Sustainable Living At Home - Design School Sunday - Sigrid & Co
Well, hello there,
it's Sunday, and that means it's time for another Design School Sunday, today we are so happy to have and introduce you to Cassie Bustamante,
Cassie is one of the beautiful friends that I've made in this business, and through Instagram, She is always sharing stunning pictures of her home, DIY's, home design projects, and more! Together with a message of living a sustainable lifestyle.
Image Credit: Cassie Bustamante
If you have been around or are new in this community, you know that one of the reasons this business exists is to encourage you to live a more mindful, conscious life actively. Starting at home, you can give back to others, create meaningful spaces that not only will look good but also will do good to others, and will make a positive impact on this world that we all share.
I believe there is no better time to start living more mindfully than right now; small little actions can have a significant effect immediately or in the long term in others and us. Things like thinking twice about an impulse buy or give it a thought before hitting the add to cart, matter. Thinking about what the business stands for, their social impact, and the impact that your purchase will make goes a long way.
Image credit: Cassie Bustamante
We started a conversation with Cassie about living a sustainable lifestyle; She is sharing some thoughts with us as well as tips that we can follow and start implementing right now. There are many concepts about what sustainability means and what you can do; for us, in Sigrid & Co., it begins at home, with CARING.
"Sustainability is no longer about doing less harm. It's about doing more good." Jochen Zeitz
What means for you to adopt a sustainable living? And why is it so important?
Sustainable living, by definition, means reducing the usage of our planet's resources. When we don't think about our choices and purchase items that harm the environment or consume its resources, causing deforestation, devastating ecological communities, and in some cases, end the lives of individual species. Not only that, but eventually, there will not be enough to go around, and the planet will no longer be inhabitable. Of course, that is many years in the future, but it's coming nonetheless. Sadly, I think a lot of people don't necessarily care since they won't be around to see it, but I try to think with an infinite mindset versus a finite mindset. We need to see the bigger picture beyond just ourselves at present.
How can we start living more consciously right at home?
Honestly, as with anything, JUST START! Don't talk about wanting to care more, wanting to do more... just do the darn thing! Start making small changes that are easier for you and your family, and then build from there.
What are the things that you are doing at home to make it a more conscious, sustainable one?
I am a big believer in thrift shopping when it comes to home decor and fashion, especially since the textile industry is one of the harshest on our planet. I also eat mostly vegan, even though the rest of my family doesn't, and that is OK. We all have to do what works for us and make the changes that we can. Because I am eating mostly vegan, my family is undoubtedly eating cleaner and consuming less meat as a byproduct of my habits.
What is the best advice or tips you could give us to get started?
Start small. As I mentioned before, just make small changes you can handle, such as reducing plastic use and purchasing reusable shopping bags, reusable produce bags, and even reusable food storage bags. Once you get used to that change, add another small change. Additionally, work on changing your mindset around altering your life. Stop telling yourself that it's too hard or too expensive to live sustainably! If you work on it little by little, it's much more affordable in the long run (once you start to lower your frequency of buying things), and becomes second nature. Tell yourself you can do it, and know that every little thing you do that helps has an impact. If millions of us changed one small thing each, the world would be a much better place.
How do we make it a way of life?
A habit takes roughly two months before it becomes routine. The best thing to do is stick with those little changes you are making until they become part of your routine, and thus start to be your way of life.
How do you promote sustainability, and how can we contribute to do the same?
On my blog and Instagram, I encourage readers to shop used, shop their own homes, and I try to highlight companies such as yours that are socially responsible.
Image credit: Cassie Bustamante
What changes can you start implementing today to make a shift in your way of living to a more purposeful one?
"Design needs a new relationship with the world, one that is more focused on our planet's needs." Yves Behar
Much Love,
xx
Sigrid