Sustainable living is a lifestyle that aims to reduce the consumption of resources, especially non-renewable ones. It includes, but is not limited to, using eco-friendly products, reducing waste, reusing and recycling, using public transport etc and is also called Earth harmony living or net-zero living. It has been argued that sustainable living is at odds with the industrialized society; on the other hand, it has been criticised as merely symbolic by critics of mainstream environmentalism. However, the importance of sustainable living cannot be undermined. About 300 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, and 57% of textiles produced are sent to landfills. These statistics might seem frightening but they have a bright side; A majority of the plastic produced is used in households in different capacities and 50% of it is single-use plastic which can be eliminated, while 95% of textiles are recyclable.
The benefits of sustainable living impacts both, the practitioner and the environment, positively. In recent times, psychologists have seen the birth and rise of a phenomenon known as eco-anxiety or climate change anxiety, symptoms of which include panic attacks, insomnia, and obsessive thinking. Sustainable Lifestyle can help with eco-anxiety; it can also help people feel better about their lifestyle decisions since feeling anxious about climate change is not limited to those who are directly affected by it. Sustainable living practices such as walking, growing your own food etc. are beneficial for one’s physical and mental health as well.
Bu there is another side to sustainable living. It is often experienced that sustainable living practices do not really fit in with conducive home economics. Natural products, organic food and vegetables are expensive. For those who practice veganism, vegan products are costly when compared to their generic counterparts. Natural fabrics and non-plastic utensils too are considered to be more expensive than their sustainable counterparts. This makes many people wonder whether everyone can afford to save the planet? It is a fact that sustainability has been corporatized; it is now being sold by the very corporations which contribute to environmental degradation.
‘Sustainable’ clothing lines have been released by fast fashion brands Zara and H&M. These brands, however, remain infamous for their poor labour treatments and wasting textiles, contributing to these brands in the name of ‘sustainable’ fashion only. Brands such as FabIndia are known for their natural fabrics and indigenous craft approach to products but these brands too are expensive and mostly out of reach for the middle class and upper-middle-class people who wish to practice sustainable living.
The same logic applies to menstrual products; more and more women are switching to ecofriendly products such as menstrual cups and organic sanitary napkins but many are afraid to make this transition because of higher costs. It must be noted that menstrual cups can last up to ten years in usage since they are mostly made out of medical grade silicone and biodegradable sanitary napkins are actually cheaper and far healthier than their non-biodegradable counterparts.
Eliminating throw away plastics is a crucial part of a sustainable lifestyle, for this purpose bar soaps and shampoos are preferred over normal ones, however once again these products from famous brands are comparatively higher priced.
Thrifting, repurposing and having capsule wardrobes are seen as cheaper and more viable alternatives for those who wish to be fashionably sustainable; these practices reduce consumption and carbon footprints also keep the consumer away from unknowingly contributing to brands and corporations which degrade the environment.
Having kitchen gardens, locally sourcing ingredients and cooking and preparing at home are cheaper alternatives to buying organic and/or vegan foods or going out to eat these foods which might seem sustainable and exotic but are actually products of unseasonal and chemical-induced farming or sourcing.
Sustainable living is one of the most crucial parts of modern-day climate change and environment movements; it marks a departure from being a bystander and helps individuals take charge of larger movements in their own capacities.
This, however, does not eradicate the need for environment/climate change advocacy.
Individual responsibility is appreciable but not optimal; a major part of pollution, degradation and resource consumption is industrial and organised; and industries are constantly advocating for individuals to take up responsibility for climate change and environmental degradation instead of accepting some onus.
It is fairly easy to conclude that Sustainable Living has many benefits for both the practitioners and the environment. It may, however, paint a rosy picture for us, considering a large section of the spending population can’t make that a part of their life, due to financial reasons. It is not sustainable until it is inclusive and accepting of those who might practice it in different ways such as the indigenous populations whose lifestyles have been sustainable for a long time.
Sustainable Living and Climate/Environment advocacy are two faces of the same coin, and neither can be ignored if we truly want to create substantial sustainable change.
Pavitra is a second year History student at Lady Shri Ram College for Women. She writes about culture, History and politics.
LET’S GO PAVI! It’s a brilliantly worded article, I hope more people read this!