How to live a sustainable life in Yucatán?

A sustainable life in Yucatán is possible and cheap with these simple steps. Do your bit to preserve the state’s beauty.

Learn 7 easy changes you can make to live more sustainably, every day.

Life in Mérida is marked by greater contact with nature and better time management. That quality of life can improve if you aim for a sustainable life, since simple actions can make big changes — from reducing electricity consumption to using public transport or cutting waste generation. Discover these 6 alternatives for a sustainable life in Yucatán!

For a sustainable life, follow these 6 steps

1. Reduce electricity and water consumption

One of the easiest ways to start a sustainable life is by reducing home electricity consumption. Turn off the lights and air conditioning when you leave a room, and install dimmers so you can control how bright the lighting is. Also, fit a dual-flush toilet to use only the water you need.

We recommend reading: 5 tips for a sustainable home.

Also, to contribute to a sustainable lifestyle, install solar panels or heaters and save up to 30 percent.

2. Reduce car use

A useful way to reduce carbon emissions is to avoid vehicles entirely. If you’re going to start a sustainable life in Yucatán or anywhere else, you can replace the car with a bike, walking or public transport.

Don’t forget that walking and cycling are also a good way to stay active. Best of all, these activities can be done in the mornings or evenings (without worrying about traffic or crime) and are part of looking after your health in Mérida.

3. Eat organic food from local producers

Shopping at a local farmers’ market is an excellent way to socialise and get the freshest products. Get fresh, tasty products (organic and non-GMO) at a cheaper price. You also support the local community. To complement this way of life, grow vegetables and herbs in your garden and cook delicious recipes with healthy ingredients.

Also, did you know plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years to degrade? Use reusable shopping bags instead, so your life in Yucatán is friendlier.

Read about Slow Food, an organic and healthy food market for your table.

4. Waste reduction

When we throw away paper, plastics and other waste instead of recycling it, we pollute our soil, the oceans, water sources and more. If you’re going to live in Mérida, or any other city, use recycling alternatives for the waste commonly thrown out at home. In the case of organic waste, composting is an excellent way to minimise the impact on the environment.

Also, stop throwing out dryer lint! Birds use it to feather their nests.

The more you can live daily without generating waste, the better your impact on the environment. Instead of throwing things in the bin, find out how you can recycle them and turn rubbish into something useful.

5. Don’t print — get electronic tickets for films, flights and other events

We need trees to extract CO2 from the air, which means we must stop wasting paper. Many transport and entertainment services let you have your electronic tickets on your mobile device, which is an easy way to reduce unnecessary paper use. By reducing CO2 in the environment, your health in Mérida will be better.

6. Wash your clothes in cold water

Ninety percent of the energy a washing machine uses is to heat the water, so if you use cold water to wash your clothes, you can make a big difference to your home’s energy savings.

Start a sustainable life in Yucatán with these simple steps! What are you waiting for?