Sustainability is a collective effort, a journey we’re all on together in our community, state, nation and world. It’s about making life better and safer for everyone, now and far into the future. So, what are the priorities for sharing knowledge and having conversations about sustainable living?

Every reader of this column may have different ideas about how to make the world better for future generations. To sustain life that will benefit all, we can take steps in our households and organizations based on science and facts and feel comfortable sharing those steps and ideas with neighbors, family, and anyone with whom we have a discussion about sustainable living. Here are suggested priorities:

1. We can grow a community that practices sustainability by sharing knowledge and by learning from experience. Each of us has a unique perspective and valuable experiences that can contribute to our collective understanding and progress. Joining in community-building efforts, we can demonstrate best practices by example.

2. We can compost biodegradable solid waste (paper, cardboard, wood, food scraps, yard trimmings). This keeps garbage trucks off our roads and organic material out of our landfills.

3. We can walk, cycle, or take public transportation for local errands. Using our muscles to move our bodies is good for us and our planet. Bicycles are best; we can go faster and further with more weight riding a bicycle than walking.

4. If we eat more plants and little or no beef, lamb, and other ruminant meat, we can feed four times as many people on a plant-based diet than a meat-based diet.

5. We can buy food in season from local farmers who grow it using organic methods. This will protect our food supply and avoid unnecessary processing, packaging and shipping.

6. By drinking more filtered tap water and fewer bottled beverages, we can save money, conserve energy and reduce plastic pollution.

7. We can clean our homes with safe, plant-based, biodegradable cleaning products that are free of unnecessary perfumes, dyes, and synthetic antibacterial chemicals and buy in bulk to reduce packaging waste.

8. Recycling metal, glass, and clean cardboard and avoiding plastic can make a difference in solid waste management. Because plastic cannot be recycled well, it is more effective to buy less plastic.

9. We can keep conditioned air from leaking through walls and ceilings, including sealing and insulating attics, basements, windows, doors, and exterior walls. The most important holes to seal are in our basement and attic.

10. We can use LED lighting with motion sensors and automatic daylight dimming to save energy.

Starting conversations or asking questions about these top ten steps for sustainable households or organizations can then build sustainable communities and set us on a pathway where we can add steps, build on them, and achieve success together. Sustainable Practice will bring you more prioritized steps to consider in a forthcoming column.

Fred Horch and Peggy Siegle are principals of Sustainable Practice. To receive expert action guides to help your household and organizations become superbly sustainable, visit SustainablePractice.Life and subscribe to One Step This Week.