Sustainable and mindful consumption: A gateway to community-minded existence
Have you ever woken up in the morning and seen yourself amidst piles of clothes, stacks of papers, and rolled up socks on the floor? Do you often find yourself faced with the “there is nothing to wear” dilemma when trying to get ready for school or work? Do you ever feel that your own home has become a stressful living space for you?
If you have been struck by these thoughts and feelings, then perhaps you have hit the point where you actually need to edit your life. Read on to learn more about the tips and tricks that will help you lead a sustainable and a mindful life.
Editing your life
Living spaces in mega cities are often too small. Many of us have items sitting idle at home, having absolutely no use or any memories attached to them. Countless are the evenings which we spend wishing to find a clear space at home to relax and drift away. Maybe it is all the clutter in our lives that is making our living spaces so stressful and snuffing that vibrant soul within us. If that is the case, don’t worry! You can turn your living environment into a healthy and tranquil one with the following simple, yet meaningful steps.
Photo: Unsplash
Start by decluttering and chipping away at the non-essentials within your four-wall territory, corner-by-corner and closet-by-closet, until you are left with what is significant and meaningful to you. This method will help clear out the negativity within your living space and replace it with more positivity that comes naturally with the seemingly bigger and less cramped environment. Maybe the solution to your struggle is to only keep clothes in your closet that you would actually wear. In fact, you probably have too many options to choose from, and therein lies the problem. Editing your living space is something that needs to be done patiently, thoughtfully, and frequently. Being at peace in your own living space could possibly mean being at a higher level of peace with yourself and even with the people around you.
The sharing system
Photo: Richard Eriksson
Now that you have reduced what you have to the essentials, you will find yourself left with redistributable items and “waste.” What you can do with these “unnecessary” objects is endless. Consider donating, selling, lending, or swapping these items. In fact, this is a great way to connect to like-minded individuals. Swap your clothes with people who share the same style, exchange your books with people who share the same interests, or sell your bike to people who share the same values. You can even make money on the side by renting out objects like an electric drill, which you would only need a handful of times in your life. Or, save yourself some money by borrowing these sorts of items rather than purchasing them.
Rachel Botsman, the author of What’s Mine is Yours: How Collaborative Consumption Is Changing The Way We Live, beautifully puts a new definition of wealth into perspective, saying, “Redefine wealth from what you own to what you have access to.” The collaborative consumption economic model matches haves with wants, and enables access over ownership. The ways that you can deal with your underutilized belongings—from sharing, swapping, selling, or renting—are what collaborative consumption is built upon. Engaging in this sharing system is an act of environmental consciousness and an embodiment of community-minded existence that highlights the power of community interdependence.
The art of mindful consumption
The sharing system is great. However, you will eventually need to purchase new items for your own personal use, which is when the idea of mindful consumption kicks in.
Consumption is an art. It starts with questions about the purpose of the product and ends with a pause for reflection. How much background information do you have about the producing company? Do their values align with yours? Do you need to purchase this product, and if so, what is its significance? Bottom line, is it worth your money?
The former president of Uruguay José Mujica sums it all up in an interview from Human: “When I buy something, when you buy something, you’re not paying money for it. You’re paying with the hours of your life you had to spend earning that money. The difference is that life is one thing money can’t buy. Life only gets shorter. And it is pitiful to waste one’s life and freedom that way.”
When you reach the end of the consumption cycle, you always end up with waste. There are many ways that we can put our environmental awareness into action to handle this waste. Circulating your unwanted items around to people who would make better use of them prolongs the items’ lifespan and reduces waste at the same time. Likewise, you can also focus your purchase power on multipurpose, high quality products. David Friedlander, the founder of Lucid NYC, frames this concept with a simple equation as follows: If the product is twice as expensive, but with at least a four times longer lifespan, you are paying half the price of the cheaper product.
Evidently, recycling your waste is an effective solution for many items. However, it is not always the best environmentally friendly decision to make. As an alternative, you can creatively reuse your “waste.” For example, you can partake in simple, yet nifty DIYs that transform your “waste” to brand new and useful items that you can keep for yourself, gift to others, or even sell.
Photo: Hope
Let’s pause for a minute to think. If people were to edit their living and working spaces, share their underused belongings, and consume mindfully, how would that impact our communities and the Earth we share? Living simple allows people to create space for what matters most to them in life, and to filter out all that is creating noise in the background. So, aspire to inspire with your actions. Invest in new habits that will help you establish a healthy relationship with your community members and the world. Love your planet and live by your values. Remember that simple living is living with gratitude.
By Maria Al Zayat
References
http://www.collaborativeconsumption.com
http://lifeedited.com
http://modernmrsdarcy.com/ten-item-wardrobe/
http://www.aserenespace.com/blog/
Please note that opinions expressed are the author’s own. They do not necessarily reflect the views and values of The Blank Page.
