The concept of sustainable Living has gone a long way from Biblical times to the modern days. Although it has become prevalent in the past decade and is even considered one of the most significant signs of our time, Sustainable Living is indeed something that various cultures and religions have widely preached since the dawn of time.

After all, what was Joseph’s recommendation for a Pharaon to collect food and consider the upcoming 7 years of famine (Genesis 41) if not the idea of mindful Living and considerable spread of natural resources? However, you are familiar with the modern interpretation of Sustainability, which is much more multileveled and considers prioritizing natural renewable resources as a mindful act of care about the future generations.

In this article you will find answers to some of the most common questions when trying to understand the big concept of Sustainable living.

• Why is Sustainable Living so popular today?
• The History and Background of Sustainable Living?
• Why is the whole world not Sustainable yet?
• Economic concerns about Sustainable Living
• Environmental concerns about Sustainable Living.
• What is the impact of Sustainable Living today?
• How can I start living sustainably?
• 5 Myths about Sustainable Living
• 12 Things you can start today to get on track with your mindful sustainable lifestyle:

Why is Sustainable Living so popular today?

Sustainable Living is one of the concepts that simply could not pass unnoticed today. However, if you have always been trying to conduct a waste-free and eco-friendly life, you might have been among the first ones who learned about this fascinating idea.

However, even those who could not find themselves further from eco-friendly Living have eventually come across the idea one way or another. It is because global organizations such as UNICEF, food manufacturers, fashion brands, and even bloggers and social media seem to pick up the idea at once and start replicating and interpreting it so widely that it does not even matter how active is your social life, whether you watch TV or what kind of consumer are you, you might have heard about Sustainable Living until now.

The only problem with the concept today is just like all great ideas. Sustainable Living has soon enough become a brand itself, and a powerful marketing tool often used to boost the process it originally meant to stabilize. We are talking about erratic consumption.

Ironic. However, the reality is like this: numerous brands, manufacturers, and even social media influencers tend to label their products and services as sustainable without any factual background. This kind of behavior has already gained a name in the marketing world – GreenWashing and became a reason for numerous scandals around such world-famous names as H&M, Nike, L’Oreal, and others.

That is why, once you are genuinely interested in the concept of Sustainable Living, it is essential to learn about its principles, roots, and perspectives. That way, you will be able to recognize genuinely sustainable technologies, services, and products without the risk of being fooled by money-thirsty companies that know how to use marketing tools.

In this article, we shall go over the history and foundations of Sustainable Living, its distinguishing features, outcomes, and impact on our everyday lives, and even some legal base behind it.

And, of course, we shall provide the guidelines that will help you make the necessary amendments and start the transition process from your current lifestyle to sustainable Living natural and mindful without violation of your worldview and quality of life.

The History and Background of Sustainable Living

As we have already noticed, you may find ideas that can be directly referred to as the concept of Sustainable Living in the Bible. However, let’s not go that far into history and try to concentrate on the times when Sustainability got its modern philosophical and legal form.

The first appearance of the word “Sustainable” in its modern meaning dates back to 1972. Then, the term became fundamental for a series of publications called Limit of Growth – basically speculation about a theoretical state that would achieve balance (or equilibrium) while satisfying its material requirements with the available natural resource. The main idea was not to interfere with the natural course of events, not to stimulate demand or offer artificially.

The term got some kind of legal foundation and a more tangible form 15 years later when the now-dissolved World Commission on Environment and Development published its report called “Our Common Future.” The document from 1987 has technically become the first official acknowledgment of the concept about the environmental impact of industrial and political development of humanity.

However, the historic step towards acknowledging Sustainable Living and its crucial role in future development happened in 1992. This year UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro has adopted the so-called Agenda 21, which pointed out the necessity of adopting sustainable development—giving it a legal foe to “level the field” in the world community and give families worldwide a chance to a secure and healthy habitant, labor and perspectives.

In a way, the document included certain talking points from the 1972’s publications, finalizing the establishment of Sustainability in the economy and politics.

Why is the whole world not Sustainable yet?

It is a pretty logical question: if the idea of sustainable Living is so beneficial for humanity, how come several decades after its necessity has been acknowledged, it is still not a common practice worldwide?

Like any concept, even the most beneficial one, several concerns, and complications still make its embodiment pretty hard and even impossible for some regions, industries, and cultures. Let’s go over the primary concerns.

Economic concerns about Sustainable Living

When you look at Sustainability from the economic point of view, the idea is to establish how future generations will be freed from the notorious bonds of poverty and starvation no matter what region we are talking about.

The biggest economic problem with the ideas of sustainable development in various regions is that if consumption and manufacture are not stimulated, it will soon enough lead to such logical outcomes as commodification, deregulation, privatization. In other words, consumption appears to be a part of human nature in general. Once Sustainability is not a personal choice but a legally regulated matter, people naturally start exploring natural resources more actively.

Unfortunately, practice shows that it eventually leads to undermining the whole idea of Sustainability. The inequality and poverty would only grow since people generally have different levels of demand. Until the generations change and the field levels, there won’t be any natural, sustainable resources.

Environmental concerns about Sustainable Living

Environmental concerns about worldwide sustainable Living come from the inequality between different regions that already exists.

The ideas of sustainable development and consumption are mostly promoted by developed countries with well-established and influential industries. They are speaking out about the necessity to restrain the consumption of natural resources and take measures to make sure that the existing manufacturers decrease their emissions and carbon footprint.

The problem is that those countries have already researched, developed, and benefited from their natural resources and now have a comprehensive “safety pillow” to experiment with restraining measures. At the same time, the technologies that they used to establish their wealth are far from being sustainable. Most developing countries only start getting access to those technologies today and explore their natural resources.

Unfortunately, sustainable methods and principles of manufacture and development require significantly higher investment. Once a country does not receive additional funding to develop sustainable technologies or face a significant corruption level (which is typical for developing economies), it simply cannot keep up with the process.

Today the idea of Sustainable Living has overgrown University publications, conventions, and seminars. It has become a common term, diverse and multileveled enough to be a personal choice of every individual. Both practice and theoretical knowledge show that Sustainable Living cannot yet be imposed on the governmental level. It is a personal responsibility and an informed choice of every citizen that has perspectives to become a worldwide practice in the future.

Sustainable Living is precisely the case when each person’s informed and deliberate choice makes a global impact. Imagine mercury drops that come together, shaping the metal’s body. Like this, every sustainable choice, every purchase, repurposing, and recycling action impacts the overall concept.

Let’s go over some statistics to have a clearer picture and sustainable living perspectives for our generation.

• UN Environment Programme claims that the world population can grow up to 8 billion by the year 2050. Even the global Pandemic of COVID-19 that we are facing today as one of the deadliest events in modern history won’t affect the statistics too much. If humanity continues consumption and wasting on the same level by this year, we might need at least 3 planets equal to Earth, so everybody could live a full and healthy life;

• People are wasting over 1.3 billion tons of food every year. In order to satisfy the demand for food, people are exhausting natural resources. However, a big chunk of it simply goes wasted. In other words, we literally bite off more than we can swallow;

• An average household energy use causes about 21% of the consequential CO2 emissions. It means that before blaming corporations and manufacturers for pollution, each one of us should pay attention to personal resource use;

• Just one beef hamburger that you may not even finish takes about 2400 liters of water to produce;

• Only 37% of all waste produced worldwide can be recycled. The rest ends up in landfills poisoning soil and oceans;

• Over 50% of plastic waste in the world are the everyday disposable goods such as supermarket plastic bags, cups, and straws;

• Construction and demolition of buildings produce 40% of unrecyclable waste worldwide.

As you might have noticed, most of those points hardly have anything to do with global corporations’ governmental operations and policies. Creating a society of consumers, manufacturers have given us a considerable power. The second each person decided to make more sustainable choices and conduct a mindful lifestyle, they will be forced to adjust their operation to sustainability standards.

Right now, 9 out of 10 people in the world breathe air with a contamination level way above acceptable norms. Choosing sustainable Living each one of us impacts changing the situation already in the observable future.

How you can start living sustainably?

Although the overall concept might look pretty overwhelming, it is not that hard to start your sustainable living transition. You might have already done the first steps when you chose shopper’s bags over plastics for groceries or decided to store buttons in a box from chocolates instead of throwing it away.

However, many people have pretty harsh concerns that hold them from sustainable Living. Most of the time, those concerns are the results of stigmas, misunderstanding, or lack of information.

Myth #1 – You have to be a perfect human for this lifestyle

Many people think that people who choose sustainable Living are fanatics or perfect humans who think through their every choice and never follow an impulse or craving.

In fact, it is perfectly fine to take a plastic bag to a supermarket if you forgot your shopper’s bag at home. It is ok to buy a piece of clothing from a fast-fashion brand once in a while because it just looks so good on you. There is no point in feeling guilty or kick yourself for your everyday choices. The fact that you acknowledge the difference already means that you start living sustainably.

Myth #2 – You can’t buy from famous brands

Another common misconception is that brands cannot be sustainable, and from now on, you may only buy from artisanal manufacturers.

More and more brands acknowledge how significant the concept is and how important it can be for their development.

With just a little research, you can find information about those brands and buy from them freely.

Myth #3 – Sustainable Living is all-altruistic

Yes, the whole idea of sustainable Living is to make an impact on the overall well-being. However, if you take a closer look at the concept, you understand that it is more about self-care than sacrifice for the community.

Buying high-quality organic clothes, eating clean foods, switching off your device once in a while to enjoy the world around you – primarily, you are the one who will benefit from those things.

Myth #4 – Sustainable Living is expensive

Yes, once you look at prices for organic products or clothes from sustainable brands, it may seem to you that sustainable Living is for the rich and famous only.

However, there are two things that you should remember:

Being of higher quality, sustainable clothing and footwear is not something you will throw away after one season. In other words, it reduces your expenses on necessities;

Buying second-hand goods and recycling are actual foundations of sustainable Living. That is why it is [possible to live sustainably on a dime.

Myth #5 – I cannot make a difference

Remember what we said about Mercury – every action counts and contributes to the overall greater good. Moreover, you may not be an influencer with millions of followers, but you are surrounded by people who love and respect you. Following your example, they spread the word more efficiently than any social media or news broadcast.

Now that we have determined that sustainable Living is not a sacrifice and does not require any heroic (or costly) acts, let’s see how you can start your path to this mindful lifestyle.

Things you can start today to get on track with your mindful sustainable lifestyle:

1.Try to reduce waste

You may not even realize how much waste you produce every day. Somehow, it always seems to be a natural course of events. You may not even notice how your garbage bin gets filled with leftovers, napkins, disposable dishes, etc.

The first thing you should remember is that you have paid for each napkin and plastic straw. Throwing it away, you technically throw away your own money. Now let’s go over some tips that can help you reduce waste in your everyday life:

2.Create a shopping list.

Most impulse purchases in a supermarket or cravings tend to end up forgotten in the fridge. Make sure to revise your shopping list and stick to it. As a bonus, it will help you take control of your diet and budget;

Replace disposable things with permanent ones. Plastic cups and spoons, paper kitchen towels, and disposable gloves – are the biggest contaminants and a waste of money. Replacing them with permanent analogs will save you a great deal of budget and help the Earth;

3.Consider reusable packages.

Get yourself a reusable water bottle, research cosmetics that come with refillers, and try to recycle boxes, bottles, and tubes after you use the product;

Products without single-use packaging. Replacing your shower gel, shampoo, or conditioner with products that come in bars will significantly reduce your waste.

4.Save the energy

It is another measure that helps you both live more sustainably and save a lot of money:

Change light bulbs for the energy-saving ones;

Consider smart thermostat or water boiler with a timer;

Air-dry your laundry in the Summer;

Pay attention to the class of energy consumption next time you buy a home appliance.

5.Revise the way you shop

Shopping is the foundation of our consumers’ society and one of its tender points. Generally, all your efforts of reducing waste and consuming less energy may appear useless if you don’t revise your shopping habits.

The main idea of sustainable shopping is to change the way you look at the process. From now on, try to shop for things you need instead of those you suddenly saw and liked. There is a 90% chance that such impulse purchase will end up in the furthest corner of your wardrobe and later on at a landfill.

6.Here are some tips for a sustainable mindful wardrobe:

A capsule wardrobe is a trendy concept that will help you determine your style, significantly shorten the expanse of clothes and time you will spend doing laundry and dressing up in the morning;

Make a thorough wardrobe clean-up and donate clothes that you won’t wear anymore. It is best t donate directly to people in need instead of bringing your clothes to retailers who often either re-sell your clothes in the 3rd world countries or dump them there. Fabric recycling is a pretty complicated and expensive process. Most brands use it simply as a way to attract shoppers;

7. Chose natural and biodegradable materials.

Not only they are hypoallergic and beneficial for your skin, but even ended up on a landfill, linen or cotton piece of clothing will cause significantly less harm to the environment;

Research brands before giving them your money. Once a manufacturer has Organic Certifications, provides Carbon Impact reports, and adopts sustainable technologies, it will never hide it from the public.

8.Re-direct you consumption

Buying something from a brand, you invest your money into it, saying that you approve of its policy. However, it is always pretty hard to know the exact motives and perspectives of companies that grow into brands.

While most people think that sustainable Living is about cutting consumption (and it is true in many ways), it is also important to understand where and how you direct your attention and money.

9.Try to research and support local manufacturers and private entrepreneurs.

While private business has suffered most after the Pandemic, it is still the biggest job provider and the backbone of the economy.

Here are several benefits of re-directing your consumption towards local manufacturers:

You reduce emissions and carbon footprint due to shorter delivery distance;

You encourage entrepreneurs to work ethically;

You provide workplaces and support families instead of faceless global corporations;

You contribute to the development of your local community.

10.Take your life under control.

You may be surprised how many actions we make unconsciously simply because we got used to a certain course of events and prefer to go with a flow.

When you go out of the house, you will take a car no matter whether you have to go to the other side of the town or just visit your friend who lives in the same neighborhood. You would buy from the same brand or manufacturer simply because you got used to it. You would go to a gym and run on a treadmill instead of enjoying the views of your local park.

Eventually, we all become slaves of our habits that might have been imposed by someone’s advice, commercial or simply sloth. It is time to take control of your life!

Make a list of your everyday actions and try to come up with a sustainable alternative. For example, you may consider a bicycle ride instead of a car for short trips;

Go through your monthly expenses and see how many of them were essential. You will find several impulse purchases or subscriptions you want to cut. The money you saved can go on sustainable, high-quality actual products;

11.Do research.

The market is changing rapidly, offering new sustainable alternatives. Big chances your habitual cleaning products, disposable accessories, and household goods have biodegradable and sustainable high-quality analogs;

12.Follow eco-friendly advocates

You can find numerous bloggers and influencers all over social media who provide their tips and tricks of sustainable Living, inform about new brands and products and review them for you. They can inspire and suggest solutions you might not have even considered before. You don’t have to copy them, but there is nothing bad in following those who have already walked several paths on the way to sustainable Living.

Sustainable Living is not just another trend from social media. It is a philosophy and a concept that finds its reflections in every aspect of modern life. The way you dress, eat, travel, communicate and take care of yourself – everything can be an object for Sustainable Living and get significantly improved by this approach.

Whether you are aiming for the greater good or want to change something in your own life, remember that every action counts when we talk about Sustainable Living. It contributes, inspires, and encourages people around you and helps the overall idea establish and become more tangible, enhancing the perspectives of future generations.

Follow the upcoming posts, and you will learn about numerous brands and products that support the sustainable living concept in their manufacture and product development and help us get on the track of sustainable life effortlessly.