Here are three ways I’m changing my habits and committing to a more eco-friendly lifestyle in honor of Earth Day 2021.
Lately, I’ve been on a Netflix documentary binge, watching films related to our impact on the planet and global warming. And in doing so, I’ve been reflecting on my own lifestyle. I’m pretty passionate about eco-friendly living, trying to reduce our household’s impact with long-term lifestyle habits. Coincidentally, it’s also Earth Day this week (April 22nd). So in honor of Earth Day 2021, I’m sharing my eco-life updates.
Fun fact: my first post for this blog project was around this time and was also about Earth Day. So, thanks for having me!
Eco-Friendly Life Updates for Earth Day 2021
Going Plant-Based
Several years ago, we switched to a flexitarian diet and started reducing our intake of meat and fish. Since I was a child, I’ve had the tendency to prefer meatless options, save for a few dishes. So, that aspect has never been a huge issue for me. The bigger issue has been access. In the country of Kobe beef and sushi, decent vegetarian/vegan options can be limited at times. But after watching so many food-centric documentaries reminding us why we made the change to eat less animal-derived products, we are reinspired to work hard at it.
What’s that mean for us? We’ve been going through our foodstuffs, getting some more seasoning, trying some new ingredients. But mainly, it means finding some new delicious and exciting vegetarian/vegan recipes. Recently, my husband has made a vegan pad thai and mapo tofu, and I am obsessed! I could have that pad thai every week! At least, I hope we do.
Living Slow
This summer, we’re going to take some time to get out of the city and try a slower pace of life. The complete opposite of Tokyo, we’ll be staying about a minute-walk from the beach in a small town with no public transportation. With fewer people and fewer distractions, I’m looking forward to enjoying the time with my husband and our dog—going to the beach every morning, enjoying barbeque for lunch, and listening to the sounds of nature at night.
Both my husband and I are city people, and I don’t think we could ever make a permanent move away from the hustle and bustle (due to work and just our love for city life). However, I’m excited for us to take this opportunity to pause, breathe, and reconnect with nature together.
Getting Involved
I’ve been wanting to contribute to a social business or a non-profit related to environmental sustainability for some time. Thanks to all the hard work my husband does, we’ve been quite fortunate. So I want to pay it forward and show my gratitude. And as someone passionate about the environment, I want to help bring awareness and change peoples’ mindset of an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.
Just this past week, I’ve reached out to two social businesses here in Japan that resonate with me to offer my editorial skills. Through this, I hope to support the small but growing movement to live more sustainably here in Japan.
How are you living more sustainably in 2021? Share with us below!
And Happy Earth Day 2021!
Photo credit: Photo Boards
