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The new year has started already. It’s already 1 month old and a certain feeling is sneaking up on me – this year will be a good one! I admit, part of it is due to this slightly childish expectation ‘hey, 2018, you owe me one – 2017 was such a toughie, you better make up for it’. It’s not rational, I know, but I believe in balance and compensation. One year I am wandering the dark valley, lots of rocks to climb, the next year I am dancing down green pastures on top of the hill, humming the theme from ‘The sound of music’. One night of ice-cream and pizza, the next day chia pudding and greens. That’s my maths.
So 2018 – bring it on! It’s your duty to make the good things appear and mine to grab them. I wonder what it will be….
By the way, last year I started a few long-term experiments in my attemp at trying to save the world/ being a better person, so now it’s time for a quick evaluation.
For instance, I started to experiment with my comfort zone. A light version of modern-lifestyle-detox. Trying to produce as little waste as possible is my topic. Avoid plastic.
I will never be the zero waste person, that’s for sure, it’s just not possible if you work, have a family and don’t live on a self-sustaining farm – at least not for me. But I am trying to explore the limits of what’s possible.
I do NOT buy or take plastic bags anymore. I think I haven’t taken a single new plastic bag in a year. I reuse old ones, sure. Last year I made it a habit to put bags of all different sizes in my handbags and backpacks, so I made sure to never feel the need of getting a new one. It worked well without much effort. All this ‘over the counter’ plastik wrapping is quite hard to avoid, I admit, but my local farmers market lets me bring my own packaging.
I do NOT use bottled shampoo or liquid soap anymore. I used bars of soap for body, hair and hands for an entire year now. It took me a while until I found a hair soap that didn’t make my hair feel sticky and limp but I found it, I use it and I like it. A few plastic bottles less in my waste bin.
I do NOT EVER buy one-way coffee cups. If I forget my reusable one, I either don’t drink that coffee or I take a few minutes, sit down and enjoy it at the café.
I do NOT buy to-go plastic water bottles anymore. I try to bring a tiny bottle wherever I am and refill it when possible. There’s room in the smallest hadbag for it, you would be surprised.
I do NOT buy plastic covered fruit or veggies. Not easy if there is just time for the local supermarket and you like organic.
I do not follow my ‘I need some new clothes to make me happy’ cravings anymore. Not entirely true though. I am still working on it. But I avoid, Zara, H+M, Mango and the likes. It’s the toughest challenge for me I admit, as I looove fashion and I constantly try to reinvent myself stylewise. But I am not willing to add to the mountain of throwaway-clothes anymore ! If I feel the urge arising now, I head straight to the next second hand /Oxfam store and try to fullfill my needs there. It sort of works, not always, but I am getting better and better. And IF I need something new and fabulous I want it to be unique, good quality and sustainable if possible.
Those were some of my resolutions in 2017 and since they all involved NOT doing something I call them my non-resolutions. I will continue my non-resolutions in 2018 and will try to expand them.
Certain things I cannot live without though. I love cosmetics, love to try out new, fabulous magic ointments and tinctures. Unfortunately they often come in plastic. I tried to stick to the glass jars (they still have a plastic lid) and go for organic cosmetic make my own oils and creams, but every once in a while I slip and head for the magic rejuvenating vitamine ABCDE cream that reaches out for me with its perfectly manicured fingers. One needs to have a little luxury every once in a while, doesn’t she (that sounds so unconvincing)? That’s why I ride my bike even when it’s raining. I balance it out as good as I can.
So 2018 – bring it on! It’s your duty to make the good things appear and mine to grab them. I wonder what it will be….
By the way, last year I started a few long-term experiments in my attemp at trying to save the world/ being a better person, so now it’s time for a quick evaluation.
For instance, I started to experiment with my comfort zone. A light version of modern-lifestyle-detox. Trying to produce as little waste as possible is my topic. Avoid plastic.
I will never be the zero waste person, that’s for sure, it’s just not possible if you work, have a family and don’t live on a self-sustaining farm – at least not for me. But I am trying to explore the limits of what’s possible.
I do NOT buy or take plastic bags anymore. I think I haven’t taken a single new plastic bag in a year. I reuse old ones, sure. Last year I made it a habit to put bags of all different sizes in my handbags and backpacks, so I made sure to never feel the need of getting a new one. It worked well without much effort. All this ‘over the counter’ plastik wrapping is quite hard to avoid, I admit, but my local farmers market lets me bring my own packaging.
I do NOT use bottled shampoo or liquid soap anymore. I used bars of soap for body, hair and hands for an entire year now. It took me a while until I found a hair soap that didn’t make my hair feel sticky and limp but I found it, I use it and I like it. A few plastic bottles less in my waste bin.
I do NOT EVER buy one-way coffee cups. If I forget my reusable one, I either don’t drink that coffee or I take a few minutes, sit down and enjoy it at the café.
I do NOT buy to-go plastic water bottles anymore. I try to bring a tiny bottle wherever I am and refill it when possible. There’s room in the smallest hadbag for it, you would be surprised.
I do NOT buy plastic covered fruit or veggies. Not easy if there is just time for the local supermarket and you like organic.
I do not follow my ‘I need some new clothes to make me happy’ cravings anymore. Not entirely true though. I am still working on it. But I avoid, Zara, H+M, Mango and the likes. It’s the toughest challenge for me I admit, as I looove fashion and I constantly try to reinvent myself stylewise. But I am not willing to add to the mountain of throwaway-clothes anymore ! If I feel the urge arising now, I head straight to the next second hand /Oxfam store and try to fullfill my needs there. It sort of works, not always, but I am getting better and better. And IF I need something new and fabulous I want it to be unique, good quality and sustainable if possible.
Those were some of my resolutions in 2017 and since they all involved NOT doing something I call them my non-resolutions. I will continue my non-resolutions in 2018 and will try to expand them.
Certain things I cannot live without though. I love cosmetics, love to try out new, fabulous magic ointments and tinctures. Unfortunately they often come in plastic. I tried to stick to the glass jars (they still have a plastic lid) and go for organic cosmetic make my own oils and creams, but every once in a while I slip and head for the magic rejuvenating vitamine ABCDE cream that reaches out for me with its perfectly manicured fingers. One needs to have a little luxury every once in a while, doesn’t she (that sounds so unconvincing)? That’s why I ride my bike even when it’s raining. I balance it out as good as I can.
Sonya doll sits among 2 re-used glass bottles by True Fruits and a re-useable Cup by BambooCup, below a honey soap by Speick and two soaps by Savons du Midi, below 3 totes by Bonton, Marimekko and Lothringer13 (left to right).
2 comments
Ruth
Liebe Julia
das Thema beschäftigt mich auch immer wieder sehr.
Ich finds nicht so leicht, ein Weg zu finden, zwischen dem Stress alles richtig machen zu wollen und resigniert aufzugeben.
Jetzt mach ich einfach das, was ich relativ einfach umsetzen kann
und da geht ja auch einiges, wie du es so schön beschreibst.
Jedenfalls wünsch ich dir ein richtig gutes 2018!!!
Alles liebe
Ruth
Julia
Liebe Ruth,
vielen Dank Dir. Wenn das Besusstsein schon mal da ist, dann sind die nächsten Schritte eigentlich gar nicht so schwer.
Resignieren ist keine Option, finde ich. Resignieren tut man nur, wenn man den Anspuch an totale Konsequenz stellt. Das schaffen die allermeisten nicht. Inklusive mir. Aber wenn man den absoluten Anspruch mal sausen lässt und sich überlegt, wo’s eigentlich gar nicht so weh tut sich umzustellen und was einem eigentlich am meisten gegen den Strich geht, dann kann man doch ganz entspannt dran gehen. Ich rechne so:
Normalerweise würde ich ungefährjede Woche 1-2 Kaffee to go trinken. Das sind 52 – 104 im Jahr, wenn ich das mal Einwohner in München nehme, das sind gute 1,4 Mio., dann sind wir bei….das kannst Du selber ausrechnen, auf jeden FAll ist es ein riesiger Berg und wenn man das jetzt auf Deutschland/ Europa/ die Welt hochrechnet, dann läppert sich doch was zusammen, was hergestellt, weggeworfen und entsorgt werden muss. So mach ich es bei jeder Plastiktüte, die ich NICHT nehme, jeder Shampooflasche, die ich vermeide etc etc., ich rchne mich selber hoch auf den Rest der Menschheit. Und wenn das nun auch weitererzählt, dann werden vielleicht immer mehr Menschen auch inspiriert – naja und so kann man doch was bewegen. Nicht die ganze Welt an einem Tag retten vielleicht, aber vielleicht ein bisschen dazu beitragen. Ohne dass es wehtut.
Liebe GRüße,
Julia
Und so funktioniert’s.