Self-sufficiency is seen by many as the ideal lifestyle, supporting the environment and offering the...

Self-sufficiency is seen by many as the ideal lifestyle, supporting the environment and offering the perfect way to live in harmony with the world around you. Self-sufficiency is intrinsically linked to sustainability, eco-friendliness and being kind to the environment. However, while the dream of self-sufficiency may not be realistically achievable for many, there are still a number of small-scale ways in which you can work to make your lifestyle more self-sufficient. For example, in our children’s Eco Village in Tanzania, it is self-sufficiency which is consistently able to better the lives of disadvantaged children. Sponsor a child and discover just how much sustainability does to benefit the young residents of our eco village.

But with this in mind, what can you do to increase your own level of self-sufficiency? Here are three ways in which you can work towards a more sustainable lifestyle.

Grow Your Own Food

Although not everyone is a green-fingered gardening whizz, there are still plenty of ways that you can boost your food supply from home. If you have space in your garden, transforming a small area into a vegetable patch can be a convenient way to grow your own produce. Start with something easy to grow, like potatoes, peas, beans or tomatoes, before tackling vegetables which require more attention. If you’re really not confident about your gardening ability, why not just choose to grow some herb plants on your kitchen windowsill instead?

Use Less Power

Do you really need to leave every single light in the house on when you’re just sitting in one room? Committing to using less power is not only great for sustainability and the environment, but it can also save you money over the long term. Make sure to switch off lights when you leave the room and turn off plugs once you’ve finished using technology and appliances.

Walk, Don’t Drive

Some journeys will, of course, require a quicker and more convenient mode of transport like a car, but if possible, you should try to walk or cycle to get where you need to be. As well as helping to reduce emissions, the additional exercise is great for your health. For longer journeys, public transport like buses or trains is also a useful alternative.

Are you committed to self-sufficiency? Give the gift of generosity and sponsor a child to help secure the future of the disadvantaged children residing in our Tanzanian Eco Village.