There are thousands of websites, books and people giving you inspiration, ideas and recipes to implement into your everyday life in order to attain a more sustainable lifestyle. But there are at least as many unanswered questions, doubts and misunderstandings regarding this very important topic that we would like to do away with.
The world as we know it is in trouble. We have to act now. More and more catastrophic news from all over the world are coming in every single day. A lot of people have grasped the extent of the current situation and therefore started to rethink their present lifestyle.
SO FAR, SO GOOD!
There is however no perfect guideline to follow through in order to save the planet. If that were the case, we would already be a big step further. To help you keep your motivation and not lose hope right from the start despite all the bad news, disbelief and challenges around you, here are some things sustainability can definitely not be equated with:
1) Expensive
What's keeping most people from trying to live a little bit more eco-friendly is the financial aspect. While some products may indeed seem a little expensive at first glance, the total expenses will hardly increase. Because you tend to consume a lot more deliberately as soon as you start taking the environmental impact into account, which means you will buy products that are a little bit more expensive than you are used to, but at the same time you will buy less in quantity or things that last longer than the cheaper version.
However, you do not have to be a wizard at maths to solve the problem. In our zero waste store for example, the price per kilo is hardly higher than in the supermarket for most products. So simply compare prices and quality, trust your guts and do what feels right for you and the planet.
2) Restriction
Implementing a sustainable lifestyle does not automatically mean that you have to give up everything you have known so far. You can still eat good food and travel and spoil yourself with whatever makes you happy - because by now, there is an eco-friendly alternative for almost everything: vegan cheese, hotels with a responsible attitude, zero waste stores that sell sweets, baking ingredients and everything else your heart desires. So please don't let anyone tell you that sustainability equals a decrease of livability. In most cases, it is actually the contrary! You discover so many new things and you will most likely find out that a surprising amount of them is in fact way better than what you were used to.
3) Perfection
Ambition is good, but it is really not necessary to turn your life upside down and try to change everything at once. There are so many areas of your everyday life, countless aspects that can be made a start on, that it is not always easy to keep the overview. So please don't let yourself get discouraged right at the beginning by the sheer quantity of solution approaches. Instead, figure out one area that you would like to focus on - may this be because it's easy for you to make changes in this area, or because you think this is the most urgent matter. There is absolutely no right or wrong (and especially no perfect!). Every little step into the right direction is precious and fantastic. So, start small, see what works for you and then go to the next level if you like. Step by step.
4) Frustration
I admit that trying to be a better person and do something good for the planet is not always a cakewalk. It can be a lot of fun and you will feel incredibly proud as soon as you have discovered something new and successfully put it into practice. And yet, there will also be moments when you will be asking yourself: "what or who exactly am I doing this for? My tiny steps won't change anything anyway! Is it really worth all the effort?"
Let me assure you that it is! Nobody can save the world all alone and in only one day. It is a process with ups and downs, which makes it even more important to find like-minded people to talk to about your hopes as well as your doubts.
5) Ridiculous
The picture of the tree-hugger wearing cord trousers and eating nothing but carrots is more than outdated! In fact, sustainability has almost become a new "fashion" and you can be a real example for others if you give it a try. Which does not mean that it should just be seen as a little adventure for in-between. Like any other hobby, passion or interest, an eco-friendly lifestyle requires an appropriate amount of curiosity, willpower and practice. Great things do not happen on their own.