What Does Sustainable Living Mean?

It has been a few years since I began seeking to understand and define Sustainable living. In short, Sustainable living is being thoughtful about the choices you make and how they affect the world, then choosing to live in a way that is more resourceful and revitalizing.

Sustainable living is a journey that takes time. I mean this in two ways:

The first way is that living sustainably takes time is because it is a continual choice. A choice you make each time you are faced with mundane and routine decisions. Here are some examples.

• When I go grocery shopping, do I bring a reusable bag or get a plastic bag from the store?

• When I eat at home, do I use paper napkins or cloth napkins?

• When I am waiting to pick up a friend, do I keep my car engine on or turn it off?

The second way is that living sustainably takes time because it is a process. The process of noticing your habits, looking through things in your home and deciding when or how long to use something and when to switch over to something else. Here are some example.

• I already have a box of paper towels that I can not return. Do I keep them for emergencies and start using cloth wipes now or do I wait till I am through with my paper towels?

The above definition has acted as a gentle guide to helping me enjoy striving towards sustainable living while allowing myself grace in the journey. I look forward to sharing my sojourn with you here and I welcome your ideas as well.

With delight and curiosity,

Buki