10 ways to live an eco-friendly life on the lake
Lifestyle

10 Ways to Live an Eco-Friendly Life on the Lake

(Last Updated On: November 30, 2021)

10 Ways to Live an Eco-Friendly Life on the Lake

​Life on the lake is all about taking in the nature around you, and slowing down to appreciate everything the lake has to offer. You won’t find the bustle of the city with all its traffic and big box stores. Instead, you find yourself immersed in a world of ecological treasures, and community of lake goers that quickly feels like family. The lake fosters so many great memories, as well as an appreciation for nature. That’s why so many in the lake life community are turning to eco-friendly living, with designed to preserve the places they’ve come to love. It isn’t hard to live eco-friendly, and it’s worth preserving our precious ecosystems. Using more sustainable energy and building sources may not have a huge effect if only one person does it, but if everyone takes a few small steps, the planet is healthier for it. Living eco-friendly isn’t only about forests, it’s also about what we eat, how we package and purchase it, and what we do with waste products. Small change adds up to a big impact.

10 Ways to Live an Eco-Friendly Life on the Lake

Waste Less

We hear a lot about reducing waste, but for many people that can be a vague concept. Part of this is learning not to take more than you will actually use, whether that means not grabbing a handful of napkins when you get takeaway, or not doubling up on an extra serving you won’t finish. You can easily reduce waste by avoiding disposable products whenever possible.

Instead of using paper towels to clean, cut old t-shirts into cleaning cloths or use hand towels. Rather than relying on the convenience of paper plates, go the extra step and just clean your usual plates.re…

Prevent Pollution

​Prevent pollution to the environment by properly disposing of everyday items that you may not think of. Naturally, that means no littering. Next, remember that items such as batteries and electronics shouldn’t be put into the trash with everything else. Take those to a special disposal facility. Only use eco-friendly products on your lawn and garden; this prevents harmful chemical runoff that can destroy ecosystems. As bad as runoff is, even worse is direct dumping. Never dump waste or unwanted liquids into the lake, or any other natural site or waterway.

Reduce Your Fuel Use

Even electricity creates emissions, albeit less than fossil fuels. Reducing your overall fuel use, no matter whether it’s electricity, gas, coal, will lessen your carbon footprint. Instead of driving, bike or walk whenever possible. At the lake, you won’t find yourself needing to drive often or very far, so make the most of it! Always turn off the lights when you leave a room, and check that all non-essential electronics are turned off before you leave home. Instead of turning on the AC, opt for opening a window to let the breeze in.

Be Water-Wise

While you shower or brush your teeth, you can reduce the water you use. Don’t keep the faucet on while you brush, and if you can, try turning off the shower while you lather up, and turn it back on to rinse. Take showers instead of baths, and try and cut them down by a couple of minutes. When it comes to your watering your lakeside garden, water those plants in the morning or evening, as the sun is lower and the temperature is cooler, when water won’t evaporate quickly. Bonus tip: leave a barrel or bucket out and gather rainwater for container plants.

Invest in Reusable Products

Getting a reusable water bottle is one of the most effective ways to reduce your plastic use. If you’re buying bottled because it’s purified, there are plenty of reusable water bottles that also filter water. Reusable shopping bags also make a significant difference. Over a lifetime, you can keep so much plastic out of our ecosystem. Reusable sandwich boxes are ideal for eliminating plastic bags from kids’ lunchboxes.

Upgrade Your Appliances

Appliances aren’t built with equal efficiency. That’s especially true when it comes to older appliances. There are plenty of new, eco-friendly appliances out there, whether you’re looking at a stove, washer, or a blender.

If you’re already due for an upgrade, buy appliances with high efficiency and eco-friendly labels.

Use Natural Energy

You don’t always have to upgrade something to help lower your impact on the environment. Opening your blinds on south facing sides of your house allows natural heat into your home. If you use thermal mass materials like brick or ceramic tile, you can passively leverage the sun’s power even more. That’s because the heat will spread and absorb through the materials.

Build Green

If you’re building a home, or undergoing some renovations, use more eco friendly materials. Green construction materials are easily found, and renewable. The closer a material is sourced, the more it minimizes the carbon footprint from transporting it. Look for salvaged and recycled materials. If you have to get new materials, look for long lasting products that have a low emission production process.

Recycle Better

Don’t skimp on recycling; it’s one of the best ways to conserve trees and reduce landfill waste. Even items you might usually send to the trash bin can often be recycled, like receipts and bills. If there’s sensitive information, shred the papers so they can be recycled. Purchasing recycled paper is good for the environment too; producing it is more efficient, lower emissions, and better for trees. If you’re unsure if something can be recycled, check the packaging or even call your local recycling service. It only takes a moment, but the effects of good recycling will last many generations.

Waste Less, Starting at the Store

There are plenty of ways to live eco-friendly, starting at the store. Many items like rice, grains, and beans are sold in small packages, despite their long shelf life. Spices and nuts are also good to buy in bulk, since they won’t go bad over time. When you buy in bulk, you save both money and the wasteful packaging they come in. Instead of buying individual drinks and juice boxes, go for a larger container. If you know don’t waste resources on what seems like convenient packaging. When it comes down to it, you pay for the extra packaging materials, and the earth ends up paying for it too.

It’s Perfect For Get Togethers

Life on the lake comes with some big advantages when you want to get your friends together. It’s the perfect setting for a casual barbecue or weekend potluck, as well as birthday parties and ‘just because’ parties and get togethers. There’s no end to the different activities the lake offers, and there’s a perfect fit to entertain any guest.

Lake Friends

Lake life comes with a certain sense of community. It seems that sometimes there’s nothing that bonds virtual strangers together like the love of the lake. You meet tons of interesting new friends simply going throughout your day on or near the water. From fishing solo you can quickly get absorbed in a whole new group of friends boating, swimming, or fishing alongside you.

The Ambience

While life on the lake can be exciting, there’s an equal amount of tranquil ambience. From a cool, soft sunrise to the rising natural songs during a vivid sunset, lake life is full of relaxing scenery. Being near the water helps bring your mind to ease, and is proven scientifically to reduce your stress levels. There is an opportunity to appreciate wildlife surrounding you and you just can’t beat the ambience of lake life.

Endless Activities

There are many types of activities on a lake. Boating and sports reign in popularity. You can’t go wrong with a day spent waterskiing, tubing, or wakeboarding. Naturally, a day swimming and soaking up the sun is a hot favorite. Or if you want to take it slow, a day fishing on the lake is always a great choice. It’s not just about sport either; you can spend the day upping your wildlife photography skills, painting or sketching your idyllic surroundings, or cooking out in the open.

Endless Activities

There are many types of activities on a lake. Boating and sports reign in popularity. You can’t go wrong with a day spent waterskiing, tubing, or wakeboarding. Naturally, a day swimming and soaking up the sun is a hot favorite. Or if you want to take it slow, a day fishing on the lake is always a great choice. It’s not just about sport either; you can spend the day upping your wildlife photography skills, painting or sketching your idyllic surroundings, or cooking out in the open.

The Laidback Lifestyle

Lake life takes you away from the bustle of the noisy city. You can finally escape the constant sound of traffic, and forget about that stressful commute. As soon as you arrive at the lake, you feel a sense of calm, and a definite slowing of pace. There are plenty of shady resting spots, and plenty of privacy thanks to the natural screening that mature trees and lakeside flora. You can truly enjoy yourself surrounded by nature, and you won’t even think of pulling out your laptop to check emails from work. Life on the lake is sublimely low-key. If your everyday life seems like one hectic day that leads to another, take some time to experience the soothing rhythm of life on the lake. There’s no expectation to dress up and be at your business best, the lake is the best place to metaphorically, and literally, let your hair down. So ditch the suits, ties, and heels and kick back in some sandals or sneakers. For the lake life ladies, take a break from the rush of your morning makeup; slather on sunscreen and maybe some lip balm, and you’re ready to get out on the water.

Importance of an Eco-Friendly Lifestyle

Our world is suffering, causing so many different, unique, and amazing species to be affected as well. This includes ourselves. Pollution has begun to cause severe harm to native species, and health problems among humans. Global warming has vast, devastating impacts that we may not even have come to fully realize. Man made constructions and inventions have come to have wide ranging implications, from causing species to die off with their natural habitat destroyed, to extreme agricultural and social events, like the dust bowl. As a people, we should be trying to give everything to the environment that it gives to us: shelter, nourishment, healing, and so much more. We haven’t passed the point of no return, but we aren’t far from it either. It’s easy to say someone shouldn’t develop certain land, or drive a certain gas guzzling car, but it’s not always as easy to look critically at how our own decisions impact the environment. Some of the most impactful differences come from small changes in our everyday lifestyles. Buy reusable, and do everything you can you ditch disposable. Be wary of the carbon footprint that comes with the products you eat and use; you won’t regret it if you do.

Conclusion

Life on the lake is an essential, unmissable experience, especially if you spend most seasons in the midst of a busy, modern atmosphere. Lake living brings you to a unique, welcoming community of like minded nature lovers, escapists, water sports, and food aficionados alike. No matter your niche, there’s nothing that beats life on the lake. With so much to enjoy and explore, it’s paramount that we put as much care into the environments that foster our lake lifestyles, as the joy the lakes and their surrounding ecosystems give back to us.