What does Eco-friendly mean?

Being eco-friendly or environmentally friendly is becoming more and more important. The global focus is strongly on the conservation of our planet and the resources it provides for life. The media is also actively used to promote awareness campaigns.

What does the term “eco-friendly” mean?

It is a sustainability and marketing term commonly used in goods and services, policies, guidelines or laws that claim to reduce ecosystem and environmental damage. Eco-friendly products and services do not contribute to the destruction of the environment at any stage of their production, use or disposal.

Where does one start in the process of becoming eco-friendly?

Being aware of how our choices affect the environment is a good start. There are three basic aspects to note when you want to improve your mindset on the environment and make a positive contribution:

• Learn to consume items that do minimal or no harm to the environment.
• Discover the magnitude of your carbon footprint and act to reduce the footprint on the environment.
• Support the work and eco-friendly projects offered in your community.

The first step is to change the way we consume products. This means that we need to change our habits about managing them, what type of packaging we use, how we handle waste and how we utilize natural resources.

The second step is looking at the extent of our carbon footprint (which we may not be able to change) – such as living in a home, owning a car, or the type of services we should use. This is a big task with a wide scope and must be managed with responsibility.

The third step is to have active contact with other eco-friendly people, communities and businesses. It must become our mission to support their network and to create a more sustainable life. It may not be as easy as it looks, which is why it is the third step. Living and supporting in a sustainable community and economy means that we will not necessarily have all the amenities we are used to. This is by far the most difficult step to adapt.