In the midst of a pandemic, all roads seem to point towards a more sustainable lifestyle. My tips to embrace easy sustainable living ideas. The past 50+ days of lockdown living have been an emotional roller coaster. Iâve felt a deep longing to be in the midst of nature. The forests, the mountains, the sea, Iâve craved them all. This longing made me realize that I never fully appreciated the freedom (and privilege) to experience the incredible beauty of our world. It equally made me dwell on my environmental footprint as an inhabitant of a shared planet. In the midst of a pandemic linked to deforestation, biodiversity loss and intensive animal farming, the future seems to point towards a life that is more sustainable, compassionate and mindful. But will decreasing our individual footprint make any difference in the big picture? We only need to look at the past for inspiration. Many social and political transformations came about as a result of mass movements that began with individual awareness and personal choices. The more invested we become in sustainable living as individuals, the more likely we are to drive change as a society. For those of us not directly affected by the on-going crisis, this slowdown can be a chance to make small but lasting changes towards a sustainable way of life. So behold, some sustainable living ideas to experiment with, at home and on the road:
In this post:
BEGIN YOUR JOURNEY TOWARDS MINIMALISMI know Marie Kondo is all the rage these days, but minimalism isnât a new trend. Itâs simply the idea of consuming mindfully. Owning less, buying less, having fewer material attachments. In fact, most people in India and elsewhere lived minimalist lives before the days of television and social media. Before marketing, ads and influencers started telling us that we want more than we need. How I ended up living out of 2 bagsBack in 2013, when I was contemplating a life of long term travel, I had cupboards, drawers and bags full of things I didnât really need. So I spent a few days taking stock of everything I owned. I gave away most of my clothes, shoes, books, appliances and assorted possessions to anyone who could use them. Gradually I gave up the apartment itself, and have been living out of two bags since. Why minimalismOver the years, itâs felt mentally liberating to shed the weight of my material attachments. I know now, that my contentment has nothing to do with trips to a shopping mall or the latest fashion trend. Harmless though it seems, fast fashion is one of the most polluting industries on the planet. So Iâve pledged that whenever I acquire something new, it will be recycled or upcycled, support a local cause and/or be environmentally sustainable. Tips for minimalist sustainable living
Books / documentaries about minimalism
Also read: How I Fit All My Life Possessions in Two Bags as I Travel the World. SEGREGATE, COMPOST, REDUCE AND RECYCLE YOUR WASTEA few years ago, I visited a state-of-the-art waste management plant in Goa. At the conveyor belt, I saw workers sorting out recyclables from all kinds of waste. Curry covered boxes, plastic in all forms, rotting vegetables, tattered clothes, umbrellas, muck covered toys, even rotting carcasses! It is sickening that a fellow human should have to dig through all our waste just because we refuse to segregate it. Since this is a semi-private waste plant, workers are given protective coats, gloves, a face mask and health insurance. But most ragpickers and informal waste workers (in India and other developing countries) have access to none of this. Visiting that plant and meeting workers who once lived off the public dumping ground made me realize that the least we can do to adopt a sustainable lifestyle is to deal with our waste more mindfully. I now consciously look for Airbnbs / homestays that segregate and compost their waste. As far as possible, I try to reduce my waste by avoiding things that come in single-use plastic, thereby reducing my junk food intake. And no matter where in the world I am, I keep my eyes and ears peeled for recycling spots to give my recyclable waste. While in Cape Town, I decided to experiment with a month of being zero waste on the road â not easy but not impossible. Iâll be writing about that zero waste sustainable living challenge soon. How to segregate and compost wasteThe conversation about waste seldom makes it to our living rooms. No wonder, my folks put up so much resistance against the simple act of segregating waste. But now that Iâm locked down with them, theyâve finally relented! The process is really simple. All you need to do is use two bins instead of one. All wet waste (food waste, soiled plain paper and anything biodegradable) goes into one. All dry waste into another. For the wet waste, dig a pit in your backyard if you have one. Discard the wet waste in it once or twice a day, and cover with an equal amount of dry leaves. If you live in an apartment, get yourself an Eco Bin, which allows easy and hygienic disposal of wet waste. In a few weeks, youâll have compost to grow your own vegetables! See this comprehensive pit composting guide if you have a backyard or these indoor composting options. The dry waste should ideally be sent to a recycling facility. Figure out if thereâs a collection service or center in your vicinity. If not, perhaps you could arrange for community collection, to be sent to the nearest facility every week or month. Alternatively, discuss with your local ragpickers what they are able to salvage and try to find solutions to the remaining waste. Tips for low waste sustainable living
Ideas for plastic free sustainable living
Also read: Plastic Free Living: 5 Steps to Embrace Single-Use Plastic Alternatives SWITCH TO A MENSTRUAL CUPI have to confess that the idea of inserting a menstrual cup in my vagina felt so scary that even after I bought one, I shied away from trying it for three whole months! For the uninitiated, a menstrual cup is an eco friendly alternative to pads and tampons. The cups is made of health grade silicon, and inserted into the vagina to collect menstrual blood. Now that Iâve been using one for over a year, I can tell you itâs hygienic, safe and super comfortable! The best time to experiment with a menstrual cup is when youâre staying home and have easy access to a comfortable bathroom â i.e. this lockdown! Why a menstrual cup enables sustainable livingMy conviction to switch to a menstrual cup came while volunteering on a remote island in Cuba. I was surprised to spot single-use plastic on the seabed that wasnât even available on the island! Those stunning corals and marine life were co-existing with plastic bags, shampoo bottles, straws and what not. I had switched to âbiodegradable padsâ by that time, but further research revealed that they degrade only when discarded and composted separately. I couldnât do that on the road, nor could I live with myself for sending 10-15 plastic pads to the landfill or ocean every month. Tips to use a menstrual cup
Advantages of a menstrual cup in pursuit of an enviromentally friendly lifestyle
Recommended brands of menstrual cupsI love my Lena Cup (bought on Amazon US while travelling in that part of the world) and absolutely recommend it. My cup-verted friends recommend the SheCup, Cupvert Cup, Boondh Cup and Rustic Art Cup in India. I highly recommend buying cloth pads as a backup for low flow days. There are several options on Amazon India and Amazon US. A set of 4 suffices for me. Also read: My Detailed Guide on How to Use a Menstrual Cup, With All Your Questions Answered CREATIVELY REUSE AND UPCYCLE WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVEIâve often found it hard to focus during this lockdown, with all the negativity and indefiniteness playing on my mind. But perhaps itâs the perfect time to unleash our creative spirit to do things itâs otherwise hard to find time for. In February this year, I met small-scale entrepreneurs across Kerala who benefit indirectly from tourism through vocational jobs. I learnt how to upcycle old newspapers into artisan handmade paper. A sweet couple demonstrated how they recycle used candle wax to make creative candle designs. A tea planter turned tailor has been making cloth bags from old clothes so people can stop using single-use plastic bags. In South Africa, I learnt how to make trendy wallets from used tetra boxes! In Myanmar, I met a womenâs collective who upcycle used coffee and other plastic packets into cool bookmarks and lamp shades. On my closed women-only Facebook group, one creative soul bought discarded wood from a ragpicker to make a sofa. Another made a hip bookshelf with old drawers! Why make reusing and recycling part of your sustainable living planI sometimes read about people making a move towards slow fashion and a plastic-free sustainable lifestyle by buying new âminimalism-friendlyâ things as they discard everything else. And I get it, itâs tempting to buy that multi-purpose scarf thing on Instagram that can be worn 10 different ways. Or to throw out all plastic jars and buy a new set of glass jars to feel good about ourselves. But hereâs the thing. Sustainability and minimalism are pointless pursuits if weâre creating all this trash, or craving the next trendy minimal wear. We need to use what weâve already got â for the maximum amount of time we can. How to reuse and recycle during the lockdownLimited access to non-essentials during the lockdown is the perfect opportunity to get creative. Google has tons of DIY ideas for whatever you need and how to make it based on what you already have at home. After a long hiatus, I feel ready to acquire a new dress. So Iâm trying to remodel my current one into a skirt, and upcycle one of my momâs old sarees into a dress. Weâll see how the experiment goes In the next few weeks, my notebook will run out of pages, so Iâm going to try making handmade paper. Itâll be hard to replenish my shampoo and conditioner bars, so Iâll try to make a version at home. Many of my friends are making their own cloth masks and sanitizers. The sustainable living possibilities are endless! Also read: 15 Responsible Travel Tips for Authentic, Meaningful Experiences on the Road EMBRACE A COMPASSION-DRIVEN VEGAN LIFESTYLEHave you been wondering how the hell life went from being business as usual to this scary, bizarre lockdown situation? Scientists pretty much agree that the source of the COVID-19 outbreak was a wet market in Wuhan, China. Hens, fish, snakes, birds, porcupines, pangolin, even wolf pups are sold there â to be cooked and eaten. The virus likely came from bats, and was possibly transmitted by a snake, pangolin or chicken, into humans (pangolin is the prime suspect). That makes it a zoonotic disease, one that spread from animals to humans. Thereâs been a rise in the spread of infectious diseases in the last 50 years. Our population has grown. But also we have more livestock since 1960 than the last 10,000 years of domestication combined! As we use more animals â for trade, farming, food etc â we increase the probability of cross-species transmission of infectious diseases. Dr Gauden Galea, WHO Representative, China, said in an interview with CNN: âAs long as people eat meat, there is going to be some risk of infection.â Why go vegan (or consume less animal products for sustainable living)
How to turn vegan at your own pace
Books / documentaries to inspire a vegan sustainable lifestyle
Also read: 11 Tips to Ease Your Transition Into a Vegan Lifestyle How to Travel as a Vegan and Find Delicious Food Anywhere in the World GROW YOUR OWN MICROGREENS AND OTHER FOODNothingâs given me as much joy in this lockdown as growing my own microgreens! Weâve all likely sampled microgreens â those little plants with a couple of leaves that often appear with a starter or dish at a cafe or restaurant. But I was first introduced to their amazing nutritional content at The Sunshine Food Co in Cape Town. The owner Elisha fell in love with farming microgreens, and now offers the most badass vegan activated charcoal burgers Iâve ever had. So I read up, watched a couple of videos and drew inspiration from Instagram to experiment with growing my own. In reused takeaway containers filled with soil, I sowed mustard, urad dal and basil seeds. And was amazed that with little effort, they grew beautifully in a couple of weeks! I added them to my smoothies and sandwiches. I then managed to get okra, bitter gourd and black eyed pea (lobia) seeds from an organic farmer, though those will take a while to grow. The joy of growing your own foodThis lockdown has left many of us craving to reconnect with earth, and growing our own food is a therapeutic way of doing that. It also allows us to be more self-sustainable in an uncertain future. Besides, itâs rather reassuring to consume something home-grown, that you know hasnât been infiltrated with chemical fertilizers or pesticides. And I can swear it teaches us to value the hardwork of our farmers enough to never negotiate for their produce again! Practical tips to grow produce at home
Also read: How to Indulge Your Wanderlust at Home CATCH UP ON THE HEALTH OF THE PLANETI know these are overwhelming, unprecedented times. I have good days and bad each week. I feel angry, helpless, sad, guilty and a whole other gamut of emotions. But this is also a time of introspection. A chance to learn more about this genius planet of ours without stepping out. An opportunity to chase a deeper understanding of the relationship of our species with nature, man-animal conflict, climate change, social justice, animal rights and impactful ways to pursue a sustainable lifestyle. Unlike pandemics of the past, weâre lucky to have virtual access to the world through Netflix, zoom, webinars, lives, kindle and other technology. Perhaps the greatest favor we can do ourselves is to treat this âgreat pauseâ as a chance to unlearn, rethink and realign our lives. In a way that is personally gratifying but also reduces our impact on the natural world around us. Also read: Inspiring Women I Met in Bhutan â and What Happiness Means to Them Have you committed to any sustainable living ideas during the lockdown? What do you plan to try?Iâm now accepting guest posts on my blog on responsible travel and sustainable living. If youâd like to contribute a story, please see my guidelines here. If youâre a sustainability-minded rebel struggling with your life choices, join my closed women-only Facebook group. The post Sustainable Living Ideas to Embrace as we Emerge Into a New âNormalâ. appeared first on The Shooting Star. Sustainable Living Ideas to Embrace as we Emerge Into a New âNormalâ. published first on https://airriflelab.tumblr.com via Tumblr Sustainable Living Ideas to Embrace as we Emerge Into a New âNormalâ.
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About UsPhysical Educator and sports coach from 6 years , with degree in sports science and physical education from RLT University in US. Coach of football, skating, hockey and rugby teams. Now working as Sports development officer in Perth city. |