Sitting on a train, travelling between families. Between christmas and new years festivities. The holidays with a lot of time of work gives you a lot of time to reflect. I have started to think more about my project, especially with the hole consumer-shop-aholic-thing that Christmas has become. This year I didn't give my friends and family any gifts, but gave the money to charity instead. When someone has asked me this year what I want for christmas I have responded, nothing. I want nothing, please give to someone who needs it more than I do.
I felt frustrated and saddened on Christmas. So many things that need to be done and so many people to help for this world to become a better place. How can we manage this? My patience is nonexistent, I want everything to happen at once! But, as the days went on, I played with my nephew and niece, ate a lot of food and spent time with my loved ones I realised that I cannot do everything at once. But I can do a little. This project to start living more sustainable is meant to start on the 1st of January, but I cannot live 100% sustainable by then, and expect myself to know everything. My knowledge will have to come over time, and my lifestyle will change gradually. I think that will be the most sustainable way to do it, otherwise I face the risk of trying to change too much at once, feeling that it all gets overwhelming and the risk of going back to my old habits would be imminent. So small steps forward will have to be the way to go, investigating and learning as we go along.
One of the first things I need to do is to make an analysis of where I am today. How sustainable is my lifestyle today?
Thursday, 29 December 2016
Thursday, 22 December 2016
Reflection: My resolution
Why have I decided to do this? Why make a resolution to live a more sustainable life? Where did the idea come from?
It really started last spring when I started to investigate what my life-goals are. I defined three projects that together sum up my life. The first was about safety and having a steady ground to stand on. The second was about always growing and continuous learning. The third was about making the world a better place.
Since then this third project has been gnawing on my mind. How can I do this? Where do I start? The culmination came when christmas shopping was starting. I got an e-mail from a NGO that I sometimes give money to, saying that this year I should give people what they were wishing for. I should give them Nothing. The NGO then had gift certificates saying "This year you get Nothing". I decided that instead of giving my near and dear gifts that they don't need, I would give them Nothing. Because of this I started to reflect on all the different things we buy that we don't really need. I went in to a store that sell all those kinds of cheap tingle tangle and it really sickened me, how much of the things people buy in here will just end up in the trash?
A decision: I need to consume less!
So, if I consume less, the world will be a better place? But how do I measure this? Am I willing to sacrifice some of the comforts in life? And what is it that I really want to achieve by my smaller consumption?
I want to use less resources and make sure that the resources I use are not damaging the environment. But I also wanted to support developing countries and fair trade. And then suddenly the word sustainable dawned on me. This was the word that I would use and go by. My goal: sustainable lifestyle. To keep it sustainable for me, the environment and the people around me.
The reason I decided to start writing about this project was that I realize that it will take a lot of effort and knowledge to get through this. And I want to share that. I want others to be inspired by and learn about the things that I find. Sharing is caring you know! I will try to keep my consumption at minimum but the things I do consume, I will do as sustainable as possible. Telling you all about the analysis I have to make to find the best choice of different products and how one can think when choosing what to consume. And also problematize about how to choose the lesser evil, if necessary.
Come along and join me. I have created this resolution for myself, what will be your?
It really started last spring when I started to investigate what my life-goals are. I defined three projects that together sum up my life. The first was about safety and having a steady ground to stand on. The second was about always growing and continuous learning. The third was about making the world a better place.
Since then this third project has been gnawing on my mind. How can I do this? Where do I start? The culmination came when christmas shopping was starting. I got an e-mail from a NGO that I sometimes give money to, saying that this year I should give people what they were wishing for. I should give them Nothing. The NGO then had gift certificates saying "This year you get Nothing". I decided that instead of giving my near and dear gifts that they don't need, I would give them Nothing. Because of this I started to reflect on all the different things we buy that we don't really need. I went in to a store that sell all those kinds of cheap tingle tangle and it really sickened me, how much of the things people buy in here will just end up in the trash?
A decision: I need to consume less!
So, if I consume less, the world will be a better place? But how do I measure this? Am I willing to sacrifice some of the comforts in life? And what is it that I really want to achieve by my smaller consumption?
I want to use less resources and make sure that the resources I use are not damaging the environment. But I also wanted to support developing countries and fair trade. And then suddenly the word sustainable dawned on me. This was the word that I would use and go by. My goal: sustainable lifestyle. To keep it sustainable for me, the environment and the people around me.
The reason I decided to start writing about this project was that I realize that it will take a lot of effort and knowledge to get through this. And I want to share that. I want others to be inspired by and learn about the things that I find. Sharing is caring you know! I will try to keep my consumption at minimum but the things I do consume, I will do as sustainable as possible. Telling you all about the analysis I have to make to find the best choice of different products and how one can think when choosing what to consume. And also problematize about how to choose the lesser evil, if necessary.
Come along and join me. I have created this resolution for myself, what will be your?
Sunday, 18 December 2016
Regarding: Sustainable
Definition of sustainable
a : of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged <sustainable techniques> <sustainable agriculture>
b : of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods <sustainable society>
So basically using the resources we have in the world today so that they can continue to be viable and continously used. The first time I really came in contact with the word was during my education when we started to talk about Sustainable development. The expression was firstly use in the Brundlandt report in 1987. They defined it as development that meets the needs of today without jeopardizing the fulfilment of needs for generations to come. The things we do today should not affect the possibility for our children to live the lifestyle that they want to live. Since the first use in 1987 the expression has now been aimed towards the goal of socially inclusive and environmentally sustainable economic growth. Sustainable development includes both economic development, social development and environmental protection. It's a systematic approach to look at growth and development as well as manage the resources in the world (both social, natural and produced) for us and for generations to come.
I want to apply sustainability on all parts of my life, to have it as kind of a catchword. I want to use resources in a more efficient and sustainable way but I also want to apply it on a broader perspective on my personal health. I need to make sure I don't use up all of my own energy but use it responsibly so that it will continue to be viable. Lastly I also want to strive for mor equality in the world, not only between genders but between the "rich" and the "poor" and different religions. I want a more equitable world. Justice for all. And world peace.
a : of, relating to, or being a method of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource is not depleted or permanently damaged <sustainable techniques> <sustainable agriculture>
b : of or relating to a lifestyle involving the use of sustainable methods <sustainable society>
I want to apply sustainability on all parts of my life, to have it as kind of a catchword. I want to use resources in a more efficient and sustainable way but I also want to apply it on a broader perspective on my personal health. I need to make sure I don't use up all of my own energy but use it responsibly so that it will continue to be viable. Lastly I also want to strive for mor equality in the world, not only between genders but between the "rich" and the "poor" and different religions. I want a more equitable world. Justice for all. And world peace.
Saturday, 17 December 2016
Regarding: solution.
We need to talk about a solution. About how we should make the world a better place to live. About how we should ensurethat we don't risk the health of the earth. About how to end in-equalities in the world.
Resolution vs solution
Resolution, noun - a resolve; a decision or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.
Solution, noun - the act of solving a problem, question, etc.
Sustainable development
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It contains within it two key concepts:
· The concept of 'needs', in particular, the essential needs of the world's poor, to which overriding priority should be given; and
· The idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment's ability to meet present and future needs."
— World Commission on Environment and Development, Our Common Future (1987)
Sustainable resolution
This project started as an idea for a new years resolution - to live and act more sustainable in my day-to-day life. How can I, in my small world, make changes and live so that my ecological footprint is as small as possible? And how can I affect others to try and do the same? How can I be a larger person and aim for the best solution, not only for me but for all the world? Is there a world where we all live in peace and understanding, guaranteeing the same for generations to come? These are some of the questions that I will investigate. Please follow me on my journey and be inspired to make changes in your life as well. The blog will be filled with personal reflections as well as facts about sustainability, environmental, equality as well as other things.
This is my resolution, to try and find a solution on how to live more sustainable.
This is my resolution, to try and find a solution on how to live more sustainable.
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