“The word ‘sustainability’ has become something of a background noise. Politicians say it, it’s printed on shopping bags, and it’s mentioned in yogurt commercials. As a result, many young people have stopped hearing it altogether. But beneath all that noise is something simple: daily choices that add up. It’s not about big sacrifices or a complete lifestyle overhaul—just concrete things you can start doing this week.

Here are 7 of them.

1. Stop buying bottled water

In Latvia, tap water is drinkable almost everywhere. A single plastic bottle takes about 450 years to decompose, while a thermos or a reusable bottle costs between 10–20 euros and lasts for years. If you spend 2 euros a week on bottled water, that adds up to 100 euros and about 100 plastic bottles a year. A thermos pays for itself within the first month.

2. Eat meat less often, rather than “only organic”

Beef production generates more greenhouse gases than global road transport, and an “organic” label doesn’t change that fact. If you eat meat 3–4 times a week instead of every day, the impact is real. This isn’t a call to go vegan; simply reducing your frequency of consumption already yields results.

3. Before buying, ask: do I really need this?

The fast fashion industry produces around 92 million tons of textile waste annually, most of which ends up in landfills. Latvia has a wide range of second-hand shops, clothing swap groups, and online platforms. Sustainable daily living isn’t about buying a “greener” shirt; it’s about buying fewer shirts overall.

4. Separate your waste. For real.

Many apartment buildings in Latvian cities have containers for glass, paper, plastic, and bio-waste, yet most people ignore them because it’s “complicated” or they think “it all gets mixed anyway.” While mistakes happen, properly separated glass is 100% recyclable. Spending five minutes a week to rinse a can and drop it in the right bin is one of the simplest ecological steps in your daily routine.

5. Use public transport or walk at least once a day

Taking a car to a shop 800 meters away isn’t logistics; it’s a habit. If you live in a city, public transport in Riga and other major towns is often faster than a car in traffic, and there are discounts for youth under 25 in Riga. Cycling in spring and summer combines transportation with physical activity.

6. Turn on energy-saving mode on your phone and laptop

Screen brightness, background apps, and devices left on standby all night make up a significant portion of household electricity consumption. With electricity prices in Latvia rising in recent years, saving is both ecological and economical. Specifically: turn devices off completely, set monitors to auto-sleep after 5 minutes, and charge your phone only to 80% if it stays plugged in all night.

7. Talk about it, but skip the moral lectures

Environmental protection is better received among young people when it looks like a normal lifestyle rather than a chore. If you carry coffee in a thermos and a friend asks why, just tell them simply. In Inspiria projects, this is constantly visible: when youth see others taking concrete actions, they start doing the same. Real change happens when specific actions become the norm, not when people are made to feel guilty.

Living sustainably isn’t a total revolution. Starting with just one of these seven things this week is already a beginning.