I always knew that pollution was a BIG problem, but it only truly hit me when I realized what good the COVid lockdown did our beautiful Earth. I wanted to make a change, even if it were small.

After quite some thought and looking around, the word ORGANIC stuck by me and I knew this was it, this is what I needed to do. I need to start applying the concept of sustainable living in my life as well as create a community that will also start implementing this idea. But, not just that, at the same time I wanted to empower local businesses that were struggling to get by because of regulations.

This is where my online shop came from, the need to get more organic, healthy and sustainable products out there while at the same time helping our local brands grow.

WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE LIVING

Sustainable living is the property of being environmentally sustainable; the degree to which a process or enterprise is able to be maintained or continued while avoiding the long-term depletion of natural resources, as explained by the Oxford dictionary.

Sustainable living focuses on three main factors

1. Economic – Improving the standard of living and ensuring economic growth
2. Social – Preserving future generations and social equality
3. Environment – Protection of our natural resources such as land, water, air and minerals

BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABLE LIVING

1. One of the huge benefits of sustainable living is that it reduces your carbon footprint, a measure of the amount of carbon dioxide that is produced by the activities of a person or company, as explained by the Oxford Dictionary. These carbon emissions come from our homes and the food we eat as well as from our cars and transport.

2. Every small change to sustainable living results in a healthier lifestyle. By using less products that emit fossil fuels and harmful chemicals, and consuming less products that contain traces of pesticides and chemical fertilizers we slowly start to improve our physical health. Consuming quality, organic foods and increasing fitness due to limiting our dependence on vehicles and substituting it for walking, cycling and physical work, can also have a positive effect on your mental health.

3. We can save money by growing our own food and using less electricity or generating our own electricity.

4. Sustainable living requires organic farming. This way of farming gives back to the earth rather than depleting all of its great qualities. It provides healthy soil that can be used again instead of destroying it like conventional farming does.

5. Sustainable living doesn’t only benefit us now, it preserves our environment and economy for future generations to carry on making a living. This is ultimately why sustainable living is so important, not because it’s a ‘new trend’ or ‘fancy term’ but because if we do not start preserving the world around us there won’t be anything left for future generations.

WHAT CHANGES CAN WE MAKE

• Support local organic farmers
• Make the change to solar lighting, use renewable energy
• Say no to plastic, reduce waste
• Use sustainable products resourced locally from waste or renewable resources
• Use water responsibly
• Try to reduce travel by starting lift clubs, using bicycles or walking
• Go on hikes, plant trees, build a vegetable garden

I am just a quiet voice in a noisy crowd saying things you have already heard. But, just maybe this quiet voice can be the one that finally convinces you to take that first step toward change.

If I haven’t convinced or intrigued you, then ask yourself this; what am I leaving behind?

Yours sincerely
The Sunflower