From backyard compost to solar on the go: One influencer’s secrets for year-round sustainable living

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to figure out the most effective ways to live more sustainably, you're not alone. But it doesn’t have to be as intimidating as it might sound at first. 

According to sustainability expert Nick Cutsumpas, who also goes by Farmer Nick, the secret isn't making massive lifestyle changes overnight—it's starting where you are, one season at a time. His refreshingly practical approach to eco-friendly living is simple, and doesn't require a PhD in environmental science to adopt.

Instead of trying to revolutionize your entire life in January, why not tackle sustainable living one season at a time?

Here are Nick’s best tips for maximizing clean living all year-round.

Summer is what Nick calls "peak composting season," and for good reason. You're generating plenty of food scraps from barbecues and gatherings, plus yard waste from all that garden activity. 

"You probably have a lot of food and yard waste from  gatherings, yard work, and all that good stuff," he said.

This is the perfect time to start that compost pile you've been putting off. Composting recycles organic matter like food scraps and leaves valuable fertilizer that enriches soil and plants. Plus, the process speeds up naturally in summer heat.

Composting involves minimal effort, equipment, and expense, and it can be fun. You'll end up with nutrient-rich "black gold" ready to apply in fall, and your wallet will thank you: You save money by producing a free, high-quality soil amendment – compost – which in turn reduces your use of fertilizer and pesticides.

Here's a surprising fact: More than half of greenhouse gas emissions from landfills come from wasted food. When you compost that summer abundance of food scraps instead of tossing them in the trash, you're literally preventing methane—a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide—from entering the atmosphere.

Most homeowners may not think of the pesky leaves falling on their lawn as valuable to the environment, but Nick says think again: The fallen leaf layer that forms each autumn is an incredibly important habitat for many kinds of wildlife, including the fireflies that overwinter in leaf litter. Caterpillars that live in native trees look for leaf layers to overwinter, for example, while mammals and birds use them for shelter and foraging.

"I'm a big fan of the Leave the Leaves campaign, just to protect wildlife over the winter,” he said. “Especially lightning bugs, which everyone loves, right?"

But Nick isn't saying turn your entire yard into a leaf jungle.

"Leaving the leaves in the fall is something that I love to do—or at least moving them somewhere else, not just throwing them on the curb or somewhere like that," he said. You can rake leaves off your lawn to use as mulch in garden beds, or pile them in an out-of-the-way corner where they'll break down into leaf mold—a type of compost that can be used as natural fertilizer in spring.

Leaves and other yard debris account for more than 13% of the nation's solid waste—a whopping 33 million tons a year, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). When these leaves hit landfills, they decompose without oxygen and release methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

When winter hits, those drafty windows and door are more than just a hassle—they're a drain on your bank account, too. "From an energy efficiency standpoint, just really making sure your windows and your doors have proper insulation and sealing will save so much money," he said.

"I can't tell you how much money we basically blew out the window when we had windows that were not properly insulated and sealed." After replacing seven windows in their house, Nick learned an expensive lesson that most young homeowners discover the hard way. "No one tells how much windows cost you're younger, and now I know why parents get upset if you break a window with a baseball."

Simple weatherproofing measures like adding caulk or weatherstripping around doors and windows can prevent warm air from leaking into your home. These low-cost adjustments, along with using insulated curtains and placing rugs on floors, help reduce heating expenses significantly.

If you do have outdoor space, you can start seeding in the spring to prepare your yard for growing a garden. "It's all about just starting seeds and getting your garden ready.” If you don’t have a garden, don’t worry. “Growing food on your window sill is very possible, even if you don't have outdoor space," he said.

You don't need acres of land to practice sustainable living—even small changes like starting an herb garden on your windowsill can make a difference, Nick says.

Extreme weather and power reliability are also a heightened concern for Nick since becoming a homeowner. As storms become stronger and more frequent, energy independence is top of mind.

"This is a newfound concern for me, because when you're a homeowner for the first time, you realize, if something goes wrong, I can't call the landlord," Nick said.

He keeps a portable solar generator in his yard that he can roll out into direct sunlight to charge, and then hook up to solar panels. This gives him peace of mind when it comes to any power outages.

He continues: "That that sense of preparedness is really, really important, especially with the volatility and aggressiveness and intensity of these storms." This reality check about extreme weather preparedness reflects what many homeowners are experiencing as climate patterns become more unpredictable.

What makes Nick's approach easy to adopt is his focus on practical, seasonal changes rather than overwhelming lifestyle overhauls. Research shows that small, consistent changes create the most significant impact without straining your budget.

Even simple behavioral choices like allowing clothes to air dry, running the dishwasher only with full loads, and unplugging electronics when not in use can directly impact energy consumption. In fact, 67% of Americans now say the United States should prioritize renewable energy developments, with 69% favoring carbon neutrality by 2050, according to the Pew Research Center.

Whether you're composting kitchen scraps in summer, weatherproofing your home in winter, or starting seeds in spring, each season offers unique opportunities to live more sustainably. Many of these changes don't just help the planet—they help your wallet too.

So this summer, instead of stressing about being the perfect eco-warrior, why not pick one of Nick's seasonal suggestions and give it a try? Your lightning bugs (and your energy bills) will thank you.