50 tips for greater sustainability in daily life

How everyone can live more sustainably – 50 small steps with a big impact

We read everywhere that we should live in a more environmentally conscious way. The message is aimed at our bad habits, and when it comes to shopping, too, we’re encouraged to prioritise sustainability over price. But putting this into practice is often not that easy – of course, we’d love to shop exclusively at organic shops, but that can quickly become expensive. And the next time we reach for something on the supermarket shelf, we feel a pang of guilt – but it doesn’t have to be that way. After all, nobody manages to get everything right all the time. What’s more, it’s the small, simple habits that can be easily integrated into our daily routine and usually have the greatest impact. Whether you want to reduce waste, save water or cut your carbon footprint: in our new blog post, we’ve put together 50 helpful tips on how to make a sustainable impact – without much effort and by taking small steps 🌱.

How can I live more sustainably in my day-to-day life without making major changes?

Sustainability isn’t about sacrifice; it’s a mindset. Often, it’s the little things – the ones you can implement quickly and easily integrate into your daily routines – that have the greatest impact. Habits that are simple to adopt and repeated regularly stick in the long term – and that’s how they make the biggest difference.

Our 50 tips show just how easy it is to be more environmentally conscious in your daily life – without complicated changes and without much effort.

🏠 Tips for the home & everyday routines

1. Save water
Turn off the tap whilst brushing your teeth; only run the dishwasher when it’s full.

2. Store food properly
In the fridge, use the designated compartments (e.g. fruit/vegetables → vegetable drawer, dairy products → in the middle section, meat → in the coldest section); store dry staples in airtight containers; keep potatoes and onions in a dark, well-ventilated place – this way, everything keeps for longer and you’ll have less to bin

3. Sustainable cleaning products
Free from microplastics, biodegradable – ditch the ‘chemical weapons’; not only will your furniture thank you, but so will your health

4. Washing and drying laundry
Low temperatures (30°C) are often sufficient – air-drying also saves a lot of electricity

5. Create organisational systems
Structure automatically leads to less waste: if you know what you have, you buy less (and avoid buying duplicates) – if you draw up plans or to-do lists, you won’t forget anything that needs doing

6. Ventilate properly
A vexing topic on which opinions often differ 😉 – yet regular, thorough airing prevents mould growth, protects the building structure and ensures a healthy indoor climate – without using any energy at all

7. Organise your cosmetics and hygiene products
How quickly do you open a new product (e.g. toothpaste, shampoo) when the one you’ve already started isn’t to hand or in sight? The rule is: use up products instead of always opening a new one straight away. Also: reduce packaging, buy unpackaged or ‘solid’ products (soap, shower bars) and keep your supplies organised.

8. Use food mindfully
Ever heard of ‘regrowing’ or ‘meal prep’? You can regrow (certain) vegetables, use up leftovers creatively, and save not only time but also food by following a meal plan.

❓How can I live more sustainably at home and make these changes a permanent part of my life?

✅ It’s quite simple: for example, by picking one (realistically achievable) tip each month and consciously incorporating it into your routine. This helps you build a sustainable habit step by step, one that has a long-term impact without overwhelming you in your day-to-day life.

🛒 Consumption & Awareness

9. Choose natural materials
Cotton cloths instead of disposable paper rolls, glass instead of plastic, wooden boards instead of plastic – opt for durable, repairable and more easily recyclable products

10. Shop locally
Support farm shops, farms and local producers – it cuts down on transport, provides fresh produce, and because there aren’t countless middlemen involved, eggs, milk and potatoes are usually priced on a par with supermarkets

11. Vintage & second-hand shopping
Clothes, furniture or books – whether bought from private sellers or businesses – are much cheaper second-hand than new; you can often even find really great, one-of-a-kind items

12. Avoid plastic
Take your own cloth bags when buying fruit and veg, choose glass over tinned food, use Recup cups and shop for unpackaged goods wherever possible

13. Embrace minimalism
Owning less often makes you happier than living in abundance – because it allows you to enjoy things more mindfully

14. Shop together
For example, with your granny, family and friends – this way you can save on journeys and share (cheaper) bulk packs, and it’s more fun too 😊

15. Check your supplies
Take a quick look in the fridge and the larder once a week to avoid buying duplicates and to use up food before it goes off

16. Quality over quantity
It’s better to buy less (but better quality) food that lasts longer (or is healthier). High-quality food often keeps for much longer and helps curb excessive consumption.

17. Share rather than own
Tools, gardening equipment or large household appliances – anything that’s expensive, takes up a lot of space and is rarely used can be shared (e.g. with neighbours, family or friends) and used collectively

18. Take a break from shopping
Did your debit or credit card get a bit of a workout last month? Then make a conscious effort to take a break from shopping. A ‘30-day waiting period’ for larger purchases is also useful – do you still feel just as strongly about it after that time, or have you realised that you don’t actually need the product that much after all?

19. Make more things yourself
Bread, snacks, sweets and even cleaning products or cosmetics – many things can easily be made at home, saving you trips to the shop, money and packaging

❓How can I become more mindful of my consumption and really buy less?

✅ By not giving in to impulse, but taking the time to reflect on your own possessions, look within and make a conscious decision about what you really need. Shopping breaks, self-imposed ‘waiting periods’ or specifically incorporated tips can help reduce consumption in the long term without feeling like you’re missing out.

♻️ Upcycling & Recycling

20. Reusing things (in different ways)
Old towels or T-shirts make great cleaning cloths, as do toothbrushes – for example, for cleaning grout or a bike chain. Glass jars can be used as storage containers, cardboard boxes for storage, and shopping bags (paper or otherwise) as (organic) bin liners.

21. Optimising waste sorting
Do pizza boxes, tissues and receipts go in the paper or general waste bin? And surely the plastic toothbrush goes in the yellow bag or bin, right? Wrong – coated, greasy paper or used tissues belong in the general waste bin. The toothbrush isn’t packaging and belongs in the general waste too. Many households (unintentionally) sort their waste incorrectly – finding out the facts and making a note of them can help.

22. Composting
It makes sense even in small quantities, using bokashi, a mini-compost bin or a worm bin. It reduces organic waste and creates nutrient-rich soil.

23. Upcycling
High-quality furniture that’s still in good condition can be artfully revamped with a bit of paint, skill and creativity. The same goes for old jeans, which can be redesigned with rhinestones, patches or sandpaper, or – with a bit of sewing talent – repurposed into bags, toiletries bags or home accessories.

24. You can only make room for the new when you let go of the old
When it comes to clothes and accessories in particular, we tend to be veeeery generous with our money – fast fashion may often be pretty, but it’s anything but sustainable. However, as long as you look after your clothes properly, you can use them for quite a long time and, if you no longer like them, resell them at flea markets or on online platforms. If the urge to shop strikes you then, at least you’ll have shopped a bit more consciously and saved a few euros for your new bargains 😉.

25. Creative wrapping
Pretty jars, clean tins, cloths or cardboard boxes work just as well as wrapping paper – get really creative with old newspapers or ‘patchwork’ designs made from used wrapping paper.

26. DIY candles
Leftover candle stubs can be collected and melted down to make new candles – it saves money, reduces waste and lets you get creative.

27. Pass on old furniture
Things you no longer need yourself can be very valuable to others: give them away, sell them, donate them or swap them, rather than throwing them away

28. Reuse paper
Use cardboard boxes as packing material; use paper bills or adverts as notepads (as long as you don’t need to keep any of them 😉)

❓How can I really make more use of things and focus on upcycling and recycling?

✅ By regularly reminding yourself that many items can have a second life before they end up in the bin. A quick search online often provides creative and useful ideas. Also, bear in mind that many people aren’t as well-off as you are – so anything you no longer need can be donated or given away. If you have a clear-out every now and then, you’re bound to find things you no longer need yourself but which could be useful to others.

🚲 Leisure & Mobility

29. Exercise instead of emissions
Do more on foot or by bike – it saves on fuel costs, reduces emissions and promotes good health.

30. Use public transport & carpool
Saves CO₂ and reduces stress – well, perhaps not always the stress 😉 but carpooling is also a good solution, as it means fewer cars on the road and you save quite a bit of money too

31. Plan holidays locally
There are also an incredible number of beautiful places to discover in your own country (or region) – without long journeys or CO₂-intensive flights.

32. ‘Make the most of’ nature
Walks, hikes, lakes, forests – experience local nature instead of travelling far away. It costs nothing, is relaxing and is completely emission-free.

33. Make use of sharing schemes
Car-sharing, bike-sharing, cargo bikes or city scooters – ideal if you don’t need your own vehicle or only need to get about occasionally.

34. Attend local events
Markets, festivals, workshops, cultural events – short journeys, supporting local businesses, and often more sustainable than large-scale events.

❓How can you make your leisure time more sustainable?

✅ By consciously choosing activities that use few resources, don’t involve long journeys (e.g. flights) and don’t require a lot of consumption. You’ll also become more aware of what’s on offer locally – saving money and realising that you can have plenty of fun through eco-friendly activities too. This is even more important when you have children – as it helps them learn to appreciate the little things.

💻 At work

35. At work, just like at home
Here, too, we can lead by example and carry on doing everything we do at home (e.g. avoiding paper, saving water and electricity, recycling).

36. Contributing ideas
Whether it’s team challenges, joint litter-picking sessions or other sustainable initiatives – put good ideas forward to the right people and help ensure they’re effectively implemented.

37. Selling old hardware
Want to show your line manager how to be sustainable whilst also generating valuable extra revenue? Simply suggest our IT remarketing scheme and sell old IT equipment at a profit.

38. Organise your workspace thoughtfully
Tidiness not only reduces stress but also prevents unnecessary consumption: less paper, fewer materials, fewer unnecessary purchases – particularly useful when working from home.

39. Making breaks more sustainable
Use reusable water bottles and lunch boxes – make your own packed lunches and go for a walk instead of driving somewhere

40. Using materials mindfully
Use pens until they’re empty, use notebooks right to the end, reuse folders, and reuse envelopes – office staples that are often used rather wastefully.

❓How can you meaningfully integrate environmental awareness into your everyday working life?

✅ By establishing small, realistic routines that fit easily into your day – such as consciously conserving materials, using reusable products or making your breaks more sustainable. If you regularly try out a new, small step, sustainable behaviour quickly becomes second nature in your everyday working life and has a long-term impact.

🔌Electricity, hardware & technology

41. Unplug chargers
when they’re not in use – as they too draw electricity, albeit only a small amount.

42. Activate energy-saving mode
e.g. on laptops and monitors – even during breaks or during longer offline meetings

43. Tidy up your digital files
Less data means less strain on your devices, and acts like a detox for smartphones, laptops, servers and the like. 😉

44. Use LEDs instead of incandescent bulbs,
as they last longer and use less electricity.

45. Check for ‘power guzzlers’
Old fridges, washing machines or TVs may be very cheap to buy, but they aren’t really economical to run.

46. Choose sustainable providers
for your electricity, web hosting or mobile phone contract – many companies offer green alternatives.

47. Repair rather than replace
Often, a minor fix is all it takes – it’s better to pay a few euros in repair costs than to have to buy a completely new device (provided, of course, that it’s still cost-effective to do so).

48. Extend the life of your devices with upgrades
A slow laptop, PC or server might just need a RAM upgrade or SSDs instead of HDDs.

49. Switch off anything you’re not using
Standby is fine – but if you’re not going to use it for a while, simply unplug it completely.

50. Opt for refurbished hardware
It reduces emissions, saves water, conserves resources and is also much cheaper than new – find out why second-hand hardware is a real game-changer in our blog post.

❓How can you be more sustainable when it comes to electricity, technology and hardware without making everyday life more complicated?

✅ By consciously using devices for longer, maintaining them regularly and opting for refurbished hardware instead of constantly buying new. Small routines such as checking devices monthly, switching off unnecessary appliances and reselling old IT equipment have a sustainable impact without adding to the burden of everyday life. And: this applies not only to private individuals, but also to businesses.

Conclusion: Sustainability isn’t a trend, but a mindset. Every step counts – whether big or small. Those who act consciously make a bigger difference than they realise.