Make a Change

Use this as a checklist to work towards Living More with Less in your own life.

Living More

Positive Emotions

  • Regularly practice gratitude journaling or intimate discussion
  • Smile, its contageous
  • Engage in daily mindfulness or meditation
  • Schedule regular time outdoors
  • Celebrate small achievements frequently
  • Distinguish between short-term dopamine-driven activities and sustainable serotonin/oxytocin-boosting activities
  • Identify and reduce reliance on quick-fix dopamine triggers (social media, excessive TV)
  • Cultivate emotional resilience through challenging yet rewarding activities
  • Regularly review and reflect on personal and family happiness and sense of meaning

Engagement

  • Identify and pursue meaningful hobbies
  • Learn and practice DIY and practical skills
  • Regularly volunteer with local organizations
  • Choose physical activities you genuinely enjoy
  • Deepen your knowledge in sustainability and effective altruism
  • Engage with literature or media promoting sustainable living
  • Take deliberate actions aligned with long-term personal fulfillment rather than short-term pleasure

Relationships

  • Prioritize interactions with family and friends weekly
  • Participate in community events regularly
  • Create or join local sustainability or effective altruism groups
  • Volunteer regularly with community-focused groups
  • Host or attend community sustainability discussions
  • Foster connections with neighbors through shared sustainability projects
  • Cultivate relationships based on mutual support and shared values
  • Engage in community-building activities like street parties or community gardening
  • Expand your empath envelope by connecting with new cultures

Meaning

  • Clearly define personal and family values
  • Evaluate and align daily actions with these values
  • Engage in purposeful volunteer work
  • Reflect regularly on your life’s positive impacts
  • Commit to effective altruism and intentional living
  • Regularly discuss and refine family goals
  • Foster a deeper understanding of global and local sustainability issues
  • Initiate meaningful conversations with colleagues, employers, and family about sustainable living and social justice

Achievement

  • Set clear, achievable goals for lifestyle changes
  • Track and celebrate progress toward sustainable living
  • Share your sustainability journey publicly to inspire others
  • Regularly assess whether your goals genuinely contribute to fulfillment
  • Document successes and setbacks openly to encourage learning and resilience
  • Celebrate collective community achievements toward sustainability goals

Health

  • Prioritize nutritious, plant-based meals
  • Incorporate regular physical activity into daily routine
  • Foster good sleep hygiene
  • Manage stress through sustainable lifestyle choices
  • Engage in regular digital detoxes
  • Choose activities that enhance mental clarity and emotional balance
  • Regularly evaluate the impact of lifestyle on physical and mental health

Less (Reducing Environmental and Social Impact)

Energy & Resources

  • Conduct a home energy audit
  • Install energy-efficient appliances and lighting
  • Purchase renewable or green power
  • Install solar panels
  • Set hot water systems to operate during midday solar peak
  • Limit the length of hot showers
  • Reduce water usage with efficient fixtures and mindful habits
  • Regularly review household energy consumption
  • Advocate for renewable energy policies with local representatives

Transportation

  • Use bicycles or public transportation or avoid travel altogether
  • Reduce vehicle use by trip planning and carpooling
  • Choose car-sharing or electric vehicle options
  • Avoid air travel by choosing sustainable alternatives
  • Regularly maintain bicycles and vehicles for efficiency
  • Advocate for improved local public transportation
  • Participate in community transportation initiatives

Consumption & Waste

  • Follow refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, recycle mantra
  • Purchase secondhand or refurbished goods
  • Commit to zero-waste shopping practices
  • Engage in composting food waste
  • Rent out spare rooms or spaces to optimize home usage
  • Participate in community swap meets
  • Regularly declutter and responsibly dispose of or repurpose unused items

Food & Diet

  • Shift toward a primarily plant-based diet
  • Support local and sustainable food producers
  • Grow your own food or participate in community gardening
  • Practice mindful eating to minimize food waste
  • Engage in foraging or freegan practices when appropriate
  • Educate yourself on sustainable food systems
  • Advocate for sustainable agriculture policies locally

Finance & Investments

  • Invest in ethical and sustainable funds
  • Choose ethical banking and insurance providers
  • Avoid companies with poor environmental and social records
  • Regularly review and adjust investments for alignment with values
  • Encourage employers and community organizations to adopt ethical investment practices

Technology & Media

  • Extend electronics life through regular repairs
  • Purchase refurbished or secondhand devices
  • Implement sustainable and minimalist digital practices
  • Reduce unnecessary online activity and data consumption
  • Advocate for better e-waste recycling and policies

Work & Time Management

  • Advocate for reduced working hours or flexible working arrangements
  • Prioritize activities and work that align with personal values
  • Regularly review work-life balance and adjust accordingly
  • Engage employers and colleagues in sustainability conversations
  • Actively support policies that encourage sustainable workplaces

Community & Social Impact

  • Support local, ethical businesses and initiatives
  • Educate yourself on fair trade and ethical labor practices
  • Write letters to, and visit, local politicians advocating for sustainable policies
  • Participate actively in community sustainability groups
  • Advocate for policy changes at local and regional levels

Effective Giving

  • Commit a portion (e.g., 10%) of your income to high-impact charities via Giving What We Can Pledge
  • Regularly review the effectiveness of your chosen charities
  • Encourage friends, family, and colleagues to take the pledge
  • Actively participate in fundraising events for effective charities
  • Advocate publicly for effective altruism