Hey there #YugenCommunity, welcome to our website! This has been a work in progress for a while now and I am so happy to share it with you!
My name is Jamala Alexander and I am the Founder of Yugen T&T. I am and have always been in awe of our planet and grateful for the privilege of existing in such a beautiful world. However, I know that this place that we call home is at risk - mainly because of the decisions that we make.
So, Yugen is a byproduct of this "awareness gap". It was started with the main purpose of promoting sustainability and environmental consciousness from a Caribbean perspective with the hopes of sparking activism.
One of the ways in which we plan to do this is by using journalism and social media to share the tips and tricks that can be implemented to live a sustainable livelihood and reduce negative impacts on our beautiful planet.
This blog will serve as our main communication platform where I'll be sharing information and encouraging discussion around a range of topics that are relevant to our changing climate such as agriculture, energy, waste and much more!
If you're new to the concept of sustainability, well I'm glad you're curious...the end of the year is that wonderful, even magical, time when we look at our accomplishments and make plans for the new year. Therefore, if learning more about sustainability and going green is something you want to work towards... I've created a list of 20 eco-friendly resolutions you can choose for the new year:
20 RESOLUTIONS FOR 2020
1. Celebrate Meatless Mondays - The livestock industry has many negative environmental impacts, from greenhouse gases to the inhumane treatment of animals. Plus, while eating less meat can also lower your BMI and your susceptibility to both cancer and heart disease. However, going fully vegetarian or vegan is not necessary to have an impact - simply choosing to consciously reduce your meat intake and choose more ethical sources can have a huge impact!
2. Shop Local Markets - Choosing to get some of your produce from a local farmers market instead of buying imported food can have a huge impact, as the international transportation of food can lead to extremely high carbon emissions. Plus, this way you will have the benefit knowing that you are supporting local farmers, some of whom may be your community members, rather than giving your money to large multinational corporations (who probably don't give a damn about you anyway-)
3. Start a Garden - Reduce your farmers market bill by opting to grow some of your own vegetables and herbs. Your garden can also provide food and shelter for hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, which are critical to our eco-system.
4. Start Composting - Choose to start a compost - you don't need fancy equipment for it - simply dedicate an airtight container in your kitchen to toss your plant food waste or start a compost pile in your backyard. If you don't have a garden to use the soil in, you can give it to a farmer or a community garden.
5. Ditch Fast Fashion - Fast fashion or low-cost clothing may be cheap but usually have negative impacts on both humans and the environment. So this year, choose to shop more consciously and ethically, or even opt to host or attend a clothing swap with your friends or family to avoid having to buy new clothes! (While you are at it, make sure to wash your clothes in cold water and air dry them to save both energy and money!)
6. Choose Green Beauty - Skincare and haircare products contain all kinds of harmful chemicals these days. So, clean up your beauty routine by choosing to purchase green, vegan and cruelty-free beauty alternatives - the simpler, the better (- and you can even look for options in recyclable or reusable packaging)! Your skin and the planet will thank you!
7. Start Recycling - Reduce your environmental footprint by choosing to recycle your plastics, glass, paper, and tins. For the Trinidadians, I suggest you familiarise yourself with the iCARE bin locations to make recycling convenient...and if your home does not have a system in place then....:
8. Contact Government Reps about environmental issues - Let's plant more trees, enforce our environmental policies and work towards a bottle ban! In the meantime you can...:
9. Stop buying bottled water - There is a high environmental cost behind the production of disposable plastic water bottles...and let's not even talk about what happens after their use. To prevent this, invest in a reusable water bottle and eliminate plastic water bottles from your life, for good.
10. Say no to plastic straws - Plastic straws cannot be recycled and, as such, are one of the top items polluting our land, oceans, and beaches. So next time you order a drink, ask to hold the straw and use a reusable straw instead.
11. Invest in Reusable Cutlery - To avoid the plastic ones...(and honestly, you don't need to get cute bamboo cutlery sets to do this....just walk with a knife and fork when possible)
12. Repair or get secondhand electronics first - Don't keep scrolling... I'm talking to you.
13. Opt for natural and non-toxic cleaning products - A lot of the cleaning products in our homes contain dangerous chemicals that are bad for both you and the environment. Research your cleaning products and do a clean through of your cabinet so you can replace them with eco-friendly alternatives.
14. Embrace Minimalism - Minimalism is just a fancy way of saying that you do not acquire more than you need and that you live and shop consciously. For example...do you NEED three more pairs of shoes? Or maybe...just one?
15. Stop your junk mail delivery - Both online and offline! (It doesn't make sense collecting magazines and newsletters you're never going to read).
16. Use beeswax wraps over plastic and foil - Check out @harmony.eco on Instagram for a great deal!
16. Give Back - Choose to volunteer or give a donation to your favorite sustainable organization or charity!
17. Watch an environmental documentary - I suggest: "An inconvenient truth" (2006), "An inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power" (2017) and "Cowspiracy" (2014).
19. Follow some environmental blogs - To keep you inspired (while you wait for my next post, of course), two female-owned sustainability blogs you should check out are "Trash is for Tossers" by Lauren Singer and "Going Zero Waste" by Kathryn Kellogg.
20. Join and share your thoughts with a sustainable community – like Yugen! (You can start by commenting below!)
To end the year, Yugen wishes you the happiest of holidays and a very prosperous 2020! We look forward to seeing you then...let's save the world, together!
PS: Don't forget to look out for the next post on January 5th!
- Jamala
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