Hey guys, my sister is currently doing her psychology dissertation on the individuals decision making regarding environmental choices. It would be a HUGE help if you could participant in the questionnaire linked below. All personal information will be recorded as anonymous from those participating and the researchers. (See link below)
Some shots of this outfit I made from a pair of ripped jeans that were too ripped to wear unless you wanted your crotch on show.. I made the pink top with a matching skirt of its own out of a hoodie that I realised was hideous as well because I like to upcycle my fabric for my good friend Mother Nature The fashion industry really kills her vibe with waste and pollution so giving old clothes you have or thrifted a new lease of life really makes her smile x
“I know, the dominant narrative around climate change tells us that it’s our fault. We left the lights on too long and didn’t recycle our paper. I’m here to tell you that that is bullshit. If the light switch was connected to clean energy, who the hell cares if you left it on? And your scrap paper did not hasten the end of the world.
Don’t give into that shame. It’s not yours. The oil and gas industry is gaslighting you.
That same IPCC report revealed that a mere 100 companies are responsible for 71 percent of global climate emissions. These fuckers are locking you and everything you love into a tomb. You have every right to be pissed the fuck off. And we have to make them hear about it.”
Regarding quarantine, I feel the deep resonance to the thought of the philosopher of ecological aesthetics Gernot Böhme that for a long time we were involved in environmental degradation and this affects our own nature. We are talking about the ecological continuum, where the boundaries between human and nature are illusive and nominal, nature does not lie outside of us, as it is usually represented in our anthropocentric philosophy. An important point, in his opinion, is that the destruction of the external nature becomes a conscious problem for us only when it affects us and becomes perceived by our own bodies. And any destruction sooner or later concerns ourselves.
Historically, this is exactly the moment when at the physical level almost all the inhabitants of the planet felt a lack of stability, at least through an extensive narrowing of their living space - which is also very symbolic that we closed up to the purely anthropogenic world of concrete boxes and technologies - who we are without nature? As a maximum it concerns us through a real threat to life. I think this awareness and holistic body-psychic collective (!) living-through of this experience can have important potentials for all of humanity to somehow rethink itself as a natural being and part of a single ecosystem, and be able to recognize that the dominance of nature is impossible - and need to change it and establish the partnership with the nature. For such a qualitative leap in consciousness, a universal “planetary” experience is probably necessary. Virus is very natural, logical and even “reasonable”, it solves some global problems and looks only like an evil from the standpoint of anthropocentrism.
Maybe we are just a new romantics. But it’s not an escapist strategy. We believe in Nature and Harmony. Relationships with Nature based on Love are possible and required. Ecology can be poetic. We have souls and the Nature have the soul too. We are natural beings connected to the Earth. We can co-exist and co-create with nature. The part of the beautiful wholeness. We are free to choose whatever to believe (as our survival depends on our settings) and if some myth should resurrect - we will re-enchant the Earth together. For ones it’s just tales on noosphere, animism, pantheism, ecocentism but these tales nowadays can heal us as the society which used to oppress and abuse the nature. For some (like me) it’s complex and multidimensional reality. Facts doesn’t matter here! It’s the matter of culture, collective awareness and ecological consciousness. Let’s imagine the world of human-nature harmony and then let’s make it real! We need to believe something bigger.
Built by Orkidstudio to serve as a communal solution to fragmented families living in the outskirts of Nakura, this multi-family unit was constructed from earth-bags and timber pillar cores. These materials are inexpensive and are the byproducts of manufacturing more expensive materials such as wood veneers. The home is equipped with a rainwater harvesting system and integrated community tap to provide a source of clean running water, which is limited in this Kikuyu village.
Makoko is a fishing village located in the Lagos Lagoon. Due to the weakness of the nearby soil and its proximity to water, much of Makoko rests on structures constructed on stilts above Lagos Lagoon. Traditionally this area has been self governing so schools are funded and provided by the village.
The ingenious adaptation of building a structure that floats came from growing concerns with climate change and rising water levels. This adds to its versatility not just from an environmental standpoint but from a political and practical standpoint as well. The area of Makoko is consider a poor area and one of the slums of the city. The necessity to create a school that is not only low cost and sustainable but that also mobilizes as needed to serve the children of the village is significant. Additionally recent land reclamation efforts and commercial developments in the area have reclaimed much of the lagoon from the residents of Makoko. Their homes on stilts must be deconstructed and reassembled elsewhere, while the school’s maneuverability eliminates this process.
Built in 2013 with locally sourced wood and electrically powered with solar panels, the floating construct is designed to house about 100 students and even has a playground and green space. It is entirely sustainable due to the application of solar cells to the roof and incorporating a rainwater catchment system. The structure is also naturally ventilated and aerated. The barrels used to help the structure float are also used as water reservoirs from the catchment system. The floating schools are an ingenious design that serves the needs of the community in a cost effective and eco-friendly way.
According to the latest research by conservationists, 70% of the world’s remaining untouched wilderness can be found in just five countries, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Russia and the United States of America.
At the end of 2021 I’ve took a course on environment concept art, and ever since January I’ve been trying to finish at least some of the homework pieces. So here’s one on cartoon-ish interior - Old Haunted House. I want to turn it into a full illustration one day, but I’m struggling with adding characters.
Before I get too far along in documenting my journey to live sustainably, I’d like to talk a little more about the concept of a “no waste” (or “zero waste”) lifestyle.
The first real exposure I had to the concept was when I heard about an NYU student who could fit all of her trash in a mason jar. I vaguely remember reading news articles about her, but at the time didn’t give her much thought other than thinking how hard it must be to live like that.
A few years later, I watched a TED talk by Lauren Singer — the same person I’d read about previously. I considered a no waste lifestyle with a little more interest this time around.
And now, finally, in 2018, the message is finally resonating with me. I rewatched her TED talk this year when I started thinking more about going no waste.
Essentially, the no waste lifestyle just means you aren’t contributing trash to a landfill. The way Lauren practices, and the way I aspire to practice, however, allows for recyclables and compost.
This is an important clause. After all, most of us don’t live directly off the land, so buying the food you need to live a healthy lifestyle will involve some packaged goods. But if you are conscientious about the packaged goods you buy and make sure they are recyclable, you’re still offsetting (albeit not eliminating) your impact on the environment.
Since that TED talk, Lauren’s Instagram shows that her mason jar has gotten a little more full, but all her trash over the past five years still fits in that 16 ounce container.
I’m still a ways away from carrying around a mason jar of my own trash, but I hope to transition to that possibility as quickly as my current lifestyle allows.
If you have a second, I’d highly recommend checking out Lauren’s website at http://trashisfortossers.com/. It’s got a ton of helpful resources, which I plan to consult frequently.
You can also check out the website of Bea Johnson, who Lauren references on her blog. Bea has been in the waste-free lifestyle game since 2008, so you know she’s got the low down on doing the damn thing: https://zerowastehome.com/
Know of any other helpful resources? My ears (and asks) are open.
Today, I brought a reusable cup to Starbucks instead of using a paper cup. I’ve had this thing for awhile now, but have been lax about using it. It’s the little decisions like this that will add up. I am trying to make a major lifestyle change, and that can be overwhelming when I think of all the things I waste. But if I start with small changes, I’ll get where I want to be in time. Now, this is not to say Starbucks is the most sustainable company to be supporting. I don’t know much about that, but I would like to educate myself, since I think one important part of my journey involves being educated about where my money goes. Small steps.
I didn’t remember ordering anything, so I had no idea what was inside. I went to open it.
Then I remembered: I’d ordered a camera battery for my new Canon M50.
And that’s it. That’s all that was in the box.
A whole big box, for one tiny thing.
I felt real bad. That’s a whole lot of waste for one little battery pack. Especially considering the conversations and discussions I’ve been having recently about waste, I felt like a complete hypocrite.
I aspire to produce no waste. It’s an overwhelming idea: to be someone who creates absolutely no trash in a world of plastic packaging, trendy clothes that are in one day and out the next, and cyclical technology trends that send us running to the Apple store every year.
How do you escape waste? I have no real idea. But I’d like to figure it out.
So this blog is really just accountability for me. It’s a way for me to think more consciously and take the time to write about my efforts and missteps in my quest to go no waste in a town that might make that difficult.
I think waste is inherently illogical. Even if thinking about waste from the standpoint of someone who doesn’t particularly care about the environment, we should question why and how we got to a point where trash is normal, an integral part of modern life. Why wouldn’t we try to minimize instead of accelerate the depletion of finite resources? We were only allotted so much, and we humans have known that for awhile — so why would we entertain a system so irrational, one that blatantly supports the constant production of waste?
Anyway, I’ll try to stay off my soapbox, because truthfully I’m still thinking through the philosophy of it all. But I will continue to question and learn about my own habits, and if you feel like joining in along the way, I’d love to hear about it.
I’m always looking for more educational materials so if you have any, please send them my way! For any of you who might already be on this path or for those just starting, I’d love to use this blog as a space to connect and share inspiration.
It’s going to be tough, and I’m not sure I will ever be able to say I live an entirely no waste lifestyle, but I’m going to try.
