Sustainability, it’s all the rage. From tiny houses to electric cars, if you aren’t considering sustainability in your daily existence, then you are officially behind the times.
But what does it mean to truly be sustainable? Sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Whoa. Think about that, the foundation of this principle is based on us using only what we need.
Imagine that. What would life look like if we only took what we needed?
After the past 3 years of COVID, I think that we can all agree that we need much less than we thought we did. Less time on screens, less time sitting in traffic, fewer clothes we don’t wear crowding our closet.
Less time doing unnecessary shit that we don’t want to do.
But, on the flip side of less is more. What do we need more of? Definitely more love, more empathy, more time together again. More of less.
I look around sometimes (especially here in LA) and wonder do we need all this? Does one really need 3 houses? Or to tear down the 1200 SF house to build an 8000 SF one? What about an entire store stocked with 39 strains of weed and 27 kinds of gummies? I think not. One can only smoke one joint at a time.
For me, sustainability is also about finding ways to maintain longevity. Right now in my life that looks like this:
- Conscious consumption. Buying what I need, not always what I want.
- Ditching as much plastic as I can. Only 9% of plastic is recycled - the rest ends up in landfills and sadly the ocean. These stasher bags and compostable garbage bags are game-changers.
- Self-care and a reduced level of commitment. Prioritizing & maintaining space for rest. I don’t subscribe to the rise and grind mindset - these days it’s more rise and align if you get my drift.
- Primarily plant-based eating. I recently started adding some local, grass fed beef to my diet due to my severe anemia, and it's been a welcome change.
- Buying as much as I can from local farmers’ markets. We are so lucky here in LA to have bountiful markets and I take full advantage.
What about you? What are some of your favorite ways to practice sustainability?
