The Jungle Dog

5 Sustainable Habits to Start This Year That Actually Make a Difference

Moving into 2026, here at The Jungle Dog we typically look back at our carbon footprint in order to improve on our sustainable habits. Using Footprint Calculator and OCE My Carbon Footprint, it’s always a good starting point to see if we can do even better each year. As a sustainable community we should challenge each other.

In 2025, here is the carbon footprint calculated by a Jungle Dog team member based in Europe: It’s 4,694 kg/yr and it’s actually on par with the average emissions per person on the planet.

This calculation is a starting point, our team member was a bit surprised that the score wasn’t below average, but overall now ready to improve on for the year. For example, our team member vows to take train holidays only across Western Europe instead of flying while also investing in double glazing 100% taking energy efficiency steps. This is where we should embed more sustainable choices in what we do consistently. Small, simple actions repeated daily are what shape our habits, and habits are what create long-term change. When sustainable living becomes part of your routine rather than a one-off effort, it stops feeling overwhelming and starts feeling achievable. This year, instead of chasing an unattainable ideal, focus on manageable sustainable habits you can repeat daily or weekly.

As Jane Goodall once said, ”You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

First and foremost, it starts with being aware and then monitoring realistic lifestyle changes gradually influence how you shop, eat, move, and consume — turning conscious decisions into automatic behaviours that lead to meaningful environmental and social impact over time.

1. Reduce Waste: Think Reuse Before You Throw Away

Reducing waste is one of the most effective and accessible ways to live a more sustainable, eco-friendly lifestyle. Small steps start with a simple shift from disposable habits to reuse, especially when it comes to food waste, one of the biggest drivers of environmental impact.

Around 40% of all food produced globally is wasted. For conscious consumers, this makes food waste reduction one of the highest-impact sustainable habits you can adopt. Wasted food isn’t just thrown away meals — it represents wasted water, energy, land, and labour. Reducing food waste at home and on the go is a core pillar of low-waste living and responsible consumption.

Meal Kit Subscriptions to Minimise Food Waste

One realistic way to reduce food waste at home is through meal kit subscriptions that deliver pre-measured ingredients and recipes. Services like HelloFresh design their meal kits so you waste up to 21% less food compared with traditional grocery shopping and cooking, because ingredients are portioned to your exact meals. These subscriptions help streamline meal planning, reduce food overbuying, and support low-waste living — perfect for busy lifestyles. Across Europe, the Jungle Dog community is already using several meal kit and recipe delivery services that help minimise food waste while offering variety and convenience:

  • HelloFresh – One of the biggest meal kit delivery services in Europe, known for portioned ingredients that cut food waste.
  • Gousto – Popular in the UK with fresh, portion-controlled recipe boxes.
  • Green Chef – Offers organic, responsibly sourced ingredients and sustainable meal plans.
  • Wyldr – A German-service delivering only organic ingredients and also catering to flexitarians and vegans.
  • Ekomenu – A Belgium-based organic meal kit service focused on healthy menus and food waste reduction.

These services make sustainable meal planning easier, help reduce both food waste and packaging waste, and introduce you to new flavours without the stress of meal prep — reinforcing that small, repeatable habits can make a big difference in your eco-friendly lifestyle.

Reuse Goes Beyond Dinner Ingredients

Reusable habits aren’t limited to packaging or meal kits. Reusable coffee cups are a great starting point, but sustainable consumption goes much further. Today, more restaurants and cafés are offering reusable food containers for takeaway meals and leftovers, removing the need for single-use packaging altogether.

Companies like RECUP and Relevo partner with food businesses to provide reusable bowls, plates, and takeaway containers. Customers simply borrow a container, enjoy their meal, and return it after use — making it easy to avoid packaging waste without carrying your own. These systems are especially useful for takeaway meals or requesting a “doggy bag,” helping consumers reduce both food waste and packaging waste.

Start with Everyday Low-Waste Habits Reusable water bottles and coffee cups: Small swaps that eliminate hundreds of single-use plastic items per person each year. Reusable shopping bags, produce bags, and containers: Keep them in your car or backpack to support low-waste living wherever you shop. Reusable takeaway containers: Whether personal or return-and-reuse systems, they significantly reduce food and plastic waste.

By focusing on reducing food waste, choosing reusable solutions, and building repeatable habits, conscious consumers can make sustainable living part of everyday life — creating real environmental impact through simple, consistent actions.

Tools That Help

Our community really rate brands like Stasher and Beewise that offer reusable alternatives to single-use cups, plastic wrap, and disposable bags. These eco-friendly products are designed for longevity, helping conscious consumers reduce landfill waste and plastic pollution.

2. Buy Less, Buy Better: Sustainable Shopping That Lasts

One of the most powerful sustainable habits is changing how you consume, not just what you consume. Responsible consumption means buying fewer items overall and prioritising quality, ethics, and durability.

Why It Matters

Fast fashion, throwaway electronics, and cheaply made furniture drive overconsumption, resource depletion, and unnecessary waste. Choosing well-made products supports a more sustainable lifestyle and reduces your environmental footprint.

Where to Start

  • Clothing: Brands like Patagonia and Everlane focus on transparency, ethical labour, and durability. Patagonia’s Worn Wear programme promotes repairing and reusing clothing. You can also support sustainable fashion by buying second-hand on Vinted or Sellpy.
  • Electronics: Refurbished tech from Swappie or Back Market extends product lifecycles and reduces e-waste.
  • Furniture: Choosing second-hand or sustainably sourced furniture (such as FSC-certified wood) supports ethical production and lowers demand for new manufacturing.

3. Make Food Choices That Support the Planet

Food choices play a major role in sustainable living, influencing greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, and food waste.

Small Actions That Add Up

  • Meal planning: Reduces food waste and saves money.
  • Plant-rich meals: Even a few meat-free meals per week can significantly lower your carbon footprint.
  • Composting: Prevents food waste from generating methane in landfills.

Helpful Services The Jungle Dog community rates the app Too Good To Go help consumers rescue surplus food from restaurants and shops, making low-waste living more affordable. Community-supported agriculture (CSA) schemes also support local farms and sustainable food systems.

4. Move Smarter: Sustainable Transport Habits

Transportation is a major contributor to carbon emissions, but sustainable habits don’t require giving up convenience.

Daily Habits That Help

  • Walk or bike for short journeys.
  • Use public transport whenever possible.
  • Choose car-sharing or ride-sharing to reduce the number of vehicles on the road.

Companies Making It Easier Services like Bolt and Uber now offer car-sharing, electric scooters, and bikes in many cities, helping people choose lower-impact transport options for everyday trips.

5. Reduce Energy Use & Choose Sustainable Power at Home

Energy consumption at home has a significant environmental impact — but small changes can deliver big results.

Simple Changes

  • LED bulbs: Use less energy and last longer.
  • Smart thermostats: Reduce heating and cooling waste.
  • Smart plugs or unplugging devices: Prevent energy drain from electronics on standby.
  • Sustainable Energy Options

Many providers offer renewable energy plans powered by wind or solar. Companies like Octopus Energy and Green Mountain Energy ) make switching to green energy straightforward, helping households reduce their carbon footprint.

Maintain A Conscious Consumer Mindset

Sustainability isn’t a finish line, it’s an ongoing journey shaped by intention, small changes, and better information. Becoming a conscious consumer means making informed decisions that align with your values, without guilt or pressure to be perfect. Platforms like The Jungle Dog exist to make sustainable living more accessible. By helping people discover ethical brands, eco-friendly products, and responsible lifestyle solutions, The Jungle Dog supports sustainable habits that fit into real life — not an idealised version of it.