5 Ways To Be Eco-Friendly When You're Always Tired

Do you find you’re always tired or struggling from low energy? Here are 5 “lazy” ways to be eco-friendly from your sofa.

This may be an unpopular opinion, but many eco-friendly choices take a lot of energy.

While some people are good at organisation and planning, others are not - and that’s okay.

I named my blog before I found out I was neurodivergent. Back then, I honestly thought I was lazy and rubbish at being a human.

Fast forward six years and I’m able to notice when I’m struggling with ADHD or autistic burnout. 

I have spent the last couple of years trying to put systems into place to support my crappy executive functioning so I can create a home that aligns with my values.

Sometimes that looks like temporarily going back to disposable products or using more plastic than I’d like, but I’ve also found a few hacks that make an eco-friendly lifestyle a bit easier for me.

Individual actions alone can’t stop the climate crisis so I don’t let myself feel guilty when I need to prioritise rest, recovery, and joy.

Eco-guilt is a waste of energy and if you prioritise healing your burnout you can become a happier and more productive activist who helps more people.

So if your energy levels are rather low or you're feeling too “lazy” to make big lifestyle changes, here are 5 sustainable actions you can do from your sofa right now.

P.S. I realise not everybody will be able to do all these things, especially if your tiredness is health-related, but hopefully you can do some.

1. Use the search engine Ecosia

Are you always typing weird and random questions into your phone? Well, now you can plant trees at the same time!

Ecosia is a search engine (like Google or Bing) only each time you click on the sponsored link at the top, Ecosia uses 100% of the profits to plant trees.

So far they’ve planted over 220 million trees which is pretty cool don’t you think?

You can download the free app on your phone, or type ecosia.org into your browser on your preferred device.

2. Get refills on subscription

I’ve lost count of how many times I forgot to order my eco-friendly products in time and had to run to the shop for an emergency plastic bottle. Not ideal!

Many sustainable brands have cottoned on to this problem and created regular subscription services for refillable products, green cleaning, and plastic-free toiletries.

It honestly makes it so much easier to function in life when you don’t have to remember to order consumables from different places.

Some of the items I get on subscription are:

• Deodorant

• Toothpaste

• Face wash

• Toilet paper

• Kitchen and bathroom cleaning products

And if I get too much, I just pause or delay the order for a month or two. Easy.

3. Buying in bulk

Not only does buying in bulk make my life easier, but it also saves money in the long run.

I make my own DIY cleaners when I have the energy, but I still buy certain sustainable products, like washing up liquid and laundry detergent, and it makes sense to buy in bulk (if you can afford the initial cost).

Some of the sustainable products you can buy in bulk are:

• Shampoo

• Conditioner

• Body wash

• Hand wash

• Liquid soap

• Surface cleaner

• Toilet cleaner

• White vinegar

Buying in bulk when food shopping is also a good way to reduce plastic packaging and save money.

How does buying in bulk help when you’re tired or feeling lazy?

Many refillable cleaning and personal care brands offer 5-litre containers so that when you run out, you don’t have to use energy to do a consumable shop for months. You can just top up your reusable bottle.

If you have a local zero-waste shop and don’t have the energy or ability to get down there yourself, they will often deliver products of your choice to your home.

The downside to bulk buying is you will need to spend more up front and not everyone is in a position to do this. You will also need somewhere to store the products which is tricky if you have a small home or live in a flat. I don’t expect my suggestions to work for everybody.

4. Swap to a clean energy provider

Energy providers are very good at greenwashing. I was recently hassled on the street by Shell salespeople who tried to switch me to their renewable energy tariff.

As Shell (who make billions in profit) is destroying the planet by extracting oil and gas so it seems silly that they can try and advertise renewable energy!

One of the best things you can do to help fight the climate crisis is to switch to an energy provider that doesn’t use any fossil fuels.

The most ethical companies actively invest in or own renewable energy which is helping us gradually move to a greener future.

How do you know which energy companies are sustainable?

You can find out what sources an energy company uses by searching their name and “fuel mix disclosure” and looking at the total, not just the renewable bit. 

I’d avoid anyone who uses any coal whatsoever.

I am currently with Octopus (I’ve never worked with them or anything, I’m just a customer!). If you fancy switching to them, this is my refer a friend link that will give both me and you £50.

Green energy providers in the UK:

• Ecotricity

• Octopus

• 100Green

• Good Energy

The best bit about this one is you can do the whole thing sitting on your bum and once it’s complete, you’re paying for clean energy instead of supporting big oil!

5. Swap to a bank that doesn’t invest in fossil fuels. 

Did you know that in 2023, the biggest banks globally invested $705 billion in fossil fuels? 

It is well known that fossil fuels pollute the environment and are causing the climate crisis (which has killed and displaced millions of people).

But big banks like Barclays, Lloyds, JP Morgan Chase, and Bank of America don’t care and continue to invest heavily in crude oil and gas. 

Luckily, you can switch to an ethical bank or building society from your phone and if you’re smart about it you can get a cash bonus which is always nice. 

Some ethical banks in the UK are:

• Triodos

• Nationwide

• Co-op
  
  
  
  

I hope you found these tips useful, even if you can’t do all (or any) of them right now.

If you’ve got any more sustainable tips for people with fatigue or low energy, leave them in the comments below.

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