How to make more sustainable choices around the home

Sustainability in your home is rarely determined by a single major decision. It's usually a collection of how you manage water, waste, energy, and even the devices you rely on every day that add up over time. If you're already living a self-sufficient lifestyle, many of these habits probably feel familiar, but it's worth taking a fresh look at where you can still cut down on waste.

What are five ways to be sustainable?

A refurbished iPhone is a good example of a small swap that makes a genuine dent in your household waste, since choosing a tested, pre-owned device instead of a new one keeps working electronics out of landfills. That single choice sets the tone for a handful of other habits that can make a difference around your homestead.

Start by composting your kitchen scraps and yard waste. This process converts what would otherwise go to a landfill and makes usable soil for your garden beds, closing a loop that most households miss. If you already have a garden or small livestock, rainwater harvesting for irrigation is an easy and effective solution as it reduces the need for treated water for activities that do not require it.

Where you can, choose reusable containers and cloth items over single-use plastics. It deals with waste at the source and not after the fact. If you have the space, a solar generator or power station reduces your reliance on the grid during outages or peak demand, and it pairs naturally with the self-sufficiency you're already building into your homestead.

How to make technology more sustainable

Buying an iPhone 17 Pro through a refurbished marketplace instead of new is one of the clearest ways to make your tech habits more sustainable. The world generated 62 million tonnes of electronic waste in 2022 alone, according to the UN's Global E-waste Monitor, and less than a quarter of that was properly collected and recycled. Every device you keep in circulation for another cycle is one less contribution to that pile.

Back Market is the largest online marketplace dedicated to refurbished electronics, and every device sold through it is tested and graded before listing. That means you get a device in known condition backed by a warranty, rather than gambling on an unclear secondhand listing, which makes refurbished tech an effortless habit to adopt without giving up quality or reliability.

Buying refurbished is only part of the picture, though. Keep your devices out of extreme heat, avoid unnecessary full battery cycles, and repair rather than replace when something breaks, all of which stretch a device's usable life further. When a device does finally reach the end of its life, recycle it properly instead of letting it sit in a drawer or end up in general trash. Make these habits a part of your routine, and you’ll end up with a household that wastes less without sacrificing any of the convenience modern technology provides.