Sustainable living: 25 tips for a more sustainable lifestyle

Just 54 percent of people in Germany now rate environmental and climate protection as very important, down from 65 percent in 2020. That is the finding of the 2024 Environmental Awareness Study by the German Environment Agency. Which makes what each of us does matter more, not less. A sustainable lifestyle does not start with a perfect plan. It starts with one new habit. Here are 25 tips for sustainable living, covering food, mobility, your home, consumption and money. You do not have to be perfect. Just start.

What does a sustainable lifestyle mean?

A sustainable lifestyle means not consuming more resources than are available in the long term, while taking social responsibility for how those resources are produced. In Germany, the average person causes around 10.4 tonnes of CO2 equivalents per year. A climate-compatible level would be well under one tonne. Sustainable living therefore comes down to one thing: shrinking your carbon footprint step by step.

Climate change, air pollution, hunger and water scarcity are among the most pressing global problems, and they share a root cause. We use more than the planet regenerates, and the costs land disproportionately on people who consumed the least. The gap is wide even inside Germany. The most climate-friendly ten percent of the population get by on roughly 7 tonnes of CO2 equivalents a year. The top ten percent produce 17.7 tonnes, more than twice as much.

Your carbon footprint measures how many raw materials you use and how many pollutants your consumption causes. What you buy, how you travel, how you work and how you spend your free time all feed into it. The Global Footprint Network makes those differences visible across countries.

Sustainability is not only about the environment, though. It is also about fairness, for example buying products made under decent working conditions. Living sustainably means keeping your footprint small and taking responsibility for the people behind what you consume. These 25 tips will help you do both

Sustainability in everyday life: 7 tips for food

Food accounts for around 15 percent of the average carbon footprint in Germany. Three habits make most of the difference: eating fewer animal products, buying regional and seasonal, and wasting less. Those three alone move the needle without forcing you to redesign your whole life.

1. Eat less meat and dairy

Around 15 percent of a person's annual greenhouse gas emissions in Germany come from food, and animal products account for the bulk of that. Producing them uses very large amounts of water, pollutes groundwater with liquid manure and takes up valuable land for animal feed. Working conditions in the meat industry are often poor, and industrial factory farming raises serious ethical questions. Cutting back on animal products is the single most effective change you can make to your diet.

2. Buy regional products

Transport by lorry, ship or plane makes the footprint of many foods far worse than it needs to be. Mangoes and pineapples do not grow in Germany, so they have to travel. Strawberries, tomatoes and apples do not. Packaged and unpackaged food in Germany is labelled with the country of origin, so you can check at a glance. Weekly markets let you buy straight from regional producers, and many German cities now have Marktschwärmer collection points where you order online and pick up local produce from several suppliers at once. Produce boxes deliver regional food to your door, often with recipes for vegetables you have never cooked before.

3. Choose seasonal food

Seasonal produce travels shorter distances, which makes it both more climate-friendly and usually cheaper. Seasonal calendars for Germany are easy to find online and tell you what is at its best each month. The cooking magazines by the supermarket checkout tend to give you the same answer for free.

4. Drink tap water instead of bottled water

Tap water in Germany is strictly monitored and completely safe to drink. It is cold, fresh, almost free and always available. No crates to carry, no plastic bottles to buy, no deposit bottles to return. A squeeze of lemon, some syrup or a splash of juice adds flavour, and a home carbonator handles the sparkling version.

5. Plan your shopping and rescue food

Around 10.8 million tonnes of food end up in the bin in Germany every year. 58 percent of that comes from private households, which works out at 74.5 kilograms per person per year. Under revised EU rules, retail, hospitality and households need to cut that by 30 percent per capita by 2030. A shopping list keeps you to what you actually need, and checking your cupboards first helps even more. Bulk deals only save money if you eat what you buy. Stuck with two carrots, a leek and some feta? Search the ingredients and you will get recipes built around exactly those. Foodsharing initiatives let you rescue food that would otherwise be thrown away, and you meet people while doing it.

6. Go organic and fair

Sustainability covers social responsibility as well as ecology. Fairly traded coffee, juice and chocolate mean more of the money reaches the people who grew it. Buying organic reduces your footprint and supports lower-impact farming.

7. Cook at home more often

Ready meals, delivery and takeaway hit twice, once through heavy processing and once through packaging. Cooking yourself puts you in control of ingredients, origin and portion size. Block out fixed cooking days and cook for two meals at a time. You save packaging, energy and money. Leftovers in a glass container instead of foil will keep for several days.

Sustainable mobility: 3 tips for getting around

Mobility makes up around 19 percent of the average carbon footprint. No mode of transport damages the climate as much as flying. Flying less, using trains and public transport more, and cycling short distances saves more CO2 than almost any other single decision in your daily life.

8. Fly less

You already suspect this one. Air travel sends your footprint straight into XXL territory. Global air traffic has grown enormously since 1990 and is back above pre-pandemic levels. Flights are cheap partly because environmental damage is not priced in and because kerosene on international routes is untaxed, unlike energy for rail and road. So ask yourself how often you really need to fly. Take the train to climb in the Alps instead of trekking in the Andes. Swap a few spontaneous city breaks for a cycling trip. And if a flight is unavoidable, offset the emissions.

9. Cycle instead of driving

Car traffic burdens cities and the climate alike. In urban areas the switch is easy, because public transport and rail connections give you real alternatives. Cycling is the healthiest option of all, good for you and good for the environment. If you are buying a car, look at two numbers: real-world consumption rather than the manufacturer's figure, and vehicle weight. Both matter more than the drivetrain alone, and a heavy electric SUV can perform worse than a small efficient combustion car. Driving economically cuts consumption further. And if neither train nor bike works for you, ridesharing, car sharing and neighbourhood car schemes are expanding fast, especially in cities.

10. Use public transport consistently

The Deutschlandticket has made public transport across Germany far easier to plan and budget for. For a regular commute it almost always beats driving once you factor in parking and fuel. And when the bus does not fit your schedule, anything under five kilometres is usually faster by bike than by car in a German city anyway.

Home sweet home: 7 tips for sustainable living around the house

Housing and electricity together account for around 27 percent of the carbon footprint, making your home the single largest category. Heating and hot water are the biggest levers, followed by green electricity and long-lasting appliances. Small habits like proper ventilation, full washing loads and eco programmes add up noticeably over a year.

11. Stop the energy drains

Your oven, washing machine, dishwasher, fridge, vacuum and every other appliance consume resources during manufacturing and energy during use. Before buying new, check whether you could buy second-hand or share with someone. For new appliances, read the energy label. If you are away from your computer for more than five minutes, switch it off rather than leaving it on standby. And swap any remaining incandescent or energy-saving bulbs for LEDs, which saves electricity and money over time.

12. Cook and wash up cleverly

A kettle draws a lot of power but still saves energy overall: fill it only as far as you need, and heat pasta water in the kettle rather than the pan. On the hob, put the lid on the pot so water boils faster. Using the oven? Cook the whole meal in it, so potato wedges and vegetables go on the tray alongside whatever else you are making. For washing up, load the dishwasher fully and use the eco programme. By hand, fill the sink instead of rinsing under running water.

13. Ventilate and heat properly

Most homes are still heated with fossil fuels, so how you heat and ventilate has an immediate effect. Open windows fully for short bursts instead of leaving them tilted, and set thermostats to a consistent temperature. Both cut CO2 emissions and your utility bill at the same time.

14. Wash and clean with less chemistry

Private households in Germany flush large volumes of detergent and cleaning chemicals into wastewater every year, and a substantial share of it is toxic. Conservation group NABU recommends avoiding the most aggressive products such as drain cleaners and oven sprays. Four products cover almost everything: all-purpose cleaner, washing-up liquid, bathroom cleaner and a scouring cream. The EU Ecolabel and the German Blauer Engel mark identify lower-impact options. When washing clothes, dose correctly, skip fabric softener, fill the drum and choose the eco programme. If you want to go further, make your own cleaning products and cosmetics.

15. Get microplastics out of your bathroom and wardrobe

Two kinds of microplastic pollute the environment and threaten the entire food chain, especially in the oceans. Primary microplastics are plastic particles already smaller than five millimetres when they enter the environment, arriving via cosmetics and detergents, tyre abrasion or synthetic textile fibres. Secondary microplastics form when larger items such as plastic bottles weather and break apart. Many conventional shampoos, shower gels, body lotions, scrubs and facial products contain them. Neither type is banned, and neither has to be labelled. Natural cosmetics keep you on the safe side.

Washing synthetic clothing such as fleece jackets or sportswear releases tiny fibres. They reach the sea through wastewater and are one of the main sources of ocean microplastics. As global production of fashion, outdoor and sports clothing keeps rising, so does the impact. Here is how to push back

• Sustainable living means using fewer resources, cutting your carbon footprint and acting fairly towards people
• The average person in Germany causes around 10.4 tonnes of CO2 equivalents a year, while a climate-compatible level would be well under one tonne
• Your biggest levers are consumption, housing, mobility and food, in that order
• Regional and seasonal food, tap water and less food waste work immediately and cost nothing
• Sustainable consumption comes from buying less, repairing, sharing and avoiding plastic
• The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals give you direction, and a footprint calculator shows you where your own biggest levers sit

16. Cut plastic waste

Plastic packaging is everywhere, from food to toys to cosmetics and electronics. Buy unpackaged where you can, for example at a zero-waste shop. Where you cannot, dispose of packaging properly, either in the yellow bins provided in German shops or in the yellow bin at home. For liquids, look for the EU Ecolabel. Use refills and concentrates. And bar soap in a cardboard box beats shower gel in a plastic bottle every time.

17. Save hot water

Hot water is the second-largest energy item in the home after heating. A low-flow shower head halves the flow rate without costing you comfort. Showering instead of bathing saves more. And for washing your hands, cold water is fine almost always, because the soap does the work, not the temperature.

Buy, share, repair: 4 tips for sustainable consumption

Other consumption is the single biggest line in the German footprint at around 2.9 tonnes of CO2 per year, ahead of both housing and mobility. That covers clothing, electronics and leisure products. Which means the most effective move is not choosing a greener product. It is buying less, repairing and sharing.

Many of the tips above reduce the impact of individual activities: saving fuel, shopping locally, choosing eco-labelled products. Questioning consumption itself goes further. Do I actually need a new monitor, a new outdoor jacket, garden chairs, jeans and a sandwich maker?

18. Buy less new

Buying less directly reduces the mountains of electronic waste, plastic and textiles. If fair pay for workers matters to you, it is worth thinking about where you order online and where you shop locally. And a quick look at classifieds or local online communities often shows that what you want already exists second-hand.

19. Repair broken devices

There is almost always an alternative to replacing something. Many German cities have repair cafés where volunteers help fix your bike, laptop or small appliances. You get your device back, and you learn how it actually works.

20. Sharing connects people

Digital platforms have made sharing far easier, and car sharing now comes in many forms. Old-fashioned sharing works just as well, because not everyone on your street needs their own vacuum, lawnmower and power drill. You protect the environment and get to know your neighbours.

21. Buy refurbished instead of new

For smartphones, laptops and household appliances, most emissions occur during manufacturing. Refurbished devices with a warranty cost significantly less and avoid exactly that manufacturing impact. Under the EU right to repair rules, manufacturers also have to supply spare parts for longer. A broken device is far less often a write-off than it used to be.

4 tips for work, energy and finances

Your studies, your workplace and your bank account all have a footprint. Green electricity, less paper, deliberate use of digital services and a bank with ecological investment criteria often outweigh dozens of small daily choices. Investments in particular move large sums, and large sums move large emissions.

22. Switch to green electricity

Switching your electricity to renewables measurably improves your footprint. Comparison portals help you find a provider, and the switch itself usually takes a few minutes.

23. Work more sustainably on campus and in the office

Save paper and print as little as possible, and use recycled paper for printing and notes. Set your computer to enter power-saving mode after a few minutes and shut it down properly when you are done for the day. This applies equally to your studies and your job. Renting or buying used textbooks instead of new ones is another easy win.

24. Think about digital sustainability

Data centres use a lot of electricity, and AI applications are pushing demand higher. Small habits help. Download the music and shows you return to instead of streaming them again every time. Reduce video quality on your phone, where the difference is barely visible anyway. And clear out old cloud folders and duplicate photos on a regular basis.

25. Do not stop at your bank account

Sustainability in everyday life extends to your finances. Choose your bank and your investments according to ethical and ecological criteria. A single decision here often moves more than a hundred small ones in the supermarket.

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Global and local: the 17 sustainable development goals

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In its 2030 Agenda, the United Nations defined 17 sustainability goals. They include combating poverty and world hunger, education, justice, peace, decent work, economic growth, and climate protection. All states are called upon to align their actions with these goals. Germany has also committed itself to implement the goals.

• Goal 1: No poverty
• Goal 2: Zero hunger
• Goal 3: Good Health and well-being
• Goal 4: Quality education
• Goal 5: Gender equality
• Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation
• Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy
• Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth
• Goal 9: Industry, innovation, and infrastructure
• Goal 10: Reduce inequalities
• Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
• Goal 12: Responsible production and consumption
• Goal 13: Implement climate protection worldwide
• Goal 14: Protect life underwater
• Goal 15: Life on land
• Goal 16: Piece justice and strong institutions
• Goal 17: Global partnerships for the goals

At CBS, the goals are not just a poster on the wall. Our SDG Teaching Map shows where they appear across our curriculum.

Calculate your carbon footprint

The fastest way to find your own biggest levers is a carbon footprint calculator. The calculator run by the German Environment Agency takes 10 to 20 minutes and uses German data, which matters if you live here. Have your heating and electricity bills and your car mileage to hand. At the end, a scenario tool shows you how much each possible change would actually save in your specific case. That is far more useful than a generic list, because it tells you which two or three things are worth your effort.

Sustainability at CBS

Our mission is "creating tomorrow", for a liveable and sustainable future. CBS is committed to the goals of the United Nations and has voluntarily joined the UN Global Compact.

In practice that means two things. First, we research the subject. At the Center for Advanced Sustainable Management (CASM), people from academia, business and policy work on CSR, international business ethics and social innovation.

Second, sustainability runs through our teaching rather than sitting in a single course. Circular economy thinking, ethical leadership and supply chain responsibility are built into our business modules. You do not need a specialist degree to work on this professionally. You need the commercial skills to influence decisions inside a company, and that is what our programmes are designed to give you.

On our campuses we work on our own footprint too, including a complete switch to green electricity. You can read more under Responsibility at CBS.

Start living more sustainably, step by step

Our list of tips for a sustainable lifestyle has grown long. You cannot possibly do all of it, and you do not need to. Some changes have a big effect, others a small one. Some days living sustainably feels easy, other days you have no energy to change anything. That is human, much like New Year's resolutions. Talking to other people about why this matters to you, and about how you handle the setbacks, sets an example and brings others along. And if you take sustainability into your career, you move considerably more than you can at home. Do what you actually have the appetite for, and celebrate the wins.