In the fast-paced world we live in now, everything takes so much space, production, and waste because of how instant we want things to be. But, when the environment cries for help because of the lifestyle we have, it’s best to respond than to ignore it. Living a low-impact lifestyle is our response.
What is a low-impact lifestyle?
A low-impact lifestyle is a way of living wherein people try to reduce their ecological footprint or in layman’s terms, their impact on the environment and Earth. This can be done by simply thrifting clothes, reducing plastic usage, and eating less meat! This lifestyle raises our awareness of how we hurt our planet because of our technological and lifestyle advances.
“Living a low-impact life is cool! But is it sustainable in the long run?”
Coming from Rizza Lana-Sebastian, an advocate for a sustainable life, living a low-impact life or being in a zero-waste journey is hard because sometimes there will be non-negotiables. This is why Rizza brands herself as an imperfect zero waster.
How can you start living a low-impact life?
Start slow- List down all the changes you can make. Start by reflecting on your consumption and buying habits. A small change can go a long way.
Reduce, reuse, recycle, and upcycle- Use whatever you have that’s still functioning well. You don’t need to buy things out of aesthetics but do it for convenience.
Be mindful- Reflect and be more mindful of what you choose to use. Start looking for an alternative for plastic, bags, or anything that has a more environmentally safe option.
Source locally- Support local businesses and buy from them. Save your money from shipping expenses and lots of bubble wraps.
More tips for your zero-waste or low-impact life journey from Rizza
1. Don’t be toxic- If you are starting out, you may feel the need to aggressively advocate for the lifestyle you’re shifting in. It may come to a point wherein you will police everyone around you for not doing what you’re doing. It is okay to advocate for it, but stressing others to be like you is never a good thing. What you can do is to slowly let them realize how important it is to respond to the cries of our planet by switching lifestyles.
Honor their journey as you honor yours. We are all imperfect zero-wasters and we all just want to do our part.
2. Don’t stress yourself too much- It is impossible to live a perfect low-impact life given the circumstances in our country. We are not fully equipped to cut down plastic in our production and consumption. Do yourself a favor and don’t stress too much! You can still lessen your carbon footprint by looking for alternatives.
3. People and planet over profits- If you’re a producer, a creator, or a business owner, make sure to do everything with purpose—to serve and protect the environment.
Making conscious efforts to reduce our impact on the environment is hard but fulfilling. It's not just a one-time event of using metal straws, but a life-long commitment to live a life serving the environment. Listen to Quarter-Life Bliss’ episode with Rizza Lana-Sebastian here.
Comments