Lessons from my journey towards living & working more sustainably & consciously
As i write this, it’s world overshoot day (August 2nd 2023).
As I write this, it’s World Overshoot Day (August 2nd, 2023). That means that, at a global level, we have consumed more ecological resources than the planet can regenerate in the year. When you take a closer look by country, though, there are some stark differences. France’s overshoot day was May 5th and the US, Canada & the UAE’s was March 13th. Meanwhile, Ecuador, Indonesia, and Jamaica all have theirs coming up in December.
It’s no secret that ‘Western’ / ‘Northern’ countries tend to over-consume more than the countries they have historically (& often still currently) marginalized, oppressed, and exploited. While changing that is a tall order that will need collective, definitive action from all of us at social, economic, and political levels, there are still plenty of things we can do through how we live and work.
While I am by no means a perfect social and environmental activist, but I am on a journey towards becoming a BETTER one.
Here are some of the lessons I’ve learned along the way – so far!
1. It’s ok to be a perfectly imperfect activist & environmentalist: imperfect action is ALWAYS better than inaction
2. Living and working more consciously is an ongoing learning process – be kind to yourself and others along the way
3. There are many ways to take action & make a more positive impact – find what works for you (and your biz) and be transparent about what you put in place & are working on
4. Examine your own habits & biases regularly to explore where they might come from and how you could better align them with your values
5. There’s a lot we can learn from other cultures & past generations on how to consume less & better
6. Environmental Justice IS Social Justice – we’re all in this together so an intersectional & inclusive approach is key to make real, lasting change happen
7. Support businesses & causes that are aligned with your values, whether they are local or international (by buying from them, working with them, donating, volunteering…)
8. Keeping the 5 R’s of zero waste (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Rot) in mind are a great way to consume more consciously & produce less waste
9. Check in with your values regularly to make sure your actions are aligned with them
10. We can make a difference, as individuals and a collective – let’s focus on the specific actions we can take rather than give in to hopelessness & eco overwhelm
11. Your vote counts, whether it’s a vote through political elections… or a vote with what you choose to spend your money on.
Do any of these lessons speak to you? What would you add to this list?
Send me an email or a DM on Instagram to let me know what I should add to this list. Sharing advice is my FAVORITE way to learn and keep paying it forward.