Environmental footprint refers to the impact of our lifestyle choices on the natural environment. Before we delve into the subject, we will focus only on individual environmental footprints. When we think about the environmental footprint, we need to take the whole production process into account: What materials are used when making the product? How are…
long-term sustainability
Buried in Donations: The Hidden Cost of Overconsumption
It’s understandable to buy clothes for growing kids (exchanging clothes or partly exchanging, especially for babies, who grow out of everything in no time, is a much more sustainable solution). Still, for adults, it’s an entirely different story. When I was crazy into re-inventing my wardrobe at least once, if not twice a year, the…
Simple Steps to Kickstart Your Zero Waste Journey
There are so many things to consider before shifting to such a lifestyle that it often feels overwhelming to take on board. Personally, I felt this way for years before I mustered the strength to come up with a plan to combat my wasteful ways. I discovered that looking for ways to be less wasteful…
On My Zero Waste Journey Off, I Go (Part 1)
However, I never understood the scale of waste I’ve been producing. So, when the hard facts hit me, I committed to pivoting my life towards a less wasteful path. At the end of 2020, I made a promise to myself that 2021 would be not only the year of saying “YES” to myself but also the year…
What Does Zero Waste Lifestyle Mean?
To accomplish that, people have to reduce (their consumption), reuse (as many materials/ parts/components of products as possible), and recycle (making sure the recycled items indeed go into recycling facilities without contaminating other products. In short, no “wish cycling“; if the label on the bin says that something isn’t recycled, it means it isn’t. At…
The Circular Economy Model: Closing the Loop (Part 1)
Our world currently operates under a linear economic model, primarily based on the consumption of finite resources provided by the Earth. The resources are taken out of Earth and turned into products, which at the end of the cycle are disposed of (wasted) and never used again. Just think about all the products you have…
Biodegradable, Compostable, and Bioplastics: What’s the Difference?
Biodegradable products are made from materials that will decompose with the help of microorganisms, such as bacteria or fungi, with or without oxygen. In short, it means an item will decompose without leaving any pollution. In reality, every product that we use will ultimately break down. However, the question is how long it will take…
What Does Sustainability Really Mean?
In 1983, former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland was appointed by the United Nations to run the World Commission on Environment and Development. After four years of research and consultations, the commission published a report titled “Our Common Future,” which defined sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising…
Mindless Consumption: What It’s Really Costing Us
Take a deep breath and indulge in this visualisation for a few moments. When you feel ready to move on, imagine a world where mindless consumption isn’t rewarded with likes, hearts, thumbs, or spikes in sales. Can you see that? How does it make you feel? Mindless consumption is like indulging in the most horrifying…
What Is Your Relationship With Stuff?
I still keep clothes from my crazy 20s because they remind me of the fun I had and the important milestones I went through. I’m attached to those items because I loved those experiences so much that the thought of letting them go is too painful. Emotional attachment to things is real and can be…