According to Stephanie Seferian, the host of The Sustainable Minimalists podcast, “Minimalism is the intentional choice to live with less”. Minimalist living—or simplistic living—is not a new concept. In fact, you can find mentions of minimalism throughout history. Buddhists, for example, have shunned material possessions for thousands of years.
However, the practice didn't become mainstream until the 20th century, when writers, photographers, architects, and most artists embraced the idea. According to the New York Times, the minimalist movement began in the art world.
That said, as with all movements, minimalism has changed over time, but thanks in large part to Marie Kondo and the advent of tiny homes, the practice is seeing a resurgence. People around the world are realizing less really can be more and are opting to keep only items and practices in their lives that spark joy.
When one embraces minimalism, there is a desire to use items for multiple purposes and to purchase things that wear well and serve their purpose for a long time. There’s no surprise that living with less is better for the environment.
Choosing to consume less, use less, and produce less waste aligns perfectly with a sustainable lifestyle. Here some tips for embracing minimalism without throwing out everything and starting over.
Choices and Accessibility
Understand that having access to something is just as good as owning something. Choices and accessibility go hand in hand. If you’re an avid reader, instead of buying physical copies of books, invest in a Kindle or even better, read on your laptop.
If you’re like me and you prefer paper books to e-books, check out the library in your area. I used to work at NALIS in Arima and I can say you’d honestly be surprised how many cool and interesting gems you can find in a library. You get the benefits of reading as well as the opportunity to utilize the existing and underrated institutions.
Source: https://campuspress.yale.edu/tribune/timeless-habit-of-reading-in-a-changing-world/
Another option to live a minimalistic life and cut down on your carbon footprint is to use public transport. Now, I know that we can all agree a car is a great and useful luxury. However, if you don’t have one, you may use rideshare services like TT RideShare and Drop. Ride-hailing is when a rider “hails” or hires a personal driver to take them exactly where they need to go. The transportation vehicle is not shared with any other riders, nor does it make several stops along a route.
While these services are extremely convenient and you have the added comfort of having the entire car to yourself (minus the driver of course), regular use of private taxi services can cause vehicle travel, climate pollution, and congestion. A study conducted by Anair et al. (2020) found that ride-hailing trips today result in an estimated 69 percent more climate pollution on average than the trips they displace, such as those where persons use public transport, biking or walking.
Now, I am very cognizant of the crime situation in Trinidad, so I will not encourage the use of taxis, even if they bear H plates. Instead, I will suggest using maxis to get to certain places that you can access easily from the bus route or main road as an alternative to a private taxi. Maxi taxis are a good avenue for ridesharing or carpooling, which eases traffic congestion and reduces greenhouse emissions.
On average, sharing a ride with one other person to work and back will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3.72 kilograms. Additionally, a passenger car carrying one person emits 89 pounds of CO2 per 100 passenger miles, while a full bus emits only 14 pounds for the same distance (Rubin, 2020).
Avoid Shopping Sprees
Putting limits on yourself forces you to choose wisely. When you are only allowed five new clothing purchases per year, you’re more likely to wait until you need something and to choose items that will last longer. By being more mindful of what you purchase and consume on a regular basis, you are automatically decreasing your environmental impact on the world.
Because you no longer buy things on a whim, you may even research a bit before a purchase means it’s easier to invest in one high-quality pair of jeans, when you know you only need one pair of jeans for the next few years. This applies to every aspect of your life. Limiting how much time you’ll spend online or how much you’ll spend on food will help you save energy and reduce your carbon footprint.
Shopping Sprees do not apply to only clothes. Many people tend to splurge on food sales when they have coupons. Buy it if you really need it and is a good bargain, but be conscious of what you are putting in your body.
Source: https://nevhada.com/post/184809005474/some-tipsinspo-for-eco-friendly-fashion-buy
Declutter your home and get rid of your bad habits
A spacious and uncluttered home can make more of a difference in your mental and physical health than you realize. When you make space in your environment, you’re more likely to use that space for something productive like having a workout area, and we know that exercise can positively impact your overall mood and well-being. Our surroundings can either hamper or ignite our desire to move and express ourselves.
Also, instead of just cleaning out closets and reducing the amount of clutter in your home, it’s also important to look at the habits that created the clutter in the first place. If you tend to collect items because they were free, or because you can’t pass up a deal, it can be easy to justify that habit thinking that you are recycling. In some cases, it may be smarter to do without.
Lastly, make a point of giving things away. Donating items or giving them to someone who has expressed a need is a great way to declutter and helps reduce waste. Instead of filling up a trash bag, the items will find a new home where they can be useful. Building this relationship with neighbors or family members also opens avenues for you to receive items that you could use in return, thereby continuing the no-waste cycle.
Just because an item is eco-friendly doesn’t mean you have to have it. When you purchase new items, make sure you stop and ask yourself what your intentions are for the item. Do you need it? Do you love it? Is it truly necessary? These are the basic tenants of an eco-friendly, minimalist life.
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