’re using and researching renewable energy solutions.

9. Use Green Energy or Cut Back on Electricity

Does your electric company offer green energy options? For Los Angeles residents, there’s an option to purchase renewable energy. You can choose a portion of your electricity to be renewal to save costs or use all green energy. Another option is to be extremely mindful of your electricity use. Make sure to turn all of the lights off when you’re not in the room to conserve energy.

10. Recycle and Compost

Recycling and composting are huge for living more sustainably. While recycling helps, composting means you can actually live zero-waste. By composting veggie scraps and the like, you’re repurposing what would’ve otherwise gone in the trash. I try to minimize trash by not buying things that aren’t recyclable. Additionally, I remove myself from junk mail with Paper Karma, and choose paperless bill-pay and post whenever possible!

As you can see, there are so many great ways to start living more sustainably. This, in turn, is better for the environment and aligns with living a healthy, conscious lifestyle. Being a conscious consumer means evaluating what you put in your body, what you wear, how you live and where your purchases come from. You’ll quickly realize that it’s actually easier than ever to help the environment by making good choices every day.

I hope these 10 ideas inspire you to live more green. :) Ready to kick the chemicals? Get more health tips for living sustainably with these 10 ways to detox your life!