First Steps Towards a More Sustainable, but Peaceful Life
The climate emergency’s impact is sinking in and many of us are gradually (for those I have spoken to anyway), changing our ways. I wanted to share my journey, which raises questions and looks at what we have become. Where we need to get to will be different, but good for us, if we commit to it — back to our truer selves, in touch with our core, instinctual life as it should be. Kinder to wildlife.
Many consumer brands have used ‘aspirational’ marketing to get you to buy their products with the ‘aspiration’ that it will make you achieve something or feel a certain way. It’s how many such brands are built. I know from my experience in marketing. It made those companies rich, but I believe, pulls us away from our core selves. We have become used to buying cheap, grabbing a deal to make us buy, buy, throw away, convenience. We have become a fast-paced, constantly rushing around society, despite technology that was meant to make life easier.
As some regular readers know, I adore greyhounds. Whatever dog you have or see, they show us how we would be if we didn’t have all these distractions. My boy will stand and sniff at something, his nose moving from left to right. He can smell something and his instinct knows he needs to stop and be aware. So I look around and finally see a cat up on a fence that he can’t yet see, nor did I. He is in tune with his core, instinctual self and trusts it. A lot of the trappings of modern life, which now draw us potentially closer to extinction, have taken us away from this core within us, which knows what smells right, tastes right, is right — and what isn’t. We’re just too busy — ignoring it — and to notice it.
And what I think and hope a lot of our cores know — whether we realise it or not — is that we have gone too far away from nature. Cars everywhere, flights around the world, travelling to and from work for hours on end. Phones, constant stimulation, constantly needing to be ‘busy’ for fear of how we might feel if we stop ..smell...look around us.
Mindfulness encourages us to be more aware, more in tune with ourselves, to just ‘be’. And I believe that changing our lifestyle and being more at one with the environment will bring us closer to that and as someone said today, reduce stress.
Friends and I have been questioning how do we change, do we buy this versus that, will it make a difference. Governments aren’t guiding us, so we, the people and consumers, need to learn a new, better way of living. It’s not a restriction, but an opportunity. A chance to reduce the noise, cram less stuff in, drive less, walk more (= burn extra calories yey), travel less, waste less, calm…. So let’s us drive it now, by the choices we make, not brands. Here are some of the first steps I have been taking, which may be of use. If nothing else, it helps to know that at least one other person is doing something ;-)
Step 1: I started working remotely. This happened a few years ago as I set up on my own. I felt more myself at home, less putting on an act, far less stressed. I didn’t have to spend hours travelling, so had more time to do the things I wanted. Equally, I was more productive in work. Companies will need to respect your desire to limit carbon emissions — as they too will need to limit theirs. And oh how many I save every day by not commuting! Not possible in every industry, but for those that can, let’s do our bit…the technology is there to help — screen sharing, skype etc. What is great with the choices we make for the environment, is that we often make a choice that is good for ourselves. Funny that. So go ahead — demand it, if you are in the kind of business that can, Make an attitude and policy change where you work! Even if you go from 5 days to 2 core days in the office, no matter how local you are, you will do your bit. During the wars in this country, everyone tried to ‘do their bit’ and we need to in this climate crisis.
As I did this, I realise that I prioritised work-life balance and had more time for other things. (Reducing travel is the takeaway and questioning each journey. One friend will now do multiple tasks at once when she goes out in the car. We could start car pooling with neighbours, use local transport more. If I can switch a drive for a walk, great. My relatives a century ago used to walk 14 miles just to get to school, so I think we can handle a bit..Same goes for flying.)
Step 2: I read how dreadful the fashion industry is for the environment— particularly jeans dye so started to mend my jeans! I’m going to be cultivating quite a rough look with my rips and patches! ‘Shabby Chique’ someone referred to it as, today! I found my Granny’s sewing machine and started mending. If you have thread and needle, you can do it too. Quite fun, as you can sew funky patches on and create your own look. I looked on youtube for how to use it — which did admittedly require some patience on my behalf, but also on how to sew patches. A new mindset and being open to new skills, which is apparently also good for the brain. (Repair not throw away is the theme here, whether clothes or other things — and the internet is full of help! And look for a repair cafe near you.)
Step 3: I couldn’t justify buying new clothes and ‘things’ — so went to charity shops. I have found nice clothes and recently trainers. The charity gets my money, I pay less, plus I help the environment. I bought all my Christmas presents last year in charity shops — not for cost, but I was adamant not to buy new. (Reuse is the theme here — whether it’s a charity shop or bag, box, piece of wood, used envelope to cut into note paper — challenge yourself to think differently.) One thing I realised when writing this, is that as we stop buying as much, start reusing and buy second hand, we will have extra budget in our pocket for buying from local, smaller farmers etc. More on that later!
Every week it dawns on me how much we need to change — in attitude and behaviour. So I cover some of that in other blogs — from ways for food shopping, to energy supply, to electric cars. Until next time! For now:
Buy Less. Waste Less. Travel Less.
Repair. Reuse then Relax and enjoy the more tranquil, sustainable and healthy life you are creating :-)
Even if it’s all just bit by bit.
Read the 2nd blog in this series: The Green Shopping Conundrum — Changing Habits for the Planet
