Sustainable Living Tips and Conversations | International Environment Forum

By Christine Muller , 3 December, 2025

Tips and Conversations About Sustainable Living

Food - Gardening and Yard - Transportation - Shopping and Consumption - Waste and Garbage - Energy - Around the House - Lifestyle and Health - Big Picture, Spiritual Reflections - Public Discourse, Social Action, and Education

“Every choice a Baha'i makes … leaves a trace, and the moral duty to lead a coherent life demands that one's economic decisions be in accordance with lofty ideals, that the purity of one's aims be matched by the purity of one's actions to fulfil those aims.”
The Universal House of Justice, 1 March 2017 letter

Baha'i House of Worship, Frankfurt Germany, with natural meadow (no lawn chemicals), 2014, Image credit C. Muller

Below you find a compilation of brief articles with ideas about various actions we can take as individuals to lower our impact on the environment and help to keep our Earth healthy. While there is no doubt that we need large-scale societal change if we want to save the Earth’s natural systems from human destruction, small actions from many people do make a difference on many levels:

They send market signals that promote a more sustainable economy;
they pave the way for a new culture in which the well-being of all humankind and all life is at the center of concern;
and the collective effort by individuals reducing their consumption and adopting a simpler life does have an impact on mitigating the severity of the environmental crisis, thereby reducing human suffering and keeping the Earth a livable place for future generations.

The articles intend to show how lofty Bahá’í teachings can be expressed in small daily actions. They were designed to inspire and to help the readers to adapt them to their personal circumstances and locale and to help them generate their own ideas about how to live a more coherent life.

Food

Eat Food that is in Season (August 2019) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/EatFoodinSeaso…

Eat Less Beef (March 2017) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/EatLessBeef.pdf

Eat Lower on the Food Chain (August 2018) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/EatLoweronFood…

Give Up Bottled Water (August 2017) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/GiveUpBottledW…

Considering Social Justice in Making Food Choices (December 2018) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/SocialJusticei…

Why Eat Organic? (April 2018) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/WhyEatOrganic…

Forage Garlic Mustard (for your good health and for the environment) (June 2021) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/forage-garlic-mustard/

Eat Strawberries Now! (June 2023) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/eat-strawberries-now/

Keep a supply of your staple foods (October 2023) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/keep-a-supply-of-your-staple-foods/

Use Common Sense with Food Expiration Dates (April 2023) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/use-common-sense-with-food-expiration-dat…

Avoid Food Waste with Delicious Soups (January 2023) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/avoid-food-waste-with-delicious-soups/

Our Cherished Coffee (December 2024) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/our-cherished-coffee/

The Many Problems with Shrimp (February 2024) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/the-many-problems-with-shrimp/

Gardening and Yard

A Plea for Diversity in Gardens (May 2021) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/building-community-with-a-garden/

Do not kill – avoid toxic chemicals in your garden and yard (May 2019) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/DoNotKill_Avoi…

Planning Your Lawn Care for This Year (April 2025) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/planning-your-lawn-care-for-this-year/

Create a Vegetable Garden (or expand your existing garden!) (May 2020) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/create-a-vegetable-garden/

Ethical and easy Lawns (May 2017) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/EthicalandEasy…

“The Bees and We” (May 2018) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/LivingResponsi…—TheBeesandWe.pdf

The Joy of Gardening (April 2019) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TheJoyofGarden… double?

Stay Away from Leaf Blowers (September 2020) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/stay-away-from-leaf-blowers/

Harmful effects of the herbicide glyphosate (July 2022) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/harmful-effects-of-the-herbicide-glyphosa…

Enjoy Nature and Care for God’s Creation (April 2022) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/enjoy-nature-and-care-for-gods-creation/

Poison Ivy Is Spreading! What Can We Do? (August 2023) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/poison-ivy-is-spreading-what-can-we-do/

Support the Diversity of Wild Plants and Animals! (April/May 2024) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/support-the-diversity-of-wild-plants-and-… picture!

Nurture the Soil—Compost! (May 2025) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/nurture-the-soil-compost/

Transportation

Abandon Unnecessary Travel (June 2020) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/abandon-unnecessary-travel/

Fly Less! (November 2022) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/fly-less/

What car should I buy to have the least impact on the environment? (November 2023) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/what-car-should-i-buy-to-have-the-least-i…

Do energy efficiency and conservation really help the climate? (September 2025) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/do-energy-efficiency-and-conservation-rea…

Do a Home Energy Audit! (February 2017)

Go Solar! (July 2017)

Around the House

What to do with wild animals in our house? Say good-bye to them in a humane way! (December 2021) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/what-to-do-with-wild-animals/

Reduce Light Pollution at Night (August 2021) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/reduce-light-pollution-at-night/

Use Rain Barrels to Save Water! (August 2022) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/use-rain-barrels-to-save-water/

Hang Your Laundry Out to Dry for the Children of the World! (June 2017)

PFAS – What are they and what can we do about them? October/November 2024 https://wilmetteinstitute.org/pfas-what-are-they-and-what-can-we-do-abo…

The Harm of Bug Zappers (August/September 2024) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/the-harm-of-bug-zappers/

The Environmental Impacts of AI (November 2025) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/the-environmental-impacts-of-ai/

Lifestyle and Health

Your Health and the Environment (March 2025) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/your-health-and-the-environment/

Plog and Plalk: Pick Up Litter (November 2020) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/pick-up-litter/

Let’s Cool Down Quickly and Sustainably (August 2020) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/lets-cool-down/

Too busy? An environmentally sustainable lifestyle is still possible! (July 2023) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/too-busy-an-environmentally-sustainable-l…

Mindfully Washing Our Hands (July 2020) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/mindfully-washing-our-hands/

Get Your Children into Nature! (May 2022) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/get-your-children-into-nature/

How to “Pay Special Regard to Agriculture” in a City? (May 2023) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/how-to-pay-special-regard-to-agriculture-…

Is It More Expensive to Live an Environmentally Responsible Life? (July 2025) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/is-it-more-expensive-to-live-an-environme…

Big Picture - Spiritual Reflections

Every Choice Leaves a Trace (January 2021) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/every-choice-leaves-a-trace/

The Current Health Crisis (a different tip than usual) (April 2020) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/the-current-health-crisis/

Food Insecurity and the Principle of Contentment (March 2021) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/food-insecurity-and-the-principle-of-cont…

Overcoming Narrow Thinking with a World-Embracing Perspective (November 2024) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/overcoming-narrow-thinking-with-a-world-e…

Reefs of Hope: a Conversation with Dr. Austin Bowden-Kerby (July/August 2024) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/reefs-of-hope-a-conversation-with-dr-aust…

What’s the most effective action we can take to help the environment? (June/July 2024) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/whats-the-most-effective-action-we-can-ta…

The Spirit in Nature (May/June 2024) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/the-spirit-in-nature/

Appreciate the Beauty of Diversity! (March/April 2024) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/appreciate-the-beauty-of-diversity/

Reasons for Hope, Part 1: Jane Goodall’s Views (January 2025) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/reasons-for-hope/

Reasons for Hope, Part 2: Bahá’í Perspectives (February 2025) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/reasons-for-hope-part-2/

Is There Hope? Part 3: Jane Goodall and a New Scientific Report (October/November 2025) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/is-there-hope-part-3-jane-goodall-and-a-n…

Expressing Spirit in the World of Matter (December 2025)

Public Discourse, Social Action, and Education

Be inspired by the LSA of Glasgow, UK! (February 2022) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/be-inspired-by-the-lsa-of-glasgow-uk/

The Recent Climate Report—Elevate the Conversation! (September 2021) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/the-recent-climate-report-elevate-the-con…

Participate in an Online Climate Conference with Bahá’í-Spirit! (November 2021) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/online-climate-conference-with-bahai-spir…

Building Community with a Garden (April 2021) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/building-community-with-a-garden/

Encourage Social Action in Your Community! (June 2022) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/encourage-social-action-in-your-community/ (September 2023) Engage with One Planet, One Habitation https://wilmetteinstitute.org/engage-with-one-planet-one-habitation/

Living the Golden Rule: Transition to a clean energy economy (March 2023) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/living-the-golden-rule-transition-to-a-cl…

Faith for Earth: A Call for Action (March 2022) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/faith-for-earth-a-call-for-action/

A World-embracing Vision for a Sustainable Future (September/October 2024) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/a-world-embracing-vision-for-a-sustainabl… Social Action

Learn About the Story of Stuff (December 2023) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/learn-about-the-story-of-stuff/

Support the Bahá’í International Community (January 2024) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/support-the-bahai-international-community/

Building Capacity for Sustainability Discourse and Action: Insights from 2025 IEF Conference (August 2025) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/building-capacity-for-sustainability-disc…

Community-Building for Resilience in Hard Times (June 2025) https://wilmetteinstitute.org/community-building-for-resilience-in-hard…

Originally these articles were part of the series of Sustainable Living Tips and Conversations written by Christine Muller for the Wilmette Institute’s monthly newsletter for nine years from January 2017 – December 2025. They were the idea of Dr. Betty Fisher who served as the editor of the Wilmette Institute newsletter at that time, while Christine taught courses on Climate Change and Sustainable Development for the Wilmette Institute. She did not run out of ideas, but the Wilmette Institute newsletter was discontinued in its previous format at the end of 2025.

These tips run from January 2020 – December 2025, ordered according to category. Only a few archived tips from 2017-2019 are still available because of the Wilmette Institute’s website migration. We may upload the others gradually and add them here. Since they may soon no longer be available on the Wilmette Institute website, the IEF is reposting them here in a slightly updated version that is also adapted to IEF’s more global readership.

Thank you, Nicola Casserly, for posting these articles on the Wilmette Institute website, and for your unfailing support throughout the years!

Last updated 25 December 2025