sustainablelifestyle

What is sustainability?

12 April, 2023 / Leave a Comment

Vito Mancuso: ethics, nature and accountability

What is sustainability? Think about an all-embracing definition, a few words we can extend to any field. To our whole life, indeed. In our search for a more sustainable lifestyle, Prof. Vito Mancuso offered some food for thought.

In a tv show called “Quante storie”, a must-see programme which is all about books, Prof. Vito Mancuso, a theologist and philosopher, introduced his latest essay titled “Etica per i giorni difficili” (Ethics for difficult days).

Addressing the need for shared ethics, he gave some guidance on the importance of preserving nature. Precisely, he said: “Custodire la natura è un’ assunzione di responsabilità.”

Literally:

“Preserving nature is an assumption of responsibility.”

Vito Mancuso

We believe we can extend this definition into the discussion on sustainable matters. Likewise, we can affirm: “Sustainability is an assumption of responsibility.”

And taking responsibility means, in other words, holding ourselves accountable.

But holding ourselves accountable goes beyond economics, marketing, or personal power. In fact, it’s about ethics.
And so, from a marketing perspective, can we agree to pair the word sustainable with big corporations? From the perspective of profit, can we allow well-known brands to sponsor sustainable events? Or set up sustainable fashion shows with the same rule as non-sustainable ones?

On an ethical level, we cannot.

From an ethical perspective, taking money from big corporations won’t lead to real change.
But holding ourselves accountable doesn’t mean being perfect in our effort to make a change. It means taking seriously the choice we made and being consistent with it. Fundamentally, it means changing the way we operate, and being very careful who we partner with.

Mainstream sustainability vs ethics

So, what is the mainstream sustainability movement proposing? Green capitalism is the enlightened way. Specifically, they tell us to shift towards an eco-green-sustainable model in order to keep up consuming as much as we did so far.

Of course, it won’t work. Either they are missing the point, or ethics isn’t their concern. And neither is sustainability.

Consumption habits & sustainability: are we missing the point?

10 April, 2023 / 4 Comments

Between consumerism & lifestyle choices


The conversation about having responsible consumption habits seems to get wider attention. Of course, not the central role it should have, becoming the heart of every serious discussion. But, at least, there is a growing interest in this matter.

The impact of consumerism  

More people acknowledge that our actions have an impact on the planet. Specifically, our mindless consumerist culture is causing irreversible climate and ecological breakdown. And irreversibility is a fact we cannot ignore.

However, what leaves us quite perplexed is the idea of splitting consumption habits into multiple areas. Indeed we see sustainable fashion, sustainable tourism, organic food, and so on. On the one hand, segmenting helps to tackle the issue field by field. But on the other hand, it brings along a certain inconsistency.

Sustainable consumption habits: are we missing the point?

First, communication tells us that consuming green-labelled products will solve the issue. Second, you can consume sustainable products in your favourite segment and get away with it. For instance, you can purchase sustainable fashion garments but care less about wasting food.
There’s no logic in that!

Shifting our behaviour towards healthier consumption habits is a lifestyle choice. So, it regards every product we purchase and any experience.

Therefore, we can promote sustainable fashion, tourism, furniture, and food. Automobiles and technology. But to make our behaviour effective, sustainability must embrace all our individual choices. We need to develop a conscious behaviour towards life. 

The line that separates sustainability and greenwashing is very subtle. Our lifestyle doesn’t become sustainable because we buy more green products. We can make products with eco-friendly materials, but still, we will impact the environment. 

We will reduce our impact on the planet only if we consume less. Much less. And it’s a lifestyle matter. Taking a sustainable approach means stopping what we were doing!

And so, are you ready to change your consumption habits?

Black Friday? Buy nothing!

10 April, 2023 / Leave a Comment

Why say no to Black Friday

Here we go again: Black Friday is back, and we urge you to buy nothing! Yes, we are still at this point. That is where the matter rests: filling up the world with rubbish products.
Even though our economic system failed, and the effects are visible, most people ignore it. And they do not realise we cannot suffer the consequence of mindless shopping behaviours anymore.

Black Friday: the chain system

Manufacturers increase the production of poor-quality goods. Retailers, in turn, order more of them in order to satisfy their customers’ compulsive desire for novelties.
Indeed, that is capitalism: overproduction, which leads to unnecessary overconsumption. And all this happens by exploiting workers and the planet. In other words, those who pay the true cost of these heavy discounts with no fair wages, tons of waste, gas emissions and pollution.

buy nothing

Why should we care?

The point is this: we failed the 1.5-degree target for carbon emission. One of the biggest reasons is that we consume too much. How is it not clear yet? So we have only one possibility: to reduce our consumption drastically. And look, that is what sustainable consumption means! It’s not just about purchasing sustainable products but reducing the goods we buy, consume and throw away.

What can we do? Buy nothing!

Eventually, excessive consumerism is destroying the world. And massive sales aren’t consistent with a thoughtful lifestyle. So we need to get rid of this toxic culture. You know what? No change will ever come from corporations or governments. The system won’t change. But we can change and educate ourselves. Because with our ideas and wallet, we promote the world we want. Also, lower turnovers would be the only language corporations would listen to.

Modern humans are conscious consumers. “Less stuff, more meaning” is our guiding principle. Use this day to spend time with your family or your beloved ones. Read books, more books! Listen to music! But do not contribute to a system that leads to destruction.

What can you do? Buy nothing!

COP 27: the climate show is on!

10 April, 2023

COP 27 is becoming more of an international show leaving people in doubt about its effectiveness. We hear world leaders urging us to worry about the climate emergency for about ten days. After that, no action follows, and things are only getting worse. So, do we really need it?

With more than 35 thousand people involved, the cost and impact are crazy! In the first two days, 40 private jets landed in the Egyptian desert. For a conference on climate change? It sounds like a joke!
However, most of the leaders participating in this summit are the same ones who contributed to creating the problems we face nowadays. And their strong connection with oil and corporations is at the heart of the matter.

So, a simple question arises, which doesn’t require rocket science but the common sense of humble people like us. Can those who caused a disaster help find solutions? It seems unlikely to happen.

Corporations are the face of capitalism. If asked to change, they will shift to green capitalism. But this will not reduce their impact on the planet because they will continue to overproduce goods. So, people and planet exploitation will continue. Just with a different colour!

Indeed, believing that corporations will be active in finding solutions to climate change is quite naive. Ethics and business aren’t good friends. Until the very last drop of oil is available, they will persist in exploitation and make money out of it. All the rest, COP 27 included, is just a facade. A kind of big greenwashing machine which has the effect of manipulating people. Or unnerving those who don’t buy it.

Capitalistic growth led to the destruction of the world. Making capitalism green will change its colour. But a new facade will not eradicate the element that caused the disaster: never-ending growth. Which is cancer to humanity and nature.

Our planet cannot bear it anymore. We need to question endless economic growth. If growth is life, overgrowth is death.

And so, we don’t need world leaders discussing the climate disaster for ten days, hand in hand with corporations. COP 27 is pointless. We need people who care 365 days a year!

Life in plastic?

10 April, 2023

Why recycling plastic is a dead-end street

In the search for a sustainable lifestyle, great discussions revolve around recycling plastic to limit waste. Even though we pay attention to separate our waste at home, unfortunately, that is not a solution. So a new report on plastic pollution says.

The plastic report by Greenpeace

A new Greenpeace USA report – the source of this post – states that “plastic recycling is a dead-end street. Year after year, plastic recycling declines even as plastic waste increases.”

The good news is that paper, cardboard and metals are effectively recycled. But the bad news is that most plastic is not recyclable.

According to this report, U.S. households generated 51 million tons of plastic waste in 2021, but only 2.4 million tons were recycled.

Furthermore, once the U.S. exported plastic to China, they counted it as recycled, even though much of it was burned or dumped.

Plastic recycling: why doesn’t it work?

1- plastic waste is extremely difficult to collect
2- impossible to sort for recycling
3- it is environmentally harmful to reprocess
4- it’s often made of and contaminated by toxic materials (therefore unusable for food)
5- too expensive to recycle

In the end, the study points out that a circular economy based on recycling plastic is pure fiction.

“Corporations like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé, and Unilever have worked with industry front groups to promote plastic recycling as the solution to plastic waste for decades. But the data is clear: practically speaking, most plastic is just not recyclable. The real solution is to switch to systems of reuse and refill.”

Greenpeace

Of course, refilling and reusing make sense. We refill and reuse plastic containers as much as possible. But plastic is everywhere! And there’s too much of it! Every single item we buy comes with a plastic container and plastic wrap: food, beauty products, cleaning products, and tech stuff… Everything! In fact, the world is submerged by plastic. And researchers found plastic in human blood, too!
Therefore, recycling is not sufficient to solve the plastic waste issue. It’s clear!

The solution? Governments should put an end to plastic production.

Activism: why do we need it?

10 April, 2023

Although frequently not understood, activism is a powerful communication tool when trying to make a change.

Why activism?

Our brains are so anaesthetized by comfort and habits that we have an altered perception. We stare like passive viewers, unable to react to the appalling occurrences flowing around us. And even if we have an idea of what is going on, perhaps we do not care. That is why we need activism: to awaken our sleepy consciences.

“The house is burning! Save the paintings!”

That seemed to be the reaction most people had when two girls, activists of the Just Stop Oil group, threw tomato soup over the “Sunflowers” – the famous painting by Vincent Van Gogh at the National Gallery in London.

The painting had glass screen protection, so it was in no danger. But the act of protest spread huge reactions and strong criticism everywhere. Comments went from anger to derision, shock or big concern. For the painting, of course. Not for our planet, not for climate change. Not even for the oil crisis and the costs people cannot afford.

These are the words the activists from Just Stop Oil said:

“What is worth more, art or life?”

“Is it worth more than food? More than justice? Are you more concerned about the protection of a painting or the protection of our planet and people?

“We are not trying to make friends here. We are trying to make change. And unfortunately, this is how change happens!”

Perhaps raising awareness and trying to make a change when no one sees the emergency or no one wants to move a finger requires strong actions. Oil crises and climate crises are connected. People cannot afford oil, and the planet cannot afford it too.

If you find yourself upset about a painting that wasn’t even damaged rather than about the ongoing destruction of the biosphere, you are part of the problem.

Dear folks, the house is burning. Are you ok with it?

A sustainable summer!

25 March, 2023

It seems summer 2022 has been a sustainable summer.

From sustainable food, to sustainable fashion, and sustainable events.

And yes, not only fashion events. In fact, the news is even music festivals are marketed as sustainable.
Did you notice?

We wonder if reusable cups or collecting garbage after big parties are enough to define an event as sustainable. Indeed we are afraid a crucial point is missing from those who plan the events.

How do you feel about it?
Is everything fine? Or do you have any doubts?

Drop us an email! And please, tell us what you think about this sustainable summer and the new music events trend.

We value your views, so we’d love to hear from you!

Consume less!

23 March, 2023

How to reduce our impact on the planet

In order to reduce our impact on the planet, the solution proposed is to purchase sustainable products. So the industries believe, or so they want to make us believe.

But the truth is different. If we don’t start from the assumption that consuming less is at the base of a sustainable lifestyle, we will not make any progress.

Indeed, there’s no sustainable product, recycled or upcycled, green or bio. Or add whatever label marketing will launch to convince consumers that those products are better than others. Not one of these products or all of these labels together will come to our aid.

Even if they really are better, sustainable products will not change anything. Why? They will not solve the issue simply because that is not enough.

Our lifestyle has an impact on the environment, and in order to sustain it, we are exploiting the planet.
Given that, will our impact on the planet be reduced if people consume tons of sustainable goods? It seems very unlikely.

Consume less: this is how to reduce our impact on the planet

A sharp reduction in consumption is the way to bring about systemic change. If we want to reduce our daily devastation, only one thing will be beneficial: consume less.

Of course, this is about all aspects of our lifestyle. So, reducing the energy and water we use, oil consumption, heating systems, planes, cars, etc. Then, of course, we will need the rest. Meaning sustainable, recycled, upcycled, green or bio.

This also means that we have the power in our hands. Indeed, consuming less requires action on our part.

No brands will ever tell us so, even if this is the only possibility that makes sense. They will continue making sustainable products, filling the world with new sustainable garbage while depleting natural resources!

Sustainability for a dead planet is meaningless!

World Ocean Day

22 March, 2023

Voices worth listening to

Today is “World Ocean Day”, and it’s nice to see that we celebrate the earth or the ocean without really understanding what it means. Indeed, we discard garbage in the oceans, too.

Mario Tozzi, a geologist and absolutely great scientific communicator, recently wrote a critical article: in regards to climate change as scientists were not pushing enough to make people understand the urgency.

In his tv show, “Sapiens”, he said that our robbery of the planet’s resources has severe consequences. Every year, we deplete the resources available until December 31st – the overshoot day – much earlier.

Then, he added:
If the climate emergency is so dramatic, why do we not worry?
First, we do not see the climate, and we cannot give it a precise connotation. Therefore, we do not relate the consequences to the causes such as migrations and drought. We don’t see the connections.

Second, we are an overbearing species based on the accumulation of resources. A behaviour that will leave someone with resources, and many others without resources.

World Ocean Day

Moreover, to mitigate climate change, we should renounce something, but we – the sapiens – don’t like giving things up!

He also shared a documentary by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, who said that if we do not act now, by 2070, 1/3 of humanity could live in desertic areas like the Sahara. And 3 billion people could not live in their homes.

We wonder, if we complain about migration now, what will happen then?

However, the two most polluting elements, which need immediate action, are heating systems and intensive farming. In the end, it is clear that our lifestyle – entirely – is not sustainable. So we find it depressing to see people who clean their conscience by purchasing sustainable labelled clothing. It looks like you can buy sustainability, and fashion is the only problem when the issue is way bigger.

These are just two strong statements Arthus-Bertrand pronounced:

“We cannot have infinite growth in a finite world.”

“We live in a world of garbage.”

Yes, even the oceans are full of plastic, so we celebrate “World Ocean Day!”

What else are we waiting for?

The most wonderf… wasteful time of the year

17 March, 2023

Low impact Christmas #formodernhumans

Christmas is the most celebrated holiday, a time to spend with family and loved ones. But during modern times, it became just another occasion to overconsume. More than the atmosphere, the tradition revolves around buying and, even more, tossing out the day after.

Indeed, the waste we produce grows exponentially during the festivities. Wrappings, gifts, food – people consume and throw away everything. To demonstrate it, see the average fast-fashion Christmas sweater worn just for the occasion and then discarded right away. Those garments go directly to replenish the horrendous clothing island in the Atacama Desert in Chile.

(In case you do not remember about it, please read here)

In fact, the most wonderful time of the year corresponds to the most wasteful time of the year.

However, sooner or later, any excess becomes exhausting. And for those who choose a conscious lifestyle, the need to clean up the festivities routine is deeply felt. But, paying attention to our lifestyle and consumption habits doesn’t mean giving up the celebrations. On the contrary, a low impact Christmas is possible, pleasant and more meaningful.
And yes, we can definitely enjoy it!

What we can do:

• As a general rule: avoid single-use items.

• Christmas decorations: we never throw them away. We just mix them differently, and the atmosphere is created around us. Those who interact with us will surely remember our lovely polar bears! In case you missed them, have a peek at our Instagram.

• Wrappings: avoid too much paper for packaging and use non-plasticised wraps. Also, recycle them.

• Food: throwing away food is an insult to humanity. There are so many recipes for food leftovers.

• If you cannot afford gifts, make something by hand. But please, don’t buy fast fashion. We don’t need more garbage.
For the same cost of a fast-fashion item, consider gifting a book.

Finally, whatever we buy for Christmas, make it last. And most importantly, let’s donate what we can.

A conscious lifestyle means intentional choices. It is not about deprivation but quality, values and meaning.
May your days be merry!