It snuck up on me when I realized I’d shifted toward sustainable living and, as demonstrated through the 6 easy steps below… it’s not as complicated or sacrificial as you might think.
I used to be a shopaholic. In the USA, Amazon delivered to my house daily. Any obscure “thing” I fancied was only a click away, and that gave me a high.
Not only did I hide from the topic of climate change, but I had such poor emotional regulation that buying stuff was my chosen coping mechanism. Not healthy.
After moving to New Zealand and sorting my shit out (read about that in the link below), my lifestyle shifted. And I realized how much sustainable living linked to wellbeing and good mental health.
Related: How Moving to New Zealand Healed Me
And it’s really not hard! Sustainable/eco-friendly/conscious living doesn’t have to be a huge lifestyle change and I hope I can showcase that in these 6 easy steps.
6 Easy Steps Toward Eco-Conscious Sustainable Living
1. Consume mindfully
Okay, so if you’re a shopaholic this one may not be that easy.
Consuming less is one of the biggest steps toward conscious, sustainable living. And this can be practiced over time. But if you know you’ll struggle to slow down, at least start with where you’re spending your money.
Fast fashion is astronomically bad for the environment. So staying away from the biggest fast fashion brands is a good start, such as H&M, Zara, Gap, etc. Here’s a comprehensive list of fast fashion brands to avoid.
The clothes are shit quality anyway, and you’re better off getting a locally-sourced wool jumper at the boutique around the corner. There’s something wondrous about a quality item that will last years, rather than 20 shirts which will disintegrate in a few months.
Next, know your materials. It’s no secret plastic is bad, so always opt for paper or glass. And you don’t need to know about every toxic thing! Simply shop from brands with a mission to be fair and sustainable – for example, those who use eco-friendly materials and sustainable packaging. Here’s a good guide on how to tell whether a brand is ethical or not.
Another tip: buy local. Small family-run businesses are more likely to use ethical practices. And you won’t have to worry about potential child labor, unfair wages, or mass production. This includes your local farmer’s market, food trucks, local boutiques and cafes. I find these way more fun than chains anyway.
2. Fix your “abundance” narrative
All too often, sustainable living is marketed as sacrificial… i.e. extreme minimalism, tiny homes, etc.
And we (especially those of us who struggle with scarcity mindset) dismiss it as unrealistic. What’s so wrong about having stuff, anyway?
And you’re right. But it’s what we choose to be abundant in that counts.
Think about your abundance narrative… Do you define abundance as having a mountain of clothes or shoes? Electronics and gadgets? These values may not be the healthiest.
The thing is, it’s possible for abundance to be sustainable. One example: I foster an indoor jungle in my living room. So I consider myself abundant in plants. It makes my home feel full and happy, and caring for them is a big part of my life.
There’s also such a thing as an abundance of love, of friendship and community.
There’s room for abundance in sustainable living. We just have to refine our values.
More on scarcity mindset: 10 Ways I Learned How to Be Happy.
3. Get some plants or a garden
I’m embarrassed to say this but before my apartment was a garden oasis, I didn’t know how plants worked.
But watching my jungle grow… observing how plants root, bloom, and spread… filled my heart with understanding and joy.
Nature is truly mind-boggling and being in close proximity increases our appreciation for earth – our desire to nurture and protect it.
And I need that reminder. In the city, I’m surrounded by concrete. I understand why so many often disconnect from the natural world.
I highly recommend investing in indoor plants and giving them all your love. Not only does it enhance wellbeing, but plants cleanse the air and make your space feel full and alive even when you’re practicing minimalism.
Related: 50 Ways to Living a Simpler Life
4. Be Imperfectly Vegan
Before you go beserk, note that I said imperfectly!
In the words of Anne-Marie Bonneau: “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.”
I know it’s unrealistic to ask everyone in the world to go vegan. But even meat lovers will agree that animal farming is killing our planet.
There’s no sense asking people to give up meat entirely… only to consume mindfully.
I’m by no means a perfect vegan. I enjoy sushi every now and then, and I still celebrate special occasions with a mound of prosciutto. But it’s only occasional.
And if I… a carnivorous Lebanese woman who grew up cooking meat with my elders my entire life, can do it… so can you.
5. Travel slowly, travel mindfully
Ahh, tourism. Not very eco-friendly and known to destroy entire ecosystems.
I struggle that I love travel so much, but also speak on sustainability.
But we must accept that no one’s giving up travel any time soon. So we might as well learn how to travel sustainably. I go in-depth on this topic in the linked post below, but I’ll share some quick tips here.
Related: 5 Top Tips to Eco-Friendly Travel in New Zealand
Travel is a great way to support small, locally-run businesses. Understanding a country’s struggles informs where to put your dollar… for example, toward indigenous businesses, conservation efforts, cultural sites, etc.
If we choose to travel slowly and mindfully, we can decrease our carbon footprint. Choosing to walk or bike, respecting the land, honoring the culture are easy ways to do that.
Tourism is not evil. In New Zealand and many countries, we saw how local economies suffered when COVID-19 brought travel to a stop. But with a few easy steps, we can ensure our money is going in the right place to support sustainable living and conscious consumerism.
6. Save on resources
This was drilled into me at a young age when we immigrated from Lebanon to the USA and had to live frugally before finding our feet. And it surprised me, when I started making friends, how wasteful some families can be.
Saving on resources may not feel like it goes very far, but if enough people are on board, it makes a huge difference.
This is certainly a lifestyle change and can include:
- Turning out lights and electronics when we don’t need them
- Not letting the water run too long
- Refraining from the use of plastic water bottles or other plastic packaging (particularly in the kitchen)
- Opting for a blanket before blasting the heat pump
- Choosing energy efficient whiteware
I say this is easy because it comes as second nature to me. My family abided by these things to save money on the bill, and didn’t realize it made our household very eco-friendly. Still, these are little tweaks that shouldn’t impact anyone’s life in a dramatic way. And it’s a huge money-saver.
Concluding Easy Steps Toward Sustainable Living
Having been raised frugal and mindful of resources, it wasn’t too hard for me to embrace sustainable living. But I understand if this list feels overwhelming.
The truth is, everything starts with little tweaks. And these gain momentum overtime.
The biggest reason to choose a sustainable eco-friendly lifestyle (other than for the planet) is that it enhances wellbeing. Letting go of consumerism to deal with my emotions was revolutionary for my mental health.
Conscious living made me a gentler, more compassionate person. It gave me a sense of purpose and expanded my love for this planet. These values make travel more enjoyable, make me get outside and seek nature spaces.
It feels healthy, for heart, lungs, and soul. And I hope you see now that sustainable living doesn’t have to be sacrificial and is only a few easy steps away.
Today’s Tunes: Resurrection Fern by Iron & Wine
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