Does Eco-minimalism sound quite fancy or intriguing to you? In fact, it is simplicity at its core with health and the environment as the priority. Simple living brings clarity and focuses to important aspects of our life. It makes life more meaningful. Just like how we need to prune the plants for them to grow well, the same applies to our material or mental obsessions too! Too much clutter at home or your office space keeps your mental space disturbed and cluttered too! Being a minimalist changed my life for good! It has brought peace and decorum into my life. A few years back, when moving to a new country, I realized how much-unwanted clutter I was holding on to, which we as a family did not use for years! It was just occupying space and causing stress for me to manage all the stuff! There were so few essential things that we needed in life. So after I moved to a new place, I gradually started cutting down on my buying. Only a few years back when I started to include an environmentally friendly lifestyle I started to be mindful before buying anything that is essential for me or my family by researching and checking if it is good for our health and the environment. This is a win-win situation :)
So in a nutshell, Eco-minimalism is a lifestyle that emphasizes simplicity, functionality, and reducing environmental impact through conscious consumption and waste reduction. It is intentional living by spending only what is essential for good health and well-being with keeping the environment as the priority.
Why Eco-minimalism?
Apart from the clutter caused in your mind and your living space due to too much stuff, there are some critical and adverse changes in the climate happening due to excessive consumerism. We often keep buying stuff that we really don't need but buy it,
because probably our neighbor or friend has it or recommends it! Unwanted gifts are given which go unused and many other reasons. Each individual is different and so are their needs. This excessive buying creates a tremendous amount of toxic waste which is clogging our landfills because most of them either don't segregate their waste and recycle nor are all products completely recyclable. 10 years from now, it will be devastating if we don't act now!
There are more health concerns arising at a young age! There are more cancer patients than ever…Cancer these days is widely a lifestyle disease. It's estimated that between 3 out of 10 in every 100 cancers are associated with an inherited faulty gene. The rest 7 cancer cases are because of a faulty and unhealthy lifestyle.
We have got so used to convenience in the wrong areas of life especially when it comes to food, that overconsumption of processed food is not only contributing to a host of health problems but also its production has a deep impact on the environment.
VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT BUSINESSES ARE DRIVEN BY CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR AND IF WE AS CONSUMERS DEMAND AND USE MORE OF HEALTHY AND CLEAN ALTERNATIVES, DEMAND FOR PROCESSED FOOD WILL GO DOWN AND MORE OF HEALTHY AND ORGANIC FOOD ALTERNATIVES WILL BECOME AVAILABLE.
Thankfully the trend for healthy food is on the rise but beware of greenwashing and faulty marketing claims that certain packaged food is healthy. Always read the ingredients and then opt to buy. To read more on how to identify healthy food you can read the blog here.
Although there is a cure to these diseases I am sure you wouldn't want to save up your life earnings to treat a disease!! We are clogging the planet with all our toxic waste which in turn is harming us and our living conditions. Our present mindless consumption is leading to exploiting and harming our Eco-system which is our basis for existence!!
So, ultimately for our happy and healthy life, it is of utmost importance to safeguard the limited resources and choose to eat and use things that are meant to be safe for us.
So by adopting Eco-minimalism you can save money to buy good quality organic food, achieve good health, Create less waste, and Conserve your resources.
We are clogging the planet with all our toxic waste which in turn is harming us and our living conditions.
Does Minimalism make you happy?
Less is more!!
“Owning less creates an opportunity to live more.” – Joshua Becker
It has many advantages :
Less storage required
Less space required
Less maintenance
Less cleaning
Less clutter
Less waste generated
Less expenditure
Eliminates comparison with neighbors
Eliminates envy
More savings
More time
More time for creativity
More focus on family and work
More mental peace
And much more...
Does Eco-minimalism mean I should not have any material possessions?
No, it definitely does not mean you live in a drab house with minimal furniture and equipment! Or just have 2 pieces of clothing.
You need to have everything that will make your life comfortable and you use it on a daily basis and which defines it as essential for you.
If you haven't used any piece of equipment or furniture or product for more than 90 days straight, it probably is not essential and is occupying valuable space in your storage and adding to clutter. However, there are exceptions to this when it comes to emergency tools, equipment, or medications.
It is about being intentional about what you buy and not an impulsive decision to buy something to satisfy your craving for shopping or just because you found it very attractive:) Take advantage of a sale when you need something essential and can buy it at a discounted price not because it is a sale so you can hoard more stuff and feel satisfied that you got a good deal! Remember you are still paying money for it!
Is Eco-Minimalism sustainable?
Eco minimalism is healthy and sustainable!
An Eco-minimalist is one who buys only essential needs in life but also cares for their own health and the environment. Frankly speaking Our health and the environment are intertwined or dependent on each other. If we care for our and our loved one's health then we need to choose Eco-friendly alternatives for our needs.
Moreover, as you have cut down on many unnecessary expenses, you now can afford to buy clean and healthy alternatives, which are slightly expensive for a good reason. Will discuss that in future blogs.
This lifestyle has many advantages and good returns for us in the long run too,
Less medical bills
More energy and enthusiasm to pursue your passions.
More contributions to keep the Planet clean for yourself and the younger generations.
More time to explore and have great experiences.
Less attachment to material possessions enriches your personal relationships.
So yes Eco-Minimalism is 100% sustainable :)
How do I pursue Eco-minimalism? Where to start?
Firstly, introspect and identify if you are really bringing in too much Stuff.
You can start with being a minimalist and then gradually shift to becoming an eco-minimalist.
Does it all serve your purpose? Because if you are buying more stuff that is not of much value then someday you will have to get rid of it to make more space for other stuff you need or will need more storage. Be mindful of consumption. Before making a purchase, consider whether it is truly necessary and if there are more sustainable options available. This applies to everything from clothing to food to household items. It is a fact that in some years the landfill will be occupying more space than we human beings. Not everything we donate really gets used, the majority of it goes to landfills!! And only a fraction of what we send to recycling companies get recycled !!
So if you can really feel and do something about the tremendous waste management issue then Start buying less. The less we buy unwanted things the less waste it will contribute to and definitely save you money!
Start buying less.The less we buy unwanted things the less waste it will contribute to and definitely save you money!
There are no ground rules to minimalism. It is very subjective and varies for each individual.
The only suggestions I have which contribute to good health are what worked for me.
First, become a minimalist in buying packaged and processed food. Not consuming processed food is good for your health and will reduce the amount of chemical toxins that go into our body, and the environment during its production, and during disposal of its packaging or unused expired packaged food. Each year a tremendous amount of food goes to waste due to expired dates or not being used or not sold. The less we buy this chemical-laden food, the less it will be sold. So let's drive the change :)
Decluttering - Carefully think before you declutter so you don't have to go buy it again from the market. Consult with all your family members before you let go of anything. Clutter to you might be valuable to them :)
Do not put your waste in the trash bins but instead donate it to someone in need. (only what is in good and usable condition) or sell it, or if not in good condition then put it in your appropriate community recycling bins. Our landfills are overflowing with the trash so please try to reduce the pressure on the system. I am sure no one wants to live surrounded by trash.
Whenever you buy anything that you feel is essential for you then do check its specifications and try to buy an eco-friendly option.
In my newsletters and personal blog series on Ecominimalism, I will share some ways I have infused this lifestyle into my life :) Subscribe to our newsletter to get more practical insights from many experts in the field.
Get a more clear step-by-step procedure to purge your spaces by visiting this website where the hosts of this show called "The minimalists" have a free "16 rules for living" e-book which will help you in eliminating the non-essentials and living a minimalist life. You can get it here
Which Eco-friendly alternatives are you struggling to find? Do let me know in the comments. Will try my best to get you properly researched genuine products:)
Eco-minimalism is about living a simpler, more mindful life in harmony with the environment. With this lifestyle, we can reduce our impact on the planet and live more fulfilling lives.
References to research more:
https://www.theminimalists.com/resources/
Written & Compiled by Pallavi Santhapuram
Disclaimer: This blog is for information purposes only and is not intended to change anybody’s personal views. All the information provided in this blog is true to the best of my knowledge, but there may be omissions, errors, or mistakes. The blog should not be seen as advice of medical, legal, or any other type. I reserve the right to change or update the focus or content of my published or upcoming blogs at any time. The information within this article is researched and compiled from the references provided.
THE ECO LOOP and the author are not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article. The suggestions or opinions appearing in the article are just the author's views. THE ECO LOOP does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.