U N I T E D N A T I O N S A S S O C I A T I O N O F T H E
C L A R E M O N T C O L L E G E S
GUIDE TO
SUSTAINABLE
LIVING
H e l p u s p r e s e r v e t h e e a r t h .
V i s i t o u r w e b s i t e f o r m o r e i n f o :
C l a r e m o n t g e n u n . c o m
Date of online publication: March 29,
2020.
The data and figures included in this
guide are all derived from recent
United Nations’ reports related to the
UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
For more information on the SDGs and
their indicators, please visit
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org
/sdgs.
This document. Including the graphics,
was prepared by Lauren Shaffer,
President of the United Nations
Association of the Claremont Colleges
in 2020.
2
INTRODUCTION
Did you know that, although Americans only account for only 4% of the
world's population, we consume 15% of the world's energy? American businesses
and individuals consume much more than their share of energy, as well as other
resources like food and water. To reverse this trend and reduce our damage to the
environment, we must all be mindful of our habits and how they affect the
environment.
In this modern age, many of us
understand the importance of
sustainable living, but have
questions about what
“sustainable living” looks like. This
guide takes you through various
areas of sustainability: Energy,
water, waste, food and shopping,
and activism. By providing you
with facts and figures as well as
tips and tricks, we hope to help
you navigate a path to being
more sustainable in your day-today
life.
Being mindful of your impact on the
environment when you’re making
daily choices is an excellent way to
begin your path to sustainable
living. When you go to the grocery
store, don’t forget your reusable bags. When washing your hands, turn the water
off when you’re soaping up. This guide includes tips like these and more that you
can use each day to reduce your impact on the environment.
3
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Take this quiz to test your knowledge of sustainable living practices and determine
which areas of sustainability you should focus on most in your daily life.
Q U E S T I O N 1 : E N E RG Y
Where do you use most energy at
home?
a. Heating/Air conditioning
b. Water heating
c. Appliances
d. Lighting
e. TV & Media equipment
Q U E S T I ON 2 : WA T E R
Which home appliance uses the most
water?
a. Toilets
b. Clothes Washer
c. Showers
d. Faucets
Q U E S T I O N 3 : WA S T E
Where can you safely recycle
electronics?
a. Best Buy
b. Local household
hazardous waste facility
c. E-waste removal
services
d. All of the above
Q U E S T I ON 4 : F O OD & S H O P P I NG
In 2017, there were 267.8 million tons of
waste generated in the U.S. What share
of it was recycled and composted?
a. 55.9%
b. 18.3%
c. 35.2%
d. 5.4%
Key:
1. Heating/Air-Conditioning. Heating/AC units on average consume 46% of the home’s total energy consumption.
Water heating accounts for 14%, appliances 13%, lighting 9%, and TV & media equipment consumes 9%. 1
2. Toilets. toilets make up about 31% of overall household water consumption. Second is the clothes washer,
accounting for 15% to 40% of water consumption, and third is showers which account for less than 10% of
consumption.
2
3. All of the above! You can recycle household electronics at Best Buy locations, your local hazardous waste
facility, or by using an e-waste removal service. 3
4. 35.2%. In 2017, 35.2% of waste was recycled and composted, 12.7% was combusted with energy recovery, and
51.2% was landfilled. 4
4
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Although great strides have been made in energy technology and
production, most of our energy still comes from fossil fuels. As Americans, we
consume more than our share of energy. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways
that we can reduce our energy consumption and decrease the amount of carbon
emissions we put into the atmosphere.
Facts & Figures
5
• 17.5% of total final energy consumption comes from renewable energy.
• Energy is the dominant contributor to climate change, accounting for around 60
per cent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. 5
• Although accounting for only 4% of the world's population, Americans consume
15% of the world's energy. 6
• The world is now adding more capacity for renewable power than fossil fuel
generating capacity. In 2013, the world added 143 gigawatts of capacity for
renewable power compared to 141 gigawatts of capacity for fossil fuels. 7
• Renewable energy is creating jobs. The International Renewable Energy Agency
estimates that 6.5 million people around the world work in the clean energy
sector. 7
• Almost 26 million households are served through off-grid renewable energy
systems: some 20 million households through solar home systems, 5 million
households through renewables-based minigrids, and 0.8 million households
through small wind turbines. 7
• Around the world, 1.2 billion people do not have reliable access to electricity.
That’s more than 1 in every 6 people on the planet without lighting for hospitals,
3
refrigeration for food and medicine, and clean, safe sources of fuel for cooking
and lighting. 7
• 87% of the 840 millions people without electricity live in rural areas. 5
• 3 billion people rely on wood, coal, charcoal or animal waste for cooking and
heating. 5
Turn it
off!
5
Total Energy Consumption by Country
South Korea
4%
Japan
5%
Germany
3%
Canada
4%
6
Russia
9%
China
37%
India
11%
United States
27%
Total energy consumption (Mtoe)
16000
14000
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
Changes in Regional and Global Energy
6
Consumption since 1990
World Europe North America
Latin America Asia Pacific
6
Tips & Tricks
8
• Plug appliances into power strips and turn them off when not in use, including
your computer.
•
• Turn off the lights when you don’t need them
• Avoid preheating the oven unless you need a precise baking temperature. Start
heating your food as soon as you turn on the oven.
• If you have the option, install solar panels in your house.
• Replace old appliances and light bulbs with energy efficient ones.
• Get a rug or carpet to keep your house warm and your thermostat low.
• Shovel snow manually.
• Plug air leaks in doors and windows.
• Adjust your thermostat lower in winter and higher in summer.
• Make sure your home has adequate insulation and energy-saving windows.
• Use cardboard matches, they don’t require petroleum like gas-filled lighters do.
• Add dimmer switches so you can control how bright the lights are.
• Air dry your clothes instead of using a machine.
• Bike, walk, or use public transportation. Save car rides for when you have a big
group.
• If you need a car, purchase an electric or hybrid one.
• Maintain your car to increase fuel efficiency.
7
WATER CONSERVATION
Conserving water is an essential step to reducing your impact on the
environment. As climate change increases and our planet grows warmer, our water
resources will become even more stressed than they currently are. International
conflicts over water will arise, sanitation will become harder to manage, and fewer
people will have access to drinking water. To help alleviate these challenges, it is
important to practice water-saving techniques in your everyday life.
Facts & Figures
9
• Over 2 billion people live in countries experiencing high water stress. Although
the global average water stress is only 11%, 31 countries experience water stress
between 25% and 70%, and 22 countries are above 70% and are therefore under
serious water stress.
• Estimates suggest that if the degradation of the natural environment and the
unsustainable pressures on global water resources continue, 45% of the global
gross domestic product (GDP), 52% of the world’s population, and 40% of global
grain production will be at risk by 2050. Poor and marginalized populations will
be disproportionately affected, further exacerbating already rising inequalities.
• About 90% of all natural disasters are water-related. Over the period 1995–2015,
floods accounted for 43% of all documented natural disasters, affecting 2.3 billion
people, killing 157,000 more and causing $662 billion in damage.
• Given ever rising levels of local water stress, combined with the fact that there are
286 international rivers and 592 transboundary aquifers shared by 153 countries,
it is expected that water-related conflicts will increase in the future.
• Three out of ten people (2.1 billion people, or 29% of the global population) did
not use a safely managed drinking water service4 in 2015, whereas 844 million
people still lacked even a basic drinking water service. Of all the people using
safely managed drinking water services, only one out of three (1.9 billion) lived in
rural areas.
• Worldwide, only 2.9 billion people (or 39% of the global population) used safely
managed sanitation services in 2015. Two out of five of these people (1.2 billion)
lived in rural areas. Another 2.1 billion people had access to ‘basic’ sanitation
services. The remaining 2.3 billion (one out of every three people) lacked even a
basic sanitation service.
8
Global Water Demand by Sector to 2040
9
Level of Physical Water Stress
9
9
Tips & Tricks
8 10 11
• Take short, 5-10 minute showers or bathe in a partially filled tub.
• Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors.
• Don’t rinse your plates before running your dishwasher, and use your dishwasher
for full loads only.
• If you wash dishes by hand, use of dual sinks instead of letting the water run
while you wash dishes.
• Use your dish washer and washing machine for full loads only.
• If possible, buy a high efficiency washer.
• Turn off the water while you brush your teeth, shave, or soap up your hands.
• Install a dual flush into your home toilets to use only the water you need.
• Water your lawn only when it needs it, and water during cool parts of the day.
• Cover up heated pools to maintain their temperature and reduce evaporation.
• Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants to slow the evaporation of moisture.
• Use a broom instead of water to clean sidewalks, driveways, and steps.
• Check your toilet, faucets, and pipes for leaks.
• Don’t run the hose while washing your car.
• Plant drought-resistant trees and plants.
• Store stormwater for use in the garden.
10
WASTE REDUCTION
The production of waste like paper and plastic is a major contributor of
environmental degradation. Many of our products come heavily packaged, and
many of us use disposable products every day. By following the motto “reduce,
reuse, recycle,” as well as some of the other tips in this guide, you can eliminate
waste and help protect our planet.
Facts & Figures
12
• The global population, currently at 7.3 billion, will grow in the coming decades
to 9 billion and perhaps 11 billion by the end of the 21st century. Some 80% of this
growing population will live in cities. Of this projected 9 billion people, 3 billion
will belong to the middle class, with sufficient disposable income to purchase the
consumer goods that others enjoy elsewhere in the world, further draining the
planet’s already strained natural resources.
• Of the world’s 50 largest active dumpsites, all have at least one thing in common:
the serious threat they pose to human health and the environment. They affect
the daily lives of 64 million people, a number comparable to the population of
France.
• Typically 50 to 70% of the waste generated in developing countries is organic
materials suitable for composting.
• Recycling rates in high-income countries have progressively increased over the
last 30 years, driven largely by legislative and economic instruments. In lowerincome
countries, the informal sector is often achieving recycling rates of 20 to
30%.
• It has been estimated that a 10 to 15% reduction in global greenhouse gas
emissions could be achieved through techniques like landfill mitigation and
diversion, extracting energy from waste, recycling, and other types of improved
waste management.
• From 2015 to 2017, waste processing investment projects worth more than $300
billion were active, of which $85 billion was directed to waste processing. Most of
this investment activity occurred in high-income countries.
• One hundred and fifteen species (44 sea bird species, 9 cetacean species,
11 pinniped species, 31 invertebrate species/taxa, 6 sea turtle species) were
reported entangled in marine debris in the US and a total of 200 species
worldwide.
11
Relative quantities of waste from different
sources in the material and product life
cycle
12
Trends in MSW generation since 1995
12
in selected high-income countries
12
Tips & Tricks
8 13
• Recycling paper, plastic, glass, and aluminum keeps landfills from growing and
limits the use of further these resources.
• Get to know the rules of recycling. Visit your city or county’s website for
instructions on how to properly recycle waste.
• Cancel unnecessary mail. Stop paper bills and bank statements and utilize online
options instead.
• Choose a better diaper option, like cloth diapers or an environmentally
responsible disposable brand.
• Use refillable water bottles and coffee cups.
• Bring your own reusable straws and cutlery when eating at a place that uses
plastic.
• Stop newspaper and magazine subscriptions and read them online instead.
• Buy e-books instead of paper books.
• Use reusable containers instead of disposable plastic baggies to pack your food
in.
• Shop from bulk bins instead of buying products with individual packaging.
• Bring your own shopping and produce bags to the grocery store.
• Buy milk in returnable, reusable glass bottles.
• Take your own reusable containers to takeout restaurants.
• Use both sides of a piece of paper before recycling it.
• Learn to repair rather than discard items.
• Take fewer napkins.
13
FOOD & SHOPPING
Food and shopping choices also have a major impact on our environment as
well as our bodies. Unsustainable consumption and production processes have
contributed to the degradation of our planet, but thankfully there are things we
can do to avoid further harm. You can start by educating yourself about sustainable
food and shopping choices, and then adapt your daily choices to match what you
have learned.
Facts & Figures
14
• Each year, an estimated 1/3 of all food produced ends up rotting in the bins of
consumers and retailers, or spoiling due to poor transportation and harvesting
practices.
• 3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year while almost 1 billion people go
undernourished and another 1 billion hungry.
• 2 billion people globally are overweight or obese. Overconsumption of food is
detrimental to our health and the environment.
• Land degradation, declining soil fertility, unsustainable water use, overfishing,
and marine environment degradation are all lessening the ability of the natural
resource base to supply food.
• The food sector accounts for around 30 per cent of the world’s total energy
consumption and accounts for around 22 per cent of total Greenhouse Gas
emissions.
• If the global population reaches 9.6 billion by 2050, the equivalent of almost
three planets will be required to sustain current lifestyles.
• While substantial environmental impacts from food occur in the production
phase (i.e. agriculture and food processing), households influence these impacts
through their dietary choices and habits. This consequently affects the
environment through food-related energy consumption and waste generation.
14
Per capita food loss and waste by
14
region
(Kilograms per year)
Distribution of the annual energy used
14
by the US food system
15
Tips & Tricks 8 15 16
• Shop locally, like at the farmers market, to support neighborhood businesses and
prevent delivery trucks from driving long distances.
• Buy minimally packaged goods.
• Buy vintage clothes.
• Shop smart and plan meals ahead to ensure you don’t buy more food than you
need.
• Buy “ugly” or misshapen fruits and vegetables that would otherwise be thrown
out.
• Freeze fresh produce and leftovers if you don’t have a chance to eat them before
they go bad.
• Grow fruits and vegetables in your own backyard.
• Buy environmentally friendly cleaning products that are not harsh on the
environment.
• Compost your food waste.
• Shop only for sustainable seafood. There are now many websites and apps that
will tell you what is safe to consume.
• Ask for smaller portions. You can always go back for more if you’re still hungry.
• Love your leftovers. Instead of scraping leftovers into the bin, use them as
ingredients for tomorrow’s meal, or simply reheat them as the same meal again.
• Understand dates on your food. After the “use-by” date has passed, food is not
safe to eat anymore. “Best-before” dates, on the other hand, only show when the
food is at its best quality in terms of smell, texture, and taste. If well stored, most
of non-perishable food is still edible after the “best-before” date!
• Give your surplus to help those who need it. Learn about existing initiatives in
your cafeterias, your stores and your city to give a boost to food aid associations
and reduce waste.
ACTIVISM
Saving the planet requires more than changing our own daily habits. To have
a greater impact on the environment, we must be activists and spread the word
about the importance of sustainable living. Below is a list of different activismrelated
activities, most of which you can do from your own couch. Don’t be afraid to
speak out against unsafe environmental practices and encourage others to do the
same.
Tips & Tricks 8 17
• Use your voice and your vote! Vote for representatives who have a positive
environmental track record, and encourage other representatives to prioritize
environmental issues as well.
• Organize a no impact week in your community or at work.
• Urge your local and national representatives to engage in activities that will
protect people and the planet. Voice your support for the Paris Agreement!
• Stay informed. Follow your local news and stay in touch with the Global Goals
online or on social media at @GlobalGoalsUN.
• Visit Climate Neutral Now to calculate your carbon footprint and purchase
climate credits. In this way, you help reduce global emissions faster!
REFERENCES
1. What Uses the Most Electricity in My Home? (n.d.). Retrieved from Direct Energy:
https://www.directenergy.com/learning-center/energy-efficiency/what-uses-mostelectricity-in-my-home
2. Indoor Water Use. (n.d.). Retrieved from Home Water Works: https://www.homewater-works.org/indoor-use
3. Where Do I Recycle E-Waste? (n.d.). Retrieved from Cal Recycle:
https://www2.calrecycle.ca.gov/Electronics/eRecycle
4. Facts and Figures about Materials, Waste and Recycling. (n.d.). Retrieved from
United States Environmental Protection Agency: https://www.epa.gov/facts-andfigures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/national-overview-facts-and-figuresmaterials
5. Ensure access to affordable, r. s. (2019). Affordable and Clean Energy. Retrieved from
United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals:
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/energy/
6. Global Energy Statistical Yearbook 2019. (2019). Retrieved from EnerData:
https://yearbook.enerdata.net/total-energy/world-consumption-statistics.html
7. Sullivan, J. (2015, May 19). 5 Amazing Facts about Sustainable Energy. Retrieved from
United Nations Foundation: https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/5-amazing-factsabout-sustainable-energy/
8. The Lazy Person's Guide to Saving the World. (n.d.). Retrieved from United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals:
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/takeaction/
9. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2019). The
United Nations world water development report 2019: leaving no one behind. New
York: The United Nations. Retrieved from
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000367306
10. 25 ways to save water. (n.d.). Retrieved from Volusia County Florida:
https://www.volusia.org/services/growth-and-resource-management/environmentalmanagement/natural-resources/water-conservation/25-ways-to-save-water.stml
11. Crotta, C. (2015, March 31). 11 Ways To Save Water At Home. Retrieved from Forbes:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/houzz/2015/03/31/11-ways-to-save-water-athome/#39cfcc2b166c
18
REFERENCES
12. United Nations Environment Programme. (2015). Global Waste Management
Outlook. Washington, D.C.: The United Nations. Retrieved from
https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/9672/-
Global_Waste_Management_Outlook-
2015Global_Waste_Management_Outlook.pdf.pdf?sequence=3&%3BisAllowed=
13. Gifford, D. (n.d.). 37 Ways to Reduce Trash in Your Home. Retrieved from Small
Footprint Family: https://www.smallfootprintfamily.com/37-ways-to-reduce-trash
14. United Nations Environment Programme. (2019). Waste Not, Want Not.
Washington, D.C.: The United Nations. Retrieved from
https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/27688/WasteNot.pdf?sequenc
e=1&isAllowed=y
15. 9 Easy Tips: Together we can Fight Food Waste. (2017). Retrieved from Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: http://www.fao.org/3/a-i7059e.pdf
19
T h a n k y o u .
H e l p u s p r e s e r v e t h e e a r t h .
V i s i t o u r w e b s i t e f o r m o r e i n f o :
C l a r e m o n t g e n u n . c o m
Change language