"Just because you can't do everything doesn't mean you shouldn't do anything." I'm taking my young family of 5 on a journey to sustainable living and it is challenging. But I've found that little things do make a difference.
I think what’s hardest is when eco-cynics look at your efforts and then go “yeah but you still do this!” I know it’s their way of deflecting but still it’s hard.
I totally get what you mean. Some people always have to search for the hair in the soup and can't appreciate what you actually doing right. But don't listen to them, it's not worth it. I think zero waste and living substainable is not about perfection, just doing our best one day at a time.
Sara Bunting then that just makes them ignorant and extremely offensive. It’s not “ the majority” by a long chalk.And being rude to someone just because someone else annoyed you is plain stupid. This woman is not pious or self righteous..so why do you come being offensive to her channel? We are all just trying to do the best we can, whether in tiny ways of taking a bite out of the bigger picture. .Perhaps you are so defensively aggressive because you cant be bothered to even try, but feel somehow guilty because of it?
This feads my anxiety so much! I'm so worried that others will think veganism is not healthy if I "mess up" (like having an iron deficiency), because I find it hard still to know how to eat/cook differently.... so i'm always worried I will have a deficiency, not for myself, but because of what others will say...
I live in a place in Australia where, unfortunately, there are no local zero-waste shops, but people like you are inspiring and encouraging towns like mine to be more zero-waste to help our future. Thank you so much. Your channel is making a huge impact.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! Honestly that's exactly how the zerowaste shop community started in London - a few incredible women decided enough was enough and opened their stores !
Kayeldoubleyou, where are you in Australia? I use the source bulk food and even though I'm not completely sure they are 100% zero waste I think they are still worth checking out
I just started my low waste journey and started feeling really guilty about all of the little things that I had that wasn't completely zero-waste and started judging myself to do better. This video helped me to realize that I'm making baby steps and I'm proud of myself for starting this journey and committing to a sustainable lifestyle in the first place.
Important reminders, thank you. I still prefer physical books, but try to get them second hand before I buy a new copy. This is not just being frugal, it's also a form of reusing. Libraries are also good resources.
I love our local library. We pay only 10 Euros per year and can borrow as many books, DVDs, CD's and magazines as we want. I read to my kids every night and we go through so many books! I could never buy them all. I also own an E-Book-Reader, but I prefer hard copies with my kids. I don't want them to stare at a screen the whole day.
I will never completely give up hard copy books even though I mostly read ebooks. I collect my favorite books because I believe (based on personal experience) doing all your reading digitally is unhealthy both for the eyes and cognitive functions, also that children (under about 10) should dominantly read or be read to from hard copies. The library has been one of my favorite places since I was 4 or 5, I grew up going at least twice a week sometimes more.
To be honest, until I was much older, like, 13 or 14, I didn’t realise that owning books was even a thing if you wanted to read. Everything I read as a kid came from libraries. And it’s such a shame that so many are closing down. I feel like kids aren’t gonna experience that anymore
Maybe I’ll stop feeling guilty about my big vegan screw up. I ordered pizza with vegan toppings but when it arrived I realised I (or they) had not taken off the cheese. I was so upset! If I sent it back it would have been thrown in the bin so, I ate it. My husband and my niece both said it was the right thing to do as wasting food is such a bad thing and it’s even more disrespectful to the cow to throw it away. You made me see that the 51 Fridays I got the order right (Friday night is pizza night) are far more important that the one I got it wrong. Thankyou 🙏
Linda Tait you absolutely shouldn’t feel bad! If you’d ordered a new one, surely that would’ve used more resources as well as wasting the old one? I’ve made a few vegan mistakes too - I think we all have 🙂
I think you made the right decision!♥️ Mistakes help us learn and maybe next time this will help you to remember to take off the cheese next time! In the mean time, you haven't wasted any food (which would have happened if you had asked another one) or resource so you don't have to feel bad😘♥️
Never stress! Especially if it’s an accident. I ordered some food from a place that does low waste/compostable packaging etc and I love their bowls! Unfortunately I took my dish off the order by accident so I ended up eating one made for my roommate. He’s veg too but some things can be rough to get rid of because replacements are so hard to get; sriracha is one of those things. I ended up with my ‘dressing’ being sriracha but it was my bad and ultimately I don’t think fish sauce is a high-impact ingredient-it’s made with fish byproducts. Try and find a place that does vegan cheese and stick to them like glue! But accidents happen when someone else prepares your food. Roll with it and move on. 💜
I could sit and listen to you talk all day, your voice is so soothing and relaxing. Thank you for sharing so much amazing information and making sustainable living so attainable
Yes to all of this! The last point reminded me of what Sadia from pick up limes calls the Why-power. Why am I vegan? Why do I pursue low waste. I think it is useful to me to write it down: My why power is because I want to protest against climate change and make a differece. I can't go protest every week, but I can be vegan, which helps the environment, the animals and me, but is also a political statement that I carry around with me, which I can explain if somebody asks. And that makes me happy. I noticed this May, that I can be vegan now, because I have reduced my meat consumption over the last years this much, that the final step was not that big. Also, I have finally realised how harmful and cruel the dairy industry is. Finally, a friend explained to me that we could save people from starving if they have the means to grow food they can eat instead of wasting land away for monocultured animal food. Veganism is great and I never want to go back. I still struggle with second hand animal cruelty which isnt obvious by reading ingredients. But I will find my way. :) Thanks for this great video, Immy!
There are a lot of people that were very into the environmental movement in the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s that think the modern zero waste/sustainability movement has lost it’s connection to the environment & the planet. “Environmentalism was not about wildness or ecocentrism or the other-than-human world...instead it was about (human) social justice and (human) equality and (human) progress and ensuring that all these things could be realized without degrading the (human) resource base that we used to call nature back when we were being naive and problematic. (“Confessions of a recovering environmentalist” by Paul Kingsnorth).
I’m not vegan and never intend to be, though we eat a lot of vegetarian meals. However I salute your attempts to make changes in your life towards less waste and more sustainability. I have many conversations with friends and FB friends.. and we have reached a consensus where we agree that not everyone can make the same changes, even if they wanted to! And we can only begin by small changes,especially if you have years,decades, of living in a particular manner. And we must NOT judge people who can’t manage as much as us, or those who haven’t actually got on board yet.
I am on my way to sustainable, minimalist life. Yes, I am being honest for myself and my input in this life. People unfortunately forgetting that not just big corporations are evils, but also that US and China military as biggest polluters in the world.
Also one thing to keep in mind is to ignore the criticism and judgement from people who say you're not zero-waste/vegan enough. You do you and if they don't like it, tough. It's their problem, not yours.
I also think that if you have something you love, you can try to find sustainable options in what you love. For example, I'm a huge reader and I love books. But instead of buying books new right away, I try to borrow them from the library or from a friend first, or purchase them secondhand. Same thing for artists. You can try to find your supplies from secondhand craft stores or from sustainable companies :)
I tried to force my self to be 100% eco friendly and ended up overwhelming myself. I just realized that just like walking, you take it one step at a time.
As a famous supermarket says, “Every little helps”! What you can’t do yourself, someone else will be doing. We are a team, a community, and our joint efforts are going to make a difference. Also, I do think it’s important, while not judging oneself, not to judge others on their journey, if they don’t seem to be making as much effort as you think you are making!
I just wanted to thank you for making such an informative and inspirational channel. It’s really encouraging and uplifting, and I just wanted you to know that it’s greatly appreciated. Also, your channel is incredibly aesthetically pleasing which is great.
Your first point is actually so true! It took me about a year to transition from Vegetarian to Vegan. I’ve been vegan for almost 6 years now because I transitioned over slowly! We all need to realize we are on different timelines🌱🙌🏻
So happy to vote for you!! Your videos (and your lovely personality!) have changed the way that I think about my life and you have opened my eyes to issues that I wasn't even aware of in the world. Thank you so much for sharing so much with all of us. I loved this video and wish I had seen this 2 years ago. I've been vegan for 3 years, but plant based and low waste for only the past 2 years. I put a lot of pressure on myself to do everything at once and perfectly. Now, I try just to do my best and I try to make a new change each month. I'm working on clothing and home items now. Many hugs and thanks to you!!! :D
thank you so so much - I really appreciate your support :) i'm so happy to have been helpful in anyway. haha yes I agree I wish I had seen a video like this a few years ago but hey as I say in the video mistakes are just great learning experiences xx
for artists/people who have a lot of books (I'm both): what I do is trying to get all my supplies and books second hand (you can find a lot of awesome art stuff in thrift shops) and just making the more eco friendly choice in my art and such. right now I'm trying to move from using plastic pens to using more pencils (wood). it doesn't look AS cute, but it is cute enough and I still use the pens sometimes, but the pencils whenever I can. just do the more eco friendly thing MORE often... that's already awesome!
You could also look at refillable pens like fountain pens, where the pen parts are all reusable, and you can get a big bottle of ink that lasts forever.
sending you a lot of courage and strength to be nicer to yourself! Just because you want to change something allready makes you such a great person! xx
Thank you. It’s so important to spread this message that “ progress, not perfection” is so much more inviting and accessible. Bravo! Each little thing will make a difference and they add up.
I have been eco conscious since I was 13(I learned about it then) I am 21 Now.I am vegetarian (99%) and vegan about 50% of the time. I have a minimalist wardrobe (learned how to make my fast fashion clothes last longer and find good clothes too) and I finished all my plastic shampoos and conditioner. I have learned to love cooking new foods! I am so happy with we’re I am now.
TLDR; Your channel has really helped me do that, helped me learn things I otherwise would've overlooked. Your channel has also become the best community for me to talk on this stuff and I'm so happy I found you a little while back! You may have seen my comments before, but I want to thank YOU again! I woke up, saw you posted a couple hours ago... *click* haha. I'm trying to better myself to be who I want to be, not who I have to be. I am, fortunately, in a place where I have local semi-bulk shops! However, I can't drive yet and every time I bring up reducing our waste, even in the smallest way, everyone runs. We (mom, sister, step-dad, myself) produce BAGS AND BAGS of trash every week and seeing that we can't even keep it limited to one street bin, upsets me. Even when I make it easier on them, they see giving me a ride to the shops too much, but I will never force them and am trying my best to save up and learn to drive so I can make MY changes so they don't have to. I know I should let my mom provide for me, but I find it easier to do it myself and have independence. I have a hard time finding my own path because I'm very much a pushover, but recently, I have the urge to change.
I totally agree. I have my drivers license, but my 5 family members don’t really care. I don’t know how to talk to them about it, and how to strike the balance between letting my parents provide for me and being proactive in my own journey. It’s encouraging to know that I’m not the only teenager with these feelings.
I feel so close to your way of seen the world, and due to that I love to watch your videos! My videos are in Spanish and when I hear your videos, I feel I am sensing my own energy! Thank you for everything you are sharing! You have a lovely light! Keep going! Keep spreading your light into the universe! Thank you for inspiring me! 👏🏼❤️
as someone who wants to start being more environmentally conscious, i cannot thank you enough. i’ve had such a bad mentality that if i even make one mistake i’ve failed. but hearing this, it makes me look at it in a more optimistic stand point. i’m allowed to make mistakes because it IS all a journey and no ones journey is perfect. i’m doing the best i can and that’s enough. i don’t have a lot of zero waste stores around me but i do have farmers markets here and there and i have my plastic usage down to absolutely bare minimum which is great! thank you so much for your wise/kind words. ❤️
Thanks so much for this video. Right now, due to the coronavirus, we're doing virtual class sessions of Geography with my 7th graders and we're currently seeing sustainability. This video was great for discussion.
Yes, I agree about making one step at a time. While I did turn vegan, in order to be zero waste vegan, I need to learn to cook more. While I do a lot of plastic free vegan meals, sometimes I want to eat vegan meat which is plastic. Small steps towards no processed food rule and I don't feel bad, I am going towards the right direction. (:
I have one: celebrate achievements! Still some of them so make me Happy when i think about them. It is the small Stufe, like using no bin bag for my compostable waste, but washing my bin for that ... so simple
These are such wonderful gems of advice. I have lived through some of these same struggles (eco-anxiety) and come to the same conclusions. Living sustainably is such a personal journey and you really have to do it your own way, and do it in love for not just the planet and everyone else but for yourself.
Want to Thank you for everything you do. We need more people like who, role model for coming generation. We need more people talking about sustainable living, make space so other people can come, experience and feel comfortable to make thay switch
To start I really love your channel. I cant be vegan or even vegitarian I eat the rainbow in vegetables when I was vegitarian but I am unable to get enough iron from my vegetables I almost died because my lack iron. So I have to eat meat at least twice of week. I try to reduce my impact but going low waste. My biggest wish is for my family to change but all you can do is you hard to make rest of family to see the impact.
In the last two years I have reduced my meat consumption to chicken/ fish once a week and I have nearly quit all milk products and completely quit fast fashion. I don't need to feel bad about myself, I do what I can and you do what you can as well. Every little thing counts even if you think it doesn't :)
Where I live we don't have zero waste markets like I see in other countries. However,on Saturdays there are these flee markets where you can buy stuff that it's not plastic wrapped
Wonderful video! It inspires hope and is helpful and reassuring. I would like to add to your point on making mistakes: I believe that it's also okay to make a selfish decison sometimes such as choosing to eat cheese if you're vegan or buying coffee in a disposable cup once in a while, say if you don't have your reusable cup with you. The issues we face with waste and sustainability are overwhelming especially when the discourse is essentially "if YOU buy a bamboo straw YOU can save the planet". It takes collective action and if everyone reduced their waste and carbon footprints then that will make the biggest impact. We must also take into consideration that not everyone has the means to make all of these changes, even over time i.e. working class people, those living in food desserts. Changes in individuals' lives are importabt but we must also challenge the systems in which we live so that rhe ability to live a sustainable, zero waste lifestyle is accessible and equitable. If it helps for you to have the odd Cheese Ploughmans from M&S when you have no other option then that's okay: you can have your moment to recentre, move on and continue your journey to contributing what you can to making change!
I think a lot about my actions as a creative and I tend to agree: I’d rather not limit creativity and experimentation for a depressingly ascetic lifestyle. But there are also lots of ways to make a difference in other areas and even to find ways of “greening” my current practice without my creativity suffering. (Actually finding greener ways to create sometimes stretches the creative muscles even more ;) hehe) This is a great video to remember what to focus on and how to think about one’s personal sustainability goals.
nicole is here to learn I relate to this so much! One thing I tell myself is that my artwork does allow me to make at least one greener habit - reusing old scraps of paper, post it notes, bits of birthday cards etc - I wouldn’t be able to do this otherwise. You’re trying your best, and that’s enough :)
I'm in Australia and voted for you but I had to fill out a lot of other categories about which I knew nothing. There's a bunch of others that got totally uneducated votes. I hope they are all worthy! ☺️😉 I've actually lived a very low impact existence since I was 12 when I became a vegetarian (didn't know the word "vegan" then). I find it ok to just get on with it and people who are interested will talk with you while those that are just argumentative don't get the chance to stress you out. It's actually quite amazing how many people are just getting on with things quietly without making too much fuss. It's the personal: what we do individually and also the political: is there something we can get changed, a candidate who best represents our political philosophy, etc. Can we help them? Is there a protest we can be involved in, or a push by the community to get local authorities to do something better? There's always something to do and a day can go from sorting through our own stuff and throwing out/recycling (I'm downsizing), to making a batch of sauerkraut or kimchi, to writing emails for a campaign!
Very well spoken! I am far from vegan, now with that being said, I know that having the proper resources life could change very quickly! I am more focusing on getting the setup required for sustainability, which means I have to eat whatever is available around the house so I have the energy to create a sustaible environment that might have a positive permanent impact to ourselves and others, such as growing food in water and having a green house outside that will have trees and plants growing during -30• weather conditions. Then when we are producing fruit and vegetables I can take a look at my life from a new angle because we have the resources here and won't rely on businesses to much to provide. We need more people like yourself in order to keep this world and people thriving threw spiritual enlightenment! Vegan is more of a tough challenge to achieve in a cold climate! I do believe once my garden is built, and I'm close!!! It could be somthing for myself to consider! Building in a hostile environment with limited manageable resources, you have to use what tools suit what needs for the time!!!
I wish I had known it's okay to compromise. One of the big goals of zero waste (at least for me) is to avoid consuming plastic. However, sometimes the plastic option is so much more affordable and realistic than the biodegradable one. For example, reusable plastic mesh produce bags weigh next to nothing, where the cotton ones weigh about 1/10 of a pound. This can mean a few dollars difference in your grocery bill- important if you're on a tight budget. Also, the collapsible grocery bags which fold up into tiny rolls or squares are plastic- they'll one day likely end up in a landfill, but they are so much easier to transport and to remember, and if you use them hundreds or thousands of times, that's still a lot of waste avoided. I guess this is more important if you're on a budget, but it took me way too long to reconcile with the concept of 'go zero waste/ plastic free where you can, where you can't, that's OKAY.'
I recently got caught up in a circle of self-hate because I have these white shirts that have yellowish stains and some blood stains on white cothing and I tried everything to get rid of them but they just won't go away. So I bought this ecological bleach from my local organic super market and hated the infrastructure here because the packaging of the bleach is plastic (recycled, but still). I calmed down once I realised that buying new clothes or dying them would probably be more damaging. Well my roommate thought I was crazy anyways for feeling down :-D and he was right
Love this video! I was almost tearing up watching it. So many of these really resonated with me. On one of the points you make where we should not give up anything we really love - what if its one of the big ones? For me its travel and flying. I have definitely reduced my flying but this is definitely my sore point. :-(
I love your videos. They really make me think about where I can be less wasteful in my life. What was the website you said was good for second hand tech? I would love to get a new camera lens but I don't want to buy a new one and I'm a little nervous of buy second hand and it not working xxx
Thank you Immy for your encouraging videos and practical tips. I would say to anyone in the UK to check out ‘friendly soap’, they are vegan, ethically made, cruelty and plastic free and affordable for toiletries.
I've been on my journey since February and i have to confess last month was a real struggle for me! doubting if i was actually making any impact on the world wishing i could do more and feeling a little helpless! am i the only one whs gone through this??
This is a really nice video 😀 supportive, encouraging and empowering. I tried the vote link, it said it was currently closed and to contact the author. Of course I would vote for you 💞
I think my most frustrating mistake was ordering for airless package cheese in august. My usual retailer was closing so i thought it would be a great idea to have good quality cheese in my fridge and avoiding to buy some packed in plastic at the supermarket. I ended with MANY small pieces of cheese ALL in cling film AND in airless plastic pouches. And it tasted bad. Oh my word ! In my head it ruined all my efforts i did so far. I even discovered another cheese shop, opened in august, i loved more ... sigh ... I learned that i can go without a specific food for a moment, or that i must look for other options instead of jumping on a temporary solution
My problem is that in New Zealand it can often be very expensive to be low waste/no waste. Also in rural areas you have to travel a long way to bulk bin stores etc.
new subscriber enjoying very much all your content, love how real, flawed, encorounging you are, transitioning is not easy at all but the small steps we take to be better for our health and our planets wellbeing the better will be, thank you.
My problem is: when I see people carelessly waste, such as leftover food, plastic/disposable plates, bowls, utensils (only because they are too lazy to wash dishes), kitchen paper towels, constantly buy cheap fast fashion stuff, etc. etc. I get angry and instantly develop a feeling of disliking that person, which has nothing to do with that particular person. I am full aware and acknowledge that is my own issue. I have been working on this and try to bring peace to me and not get angry and pissed off by other people’s behavior which is out of my control.
I wish there were shops where I could buy non packaged things but there aren't in my city. Or near my city. And all I can see is how much plastic I am forced to use... it makes me very sad. I recycle but I feel it's not enough. I would LOVE to go shop with my mason jars etc. But I can't :(
The thing is, we can all try our best but the systems built around us are what needs to change. This is a systemic issue and beating ourselves up and feeling guilty isn't as productive as finding ways to implement those more serious changes.
"Just because you can't do everything doesn't mean you shouldn't do anything." I'm taking my young family of 5 on a journey to sustainable living and it is challenging. But I've found that little things do make a difference.
Xoxox So truthful! Can't wait to see or meet more of your kind!!!!
I think what’s hardest is when eco-cynics look at your efforts and then go “yeah but you still do this!”
I know it’s their way of deflecting but still it’s hard.
I totally get what you mean. Some people always have to search for the hair in the soup and can't appreciate what you actually doing right. But don't listen to them, it's not worth it. I think zero waste and living substainable is not about perfection, just doing our best one day at a time.
Sara Bunting then that just makes them ignorant and extremely offensive. It’s not “ the majority” by a long chalk.And being rude to someone just because someone else annoyed you is plain stupid. This woman is not pious or self righteous..so why do you come being offensive to her channel? We are all just trying to do the best we can, whether in tiny ways of taking a bite out of the bigger picture. .Perhaps you are so defensively aggressive because you cant be bothered to even try, but feel somehow guilty because of it?
Enjoy! ua-cam.com/video/rcx-nf3kH_M/v-deo.html
This feads my anxiety so much! I'm so worried that others will think veganism is not healthy if I "mess up" (like having an iron deficiency), because I find it hard still to know how to eat/cook differently.... so i'm always worried I will have a deficiency, not for myself, but because of what others will say...
They’re just reactionary deffenders of their own old way of life in order for them not to feel bad about themselves.
I live in a place in Australia where, unfortunately, there are no local zero-waste shops, but people like you are inspiring and encouraging towns like mine to be more zero-waste to help our future. Thank you so much. Your channel is making a huge impact.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! Honestly that's exactly how the zerowaste shop community started in London - a few incredible women decided enough was enough and opened their stores !
Fellow Australian, it upsets me that people here don’t even talk about this.
Aussie here too, but I think people are starting to change. I am in one of the big cities though so maybe that's the difference.
Hey y dont u open a shop there. Be the change ! Set the trend !!
Kayeldoubleyou, where are you in Australia? I use the source bulk food and even though I'm not completely sure they are 100% zero waste I think they are still worth checking out
I just started my low waste journey and started feeling really guilty about all of the little things that I had that wasn't completely zero-waste and started judging myself to do better. This video helped me to realize that I'm making baby steps and I'm proud of myself for starting this journey and committing to a sustainable lifestyle in the first place.
yes yes yes! You're doing an incredible job and should absolutely feel proud of every step you've taken!! xx
Important reminders, thank you. I still prefer physical books, but try to get them second hand before I buy a new copy. This is not just being frugal, it's also a form of reusing. Libraries are also good resources.
I encourage use of the library! I used to spend lots of money on new and secondhand books but then rediscovered my local library.
I love our local library. We pay only 10 Euros per year and can borrow as many books, DVDs, CD's and magazines as we want. I read to my kids every night and we go through so many books! I could never buy them all. I also own an E-Book-Reader, but I prefer hard copies with my kids. I don't want them to stare at a screen the whole day.
Yay for physical books...love thrifting books🤩
I will never completely give up hard copy books even though I mostly read ebooks. I collect my favorite books because I believe (based on personal experience) doing all your reading digitally is unhealthy both for the eyes and cognitive functions, also that children (under about 10) should dominantly read or be read to from hard copies. The library has been one of my favorite places since I was 4 or 5, I grew up going at least twice a week sometimes more.
To be honest, until I was much older, like, 13 or 14, I didn’t realise that owning books was even a thing if you wanted to read. Everything I read as a kid came from libraries. And it’s such a shame that so many are closing down. I feel like kids aren’t gonna experience that anymore
Maybe I’ll stop feeling guilty about my big vegan screw up. I ordered pizza with vegan toppings but when it arrived I realised I (or they) had not taken off the cheese. I was so upset! If I sent it back it would have been thrown in the bin so, I ate it. My husband and my niece both said it was the right thing to do as wasting food is such a bad thing and it’s even more disrespectful to the cow to throw it away. You made me see that the 51 Fridays I got the order right (Friday night is pizza night) are far more important that the one I got it wrong. Thankyou 🙏
Linda Tait you absolutely shouldn’t feel bad! If you’d ordered a new one, surely that would’ve used more resources as well as wasting the old one? I’ve made a few vegan mistakes too - I think we all have 🙂
I think you made the right decision!♥️ Mistakes help us learn and maybe next time this will help you to remember to take off the cheese next time! In the mean time, you haven't wasted any food (which would have happened if you had asked another one) or resource so you don't have to feel bad😘♥️
Amy Smart Thank you 🙏 I’m learning as I go and learning to forgive myself is a new one for me x
Elena Yep! The next time I drove my husband crazy checking the order over and over😂Thanks for being so supportive x
Never stress! Especially if it’s an accident. I ordered some food from a place that does low waste/compostable packaging etc and I love their bowls! Unfortunately I took my dish off the order by accident so I ended up eating one made for my roommate. He’s veg too but some things can be rough to get rid of because replacements are so hard to get; sriracha is one of those things. I ended up with my ‘dressing’ being sriracha but it was my bad and ultimately I don’t think fish sauce is a high-impact ingredient-it’s made with fish byproducts.
Try and find a place that does vegan cheese and stick to them like glue! But accidents happen when someone else prepares your food. Roll with it and move on. 💜
Love this! As Colleen Patrick Goudreau says, “Don’t do nothing because you can’t do everything..”
I could sit and listen to you talk all day, your voice is so soothing and relaxing. Thank you for sharing so much amazing information and making sustainable living so attainable
hehe thank you! and thank you for watching and commenting I really appreciate it xx
Came to comment this👏🏻
hey i was thinking the same thing!!!! :)
As a meat eater, you’re one of my favourite vegans. Actually now I should say, as an aspiring vegan...
I am having the roughest of days and this channel is genuinely a sanctuary.
Yes to all of this! The last point reminded me of what Sadia from pick up limes calls the Why-power. Why am I vegan? Why do I pursue low waste. I think it is useful to me to write it down:
My why power is because I want to protest against climate change and make a differece. I can't go protest every week, but I can be vegan, which helps the environment, the animals and me, but is also a political statement that I carry around with me, which I can explain if somebody asks. And that makes me happy. I noticed this May, that I can be vegan now, because I have reduced my meat consumption over the last years this much, that the final step was not that big. Also, I have finally realised how harmful and cruel the dairy industry is. Finally, a friend explained to me that we could save people from starving if they have the means to grow food they can eat instead of wasting land away for monocultured animal food. Veganism is great and I never want to go back. I still struggle with second hand animal cruelty which isnt obvious by reading ingredients. But I will find my way. :) Thanks for this great video, Immy!
There are a lot of people that were very into the environmental movement in the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s that think the modern zero waste/sustainability movement has lost it’s connection to the environment & the planet. “Environmentalism was not about wildness or ecocentrism or the other-than-human world...instead it was about (human) social justice and (human) equality and (human) progress and ensuring that all these things could be realized without degrading the (human) resource base that we used to call nature back when we were being naive and problematic. (“Confessions of a recovering environmentalist” by Paul Kingsnorth).
I’m not vegan and never intend to be, though we eat a lot of vegetarian meals. However I salute your attempts to make changes in your life towards less waste and more sustainability. I have many conversations with friends and FB friends.. and we have reached a consensus where we agree that not everyone can make the same changes, even if they wanted to! And we can only begin by small changes,especially if you have years,decades, of living in a particular manner. And we must NOT judge people who can’t manage as much as us, or those who haven’t actually got on board yet.
I am on my way to sustainable, minimalist life. Yes, I am being honest for myself and my input in this life. People unfortunately forgetting that not just big corporations are evils, but also that US and China military as biggest polluters in the world.
Also one thing to keep in mind is to ignore the criticism and judgement from people who say you're not zero-waste/vegan enough. You do you and if they don't like it, tough. It's their problem, not yours.
yessssss this!!!!
I also think that if you have something you love, you can try to find sustainable options in what you love. For example, I'm a huge reader and I love books. But instead of buying books new right away, I try to borrow them from the library or from a friend first, or purchase them secondhand. Same thing for artists. You can try to find your supplies from secondhand craft stores or from sustainable companies :)
I tried to force my self to be 100% eco friendly and ended up overwhelming myself. I just realized that just like walking, you take it one step at a time.
Does anyone else pause the video when she suggests grabbing a cup of tea, to make a cup of tea? I think I do that every time. ☕️
haha yaaas I love that !! xx
I do this, too. Unless it's late and I should be sleeping, like right now. I still thought about it though.
As a famous supermarket says, “Every little helps”! What you can’t do yourself, someone else will be doing. We are a team, a community, and our joint efforts are going to make a difference. Also, I do think it’s important, while not judging oneself, not to judge others on their journey, if they don’t seem to be making as much effort as you think you are making!
I just wanted to thank you for making such an informative and inspirational channel. It’s really encouraging and uplifting, and I just wanted you to know that it’s greatly appreciated. Also, your channel is incredibly aesthetically pleasing which is great.
Thank you so much for your kind words!! It's nice to hear that my hard work is paying off haha xx
Your first point is actually so true! It took me about a year to transition from Vegetarian to Vegan. I’ve been vegan for almost 6 years now because I transitioned over slowly! We all need to realize we are on different timelines🌱🙌🏻
So calm and innocent
So happy to vote for you!! Your videos (and your lovely personality!) have changed the way that I think about my life and you have opened my eyes to issues that I wasn't even aware of in the world. Thank you so much for sharing so much with all of us. I loved this video and wish I had seen this 2 years ago. I've been vegan for 3 years, but plant based and low waste for only the past 2 years. I put a lot of pressure on myself to do everything at once and perfectly. Now, I try just to do my best and I try to make a new change each month. I'm working on clothing and home items now. Many hugs and thanks to you!!! :D
thank you so so much - I really appreciate your support :) i'm so happy to have been helpful in anyway. haha yes I agree I wish I had seen a video like this a few years ago but hey as I say in the video mistakes are just great learning experiences xx
for artists/people who have a lot of books (I'm both): what I do is trying to get all my supplies and books second hand (you can find a lot of awesome art stuff in thrift shops) and just making the more eco friendly choice in my art and such. right now I'm trying to move from using plastic pens to using more pencils (wood). it doesn't look AS cute, but it is cute enough and I still use the pens sometimes, but the pencils whenever I can. just do the more eco friendly thing MORE often... that's already awesome!
You could also look at refillable pens like fountain pens, where the pen parts are all reusable, and you can get a big bottle of ink that lasts forever.
Thank you for this.. I have so much guilt when I can’t do something..
sending you a lot of courage and strength to be nicer to yourself! Just because you want to change something allready makes you such a great person! xx
Thank you. It’s so important to spread this message that “ progress, not perfection” is so much more inviting and accessible. Bravo! Each little thing will make a difference and they add up.
I have been eco conscious since I was 13(I learned about it then) I am 21 Now.I am vegetarian (99%) and vegan about 50% of the time. I have a minimalist wardrobe (learned how to make my fast fashion clothes last longer and find good clothes too) and I finished all my plastic shampoos and conditioner. I have learned to love cooking new foods! I am so happy with we’re I am now.
TLDR; Your channel has really helped me do that, helped me learn things I otherwise would've overlooked. Your channel has also become the best community for me to talk on this stuff and I'm so happy I found you a little while back! You may have seen my comments before, but I want to thank YOU again! I woke up, saw you posted a couple hours ago... *click* haha. I'm trying to better myself to be who I want to be, not who I have to be.
I am, fortunately, in a place where I have local semi-bulk shops! However, I can't drive yet and every time I bring up reducing our waste, even in the smallest way, everyone runs. We (mom, sister, step-dad, myself) produce BAGS AND BAGS of trash every week and seeing that we can't even keep it limited to one street bin, upsets me. Even when I make it easier on them, they see giving me a ride to the shops too much, but I will never force them and am trying my best to save up and learn to drive so I can make MY changes so they don't have to. I know I should let my mom provide for me, but I find it easier to do it myself and have independence. I have a hard time finding my own path because I'm very much a pushover, but recently, I have the urge to change.
I totally agree. I have my drivers license, but my 5 family members don’t really care. I don’t know how to talk to them about it, and how to strike the balance between letting my parents provide for me and being proactive in my own journey. It’s encouraging to know that I’m not the only teenager with these feelings.
Thank you for the reminder not to judge myself for not being the perfect low-waster! Needed this today ❤️
I've never liked littering in my life if I saw a friend or someone litter I would pick it up or tell em to pick it up ...
I feel so close to your way of seen the world, and due to that I love to watch your videos!
My videos are in Spanish and when I hear your videos, I feel I am sensing my own energy!
Thank you for everything you are sharing!
You have a lovely light!
Keep going! Keep spreading your light into the universe!
Thank you for inspiring me! 👏🏼❤️
These are great tips and especially love how they are just a guideline, not a rule you have to be perfect
as someone who wants to start being more environmentally conscious, i cannot thank you enough. i’ve had such a bad mentality that if i even make one mistake i’ve failed. but hearing this, it makes me look at it in a more optimistic stand point. i’m allowed to make mistakes because it IS all a journey and no ones journey is perfect. i’m doing the best i can and that’s enough. i don’t have a lot of zero waste stores around me but i do have farmers markets here and there and i have my plastic usage down to absolutely bare minimum which is great! thank you so much for your wise/kind words. ❤️
Thank you 🙏🏻 me and my boyfriend are new to the low waste journey ❤️
You did a really good job with the whole video, beautiful clips, music, everything. I wish I could watch it all day and listen to you.
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 thank you so much! I’ve been working really hard to create consistent and high quality stuff recently so your comment means a lot 💛
Thanks so much for this video. Right now, due to the coronavirus, we're doing virtual class sessions of Geography with my 7th graders and we're currently seeing sustainability. This video was great for discussion.
Yes, I agree about making one step at a time. While I did turn vegan, in order to be zero waste vegan, I need to learn to cook more. While I do a lot of plastic free vegan meals, sometimes I want to eat vegan meat which is plastic. Small steps towards no processed food rule and I don't feel bad, I am going towards the right direction. (:
wow your editing and your calm demeanor is phenomenal lol. subscribeddd!!!
Fantastic video - very balanced perspective. It can be so difficult to set healthy self compassion on what we can do within our remit.
Thank you for this! I often get mad at myself for making mistakes or not doing enough to be sustainable so I really needed this reminder.
I have one: celebrate achievements! Still some of them so make me Happy when i think about them. It is the small Stufe, like using no bin bag for my compostable waste, but washing my bin for that ... so simple
yes definitely xx
These are such wonderful gems of advice. I have lived through some of these same struggles (eco-anxiety) and come to the same conclusions. Living sustainably is such a personal journey and you really have to do it your own way, and do it in love for not just the planet and everyone else but for yourself.
I just checked and my city opened its first zero-waste grocery store! :)
You are truly an inspiration. Thank you for sharing your point of view, as well as your experiences with us, the rest of the world.
This so on point and what I really need to know! Love your channel!
Want to Thank you for everything you do. We need more people like who, role model for coming generation. We need more people talking about sustainable living, make space so other people can come, experience and feel comfortable to make thay switch
To start I really love your channel.
I cant be vegan or even vegitarian I eat the rainbow in vegetables when I was vegitarian but I am unable to get enough iron from my vegetables I almost died because my lack iron. So I have to eat meat at least twice of week. I try to reduce my impact but going low waste. My biggest wish is for my family to change but all you can do is you hard to make rest of family to see the impact.
In the last two years I have reduced my meat consumption to chicken/ fish once a week and I have nearly quit all milk products and completely quit fast fashion. I don't need to feel bad about myself, I do what I can and you do what you can as well. Every little thing counts even if you think it doesn't :)
Great video, I have recently been feeling like I haven't been doing enough, but I just need to remember its a marathon not a sprint. Thank you!
Where I live we don't have zero waste markets like I see in other countries. However,on Saturdays there are these flee markets where you can buy stuff that it's not plastic wrapped
Wonderful video! It inspires hope and is helpful and reassuring. I would like to add to your point on making mistakes: I believe that it's also okay to make a selfish decison sometimes such as choosing to eat cheese if you're vegan or buying coffee in a disposable cup once in a while, say if you don't have your reusable cup with you. The issues we face with waste and sustainability are overwhelming especially when the discourse is essentially "if YOU buy a bamboo straw YOU can save the planet". It takes collective action and if everyone reduced their waste and carbon footprints then that will make the biggest impact. We must also take into consideration that not everyone has the means to make all of these changes, even over time i.e. working class people, those living in food desserts. Changes in individuals' lives are importabt but we must also challenge the systems in which we live so that rhe ability to live a sustainable, zero waste lifestyle is accessible and equitable.
If it helps for you to have the odd Cheese Ploughmans from M&S when you have no other option then that's okay: you can have your moment to recentre, move on and continue your journey to contributing what you can to making change!
You are such an informative and positive person! Thank you so much for this video, it helped me lots!
yaaaay I'm so glad!
I think a lot about my actions as a creative and I tend to agree: I’d rather not limit creativity and experimentation for a depressingly ascetic lifestyle. But there are also lots of ways to make a difference in other areas and even to find ways of “greening” my current practice without my creativity suffering. (Actually finding greener ways to create sometimes stretches the creative muscles even more ;) hehe) This is a great video to remember what to focus on and how to think about one’s personal sustainability goals.
nicole is here to learn I relate to this so much! One thing I tell myself is that my artwork does allow me to make at least one greener habit - reusing old scraps of paper, post it notes, bits of birthday cards etc - I wouldn’t be able to do this otherwise. You’re trying your best, and that’s enough :)
I'm in Australia and voted for you but I had to fill out a lot of other categories about which I knew nothing. There's a bunch of others that got totally uneducated votes. I hope they are all worthy! ☺️😉
I've actually lived a very low impact existence since I was 12 when I became a vegetarian (didn't know the word "vegan" then). I find it ok to just get on with it and people who are interested will talk with you while those that are just argumentative don't get the chance to stress you out. It's actually quite amazing how many people are just getting on with things quietly without making too much fuss. It's the personal: what we do individually and also the political: is there something we can get changed, a candidate who best represents our political philosophy, etc. Can we help them? Is there a protest we can be involved in, or a push by the community to get local authorities to do something better? There's always something to do and a day can go from sorting through our own stuff and throwing out/recycling (I'm downsizing), to making a batch of sauerkraut or kimchi, to writing emails for a campaign!
Very well spoken! I am far from vegan, now with that being said, I know that having the proper resources life could change very quickly! I am more focusing on getting the setup required for sustainability, which means I have to eat whatever is available around the house so I have the energy to create a sustaible environment that might have a positive permanent impact to ourselves and others, such as growing food in water and having a green house outside that will have trees and plants growing during -30• weather conditions. Then when we are producing fruit and vegetables I can take a look at my life from a new angle because we have the resources here and won't rely on businesses to much to provide. We need more people like yourself in order to keep this world and people thriving threw spiritual enlightenment! Vegan is more of a tough challenge to achieve in a cold climate! I do believe once my garden is built, and I'm close!!! It could be somthing for myself to consider! Building in a hostile environment with limited manageable resources, you have to use what tools suit what needs for the time!!!
this video feels like a big, much needed hug 🙏🏻 thank you💚
I wish I had known it's okay to compromise. One of the big goals of zero waste (at least for me) is to avoid consuming plastic. However, sometimes the plastic option is so much more affordable and realistic than the biodegradable one. For example, reusable plastic mesh produce bags weigh next to nothing, where the cotton ones weigh about 1/10 of a pound. This can mean a few dollars difference in your grocery bill- important if you're on a tight budget. Also, the collapsible grocery bags which fold up into tiny rolls or squares are plastic- they'll one day likely end up in a landfill, but they are so much easier to transport and to remember, and if you use them hundreds or thousands of times, that's still a lot of waste avoided. I guess this is more important if you're on a budget, but it took me way too long to reconcile with the concept of 'go zero waste/ plastic free where you can, where you can't, that's OKAY.'
Really, you are absolutely amazing! Thank you for being so kind!
I recently got caught up in a circle of self-hate because I have these white shirts that have yellowish stains and some blood stains on white cothing and I tried everything to get rid of them but they just won't go away. So I bought this ecological bleach from my local organic super market and hated the infrastructure here because the packaging of the bleach is plastic (recycled, but still). I calmed down once I realised that buying new clothes or dying them would probably be more damaging. Well my roommate thought I was crazy anyways for feeling down :-D and he was right
This is such an important video! I used to beat myself up for still buying things like noodles that I couldn't find package free for so long 😔
Thank you for such a lovely video❣ I have started with small steps of change which make ME SMILE INSIDE😏 as I enjoy our earth🌐
Love this video! I was almost tearing up watching it. So many of these really resonated with me. On one of the points you make where we should not give up anything we really love - what if its one of the big ones? For me its travel and flying. I have definitely reduced my flying but this is definitely my sore point. :-(
I really wish I would've found this video about a month ago. The stress overload would've been cut in half! Thank you Immy for these videos! 🧡
Thank you. Just what I needed.
Great!! xx
Your videos are so relaxing to watch. Thanks for sharing. ❤️
Thank you for your kind words and for watching ❤️
I started crying when I was watching this. Thank you!
I love your videos. They really make me think about where I can be less wasteful in my life. What was the website you said was good for second hand tech? I would love to get a new camera lens but I don't want to buy a new one and I'm a little nervous of buy second hand and it not working xxx
Absolutely stellar. Thank you.
Thank you Immy for your encouraging videos and practical tips.
I would say to anyone in the UK to check out ‘friendly soap’, they are vegan, ethically made, cruelty and plastic free and affordable for toiletries.
Thanks for the suggestion !!
I needed this video! Thank you for sharing! ❤️
I've been on my journey since February and i have to confess last month was a real struggle for me! doubting if i was actually making any impact on the world wishing i could do more and feeling a little helpless! am i the only one whs gone through this??
this video is so wholesome. Thank you. :)
Connecting with your motivation e.g. going out enjoying nature for me that's the most powerful suggestion I got out of the video. Thank you :)
Thank you for putting these videos together 🌿💚 A lot of great and inspiring information 🌼🌿
This is a really nice video 😀 supportive, encouraging and empowering. I tried the vote link, it said it was currently closed and to contact the author. Of course I would vote for you 💞
I think my most frustrating mistake was ordering for airless package cheese in august. My usual retailer was closing so i thought it would be a great idea to have good quality cheese in my fridge and avoiding to buy some packed in plastic at the supermarket.
I ended with MANY small pieces of cheese ALL in cling film AND in airless plastic pouches. And it tasted bad. Oh my word ! In my head it ruined all my efforts i did so far. I even discovered another cheese shop, opened in august, i loved more ... sigh ...
I learned that i can go without a specific food for a moment, or that i must look for other options instead of jumping on a temporary solution
This was such a good vid! I’m all about slow growth I feel it’s the most sustainable
Thank you for your content! I am very grateful of your videos :)
Thank you for the encouragement
My problem is that in New Zealand it can often be very expensive to be low waste/no waste. Also in rural areas you have to travel a long way to bulk bin stores etc.
new subscriber enjoying very much all your content, love how real, flawed, encorounging you are, transitioning is not easy at all but the small steps we take to be better for our health and our planets wellbeing the better will be, thank you.
Such positive encouragement! Thank you for bringing this perspective to light ☀️
My works too. Used Avasva handbooks and build it with no problems.
I really wish this community would grow faster.
🖤 love your sweater!
Thanks! I actually thrifted it the other day x
Thank you for such an inspiring video yes everybody is on the own personal journey.💙
Thankyou for all you do 🌳
My problem is: when I see people carelessly waste, such as leftover food, plastic/disposable plates, bowls, utensils (only because they are too lazy to wash dishes), kitchen paper towels, constantly buy cheap fast fashion stuff, etc. etc. I get angry and instantly develop a feeling of disliking that person, which has nothing to do with that particular person. I am full aware and acknowledge that is my own issue. I have been working on this and try to bring peace to me and not get angry and pissed off by other people’s behavior which is out of my control.
Thank you so much. This was very helpful
I wish there were shops where I could buy non packaged things but there aren't in my city. Or near my city. And all I can see is how much plastic I am forced to use... it makes me very sad. I recycle but I feel it's not enough. I would LOVE to go shop with my mason jars etc. But I can't :(
This was so helpful, thank you
Very encouraging and great vid. Immy!😁
I think I started to look into low or zero waste when I learned about the sad truth about what animals go thru to be in our plates
Thank you, Immy, this was so encouraging, beautiful and inspiring. 💛
Thank you for taking the time to watch and comment 💛🙏🏻
It would be great to have audio book with your voice
I voted for you your so amazing and inspiring I love your chanel so much!
❤️🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻 thank youuuuu
Such a great message this video...BTW, your voice is beautifully velvet - tee
Great video, especially liked the into ❤️
The thing is, we can all try our best but the systems built around us are what needs to change. This is a systemic issue and beating ourselves up and feeling guilty isn't as productive as finding ways to implement those more serious changes.
Thank you Immy