You want to create a sustainable lifestyle, and you’re eager to get started. After looking around your home, you think of a way to begin your sustainability journey.
In the back of your closet are clothes you seldom wear. You’ve read about homeless individuals living in your community. Maybe there’s an organization that can reuse those clothes for folks staying in their homeless shelter.
That seems like a great start, right? You’ll downsize your closet, cutting down on waste. You’ll be helping people in your community. The clothes will be recycled. You’re ready to embrace sustainable living.
When Sustainability Feels Overwhelming
As you start to gather up your old clothing, you feel badly about all those items you bought. You hold up a shirt you wore only one time, and the questions start tumbling in:
How much waste went into the production process?
Did the company discharge harsh chemicals into the environment?
How well did the clothing manufacturer treat their employees?
What kind of packaging and fuel did producers use to transport that shirt to the store where you bought it?
How sustainably did that clothing store operate?
More questions come to mind as you scan the row of clothing:
How many trips did you make to various stores to find those items?
How much gas did you use?
Did you really need all those clothes?
Could your money have been spent in a more charitable way?
Here’s where you need to hit the pause button.
Breathe.
Don’t slide down that rabbit hole any further.
Sustainable Living Happens Step by Step
Second-guessing and guilt are not forward-moving steps. Nor are they a sustainable mindset for you.
What will move you forward to a more sustainable lifestyle is gathering up those clothes you don’t wear and finding a good place to donate them.
And be kind to yourself in the process. Stay present in this moment.
Sustainability doesn’t happen with an instant and complete life overhaul. That’s not realistic.
Think about it this way: Your sustainability journey must be sustainable. That means taking one step at a time. Each step will lead to another step. That’s how you build a path of sustainability.
Notice that it’s not a path to sustainability but a path of sustainability. It’s not a destination; it’s a way of life that starts the minute you make the decision to live sustainably. That’s great news because it means you’re already on the path of sustainable living.
Taking Your First Sustainable Step
Let’s think about that first step. It should be something you can do easily. Something that can become a habit. Something you can start today.
From the example above, the first step could be finding items of clothing you haven’t worn in the past year. Where can you donate those clothes to help others?
Check for thrift stores in your community. Who runs them, and who do they serve?
Thrift stores help in several ways:
- They bring in income to support a nonprofit organization.
- They help folks purchase clothing more cheaply.
- They often give clothing for free to the people they serve, for example, to homeless individuals, people in recovery, individuals living in poverty and going to job interviews.
- They contribute to sustainable living by helping folks like you recycle used clothing.
- They can become your go-to when you need a new outfit.
Simple Ways to Start Sustainable Living
If you don’t have clothing to donate, what are some other first steps you can take? Here are a few examples:
1. Create a recycling box at home and at your workplace. Collect recyclables each week and take them to a nearby recycling center.
2. Take a water bottle with you wherever you go. Keep refilling it instead of purchasing water in plastic bottles.
3. Remember to turn off the lights when you leave a room.
4. Repair and reuse an item where possible instead of tossing and replacing. Hint: Duct tape works wonders with lots of minor repairs.
5. Carpool with friends to an event instead of driving separately.
Those are simple first steps you can take to create a sustainable habit.
You don’t need to do all of those steps at once. Pick one and stick with it. Make it a natural part of your daily life. That will become the first step of your sustainability journey. When that step becomes natural, add another step.
Stay away from that rabbit hole of beating yourself up for what was or wasn’t done in the past. Be fully present today and take a step toward a more sustainable future. Celebrate that you’ve recognized some things you can change.
With your new sustainability mindset, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you take on new habits. Take joy in knowing your decisions are helping others around you. Enjoy making new discoveries on your sustainability journey every day.
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Janet Eriksson 