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ToggleHave you become aware of green living, and if so, when? I understand that feeling when you start to become more conscious about the origins of the items you use—where they were made and whether you truly need them. Suddenly, it becomes all you think about.
Every place and every item you come into contact with can spark thousands of questions. Yet, you realize that not everyone around you is thinking in the same way. Sometimes, you may feel like others seem indifferent, unaware of an environmentally friendly lifestyle.
I am in the process of starting green living, and indeed, a lot of emotions arise, along with chaotic questions. I often wonder about myself, my family, friends, partners, the community, and even the planet. It feels like just a moment of curiosity pulls you into a whole mountain of issues and ideas you never considered before.
Therefore, I want to share with you some things you shouldn’t do when starting green living, based on my experiences over the past few months.
Don’t Judge Others
Stop judging others, and you will understand what true empathy is. You might feel like you’ve discovered something new, but no one around you seems to share the same awareness. What’s wrong with them? Why don’t they care about others? About the planet? Animals? Do they even care? Why are they so indifferent and ruthless?
Oh, calm down. You’ve just started a new journey five minutes ago. So, don’t judge those who haven’t found this path like you have. This is something you shouldn’t do when starting green living. I’ve had to struggle with this a lot, especially when it comes to issues like cruelty-free and non-toxic cosmetics.
But remember, people are inherently good. Judging and harshly criticizing won’t make someone better. Just like you, their actions are likely influenced by their upbringing. And they’ve done the best they could with what they know.
Don’t See Yourself as a Saint
No one likes to show off. It’s great to be more conscious of your choices and what you should avoid when starting green living, but that doesn’t mean you’re perfect. Just like whether I am perfect or not doesn’t depend on whether I use fair trade products or items from the supermarket. Those choices may help people and the environment, but I’m still not Jesus.
Preaching to Others Like an Expert
Like me, you may have spent hours reading different articles and educating yourself to change your perspective in the pursuit of a green lifestyle. That’s fantastic—education is the key to making informed choices. And since I’m just beginning this journey, there’s still much to learn, and I’m excited to continue exploring more.
However, turning this knowledge into speeches at every family dinner makes it hard to inspire others and encourage them to approach a new perspective. There are more subtle ways to bring up the topic when talking about what not to do when starting green living with others.
Major Overhaul of Your Wardrobe
The idea of replacing your current clothes with environmentally friendly, organic, and “ethical fashion” items is very appealing. However, in reality, this can do more harm than you think, because discarding or donating clothes that are still in good condition is wasteful, even if you have good intentions.
After all, using your current clothes until they wear out is actually a more cost-effective, ethical, and environmentally friendly approach. Later on, you can focus on finding replacement products that are better for the environment.
Self-Evaluation
When transitioning to a green lifestyle, the first few months will be particularly difficult for you. You might be like me when you look at the newly released shoes at the store near your home and struggle between the desire to own them (because they’re beautiful shoes and you really need a new pair) and the disgust (when you know the company producing them doesn’t follow ethical business standards).
At that time, my rational mind won, but a few months later, I wished I could own a beautiful pair of shoes that are more eco-friendly. But whether your rationality or emotions win at that moment isn’t really the most important thing. We’re human, and sometimes we get tempted. That’s normal. It’s okay if sometimes your emotions take over; as long as you’re honest with yourself and try harder in the days to come.
Freaking Out About What You Don’t Know
When I first accessed Instagram to follow influencers in the green, ethical, zero-waste community, I was completely overwhelmed. I didn’t even realize how much there was to learn when starting an eco-friendly lifestyle, and it was scary to see how many people were already far ahead on this journey.
In those moments, take a deep breath. So, I have been and am learning to choose ideas to integrate into my life at a comfortable pace.
Losing Yourself
It may sound silly, but one of my main concerns when learning about eco-friendly fashion was that it didn’t align with my personal style. I’m quite conservative and tend to lean toward boho styles, so I wouldn’t choose baggy overalls (though, in terms of suitability, I have to mention my sister, who truly shines when wearing them)! Therefore, if I were to change this habit, I would still maintain my taste to avoid overthinking aesthetics that don’t truly reflect who I am. This has driven me to research and explore a variety of beautiful brands that better suit my style.
Expecting Perfection
Ideally, I should be blogging about green living from a wooden house by the rocky shore. My day would start with chanting, followed by a yoga session in the garden with a personal instructor. This would be followed by a plant-based breakfast primarily made from vegetables, perfect for posting on Instagram.
This meal would give me the energy to spend a day playing on the beach, writing while wearing an entirely organic outfit dyed with plant-based colors, washable with organic detergents, and ethically produced. Then, at night, I would sleep on the same linen.
But that hasn’t happened in reality. However, that’s not the issue. Sometimes the effort to improve is more important than perfection. It’s about taking small steps toward a better future, rather than expecting perfection from ourselves or life.
Thinking There’s Only One Way to Achieve It
We are truly fortunate to have access to an immense amount of information. The downside is that sometimes you can feel overwhelmed by the thousands of so-called “right” ways to live. I’ve realized that being open to others’ ideas and experiences, but not always agreeing with them, is a way to expand my own perspective on green living.
As I mentioned earlier, everyone is at a different stage in their journey, including you. Allow your life’s picture to evolve as mine does, trying to accumulate different pieces of knowledge to create your own masterpiece.
What Not to Do When Starting Green Living
Doing It Alone is Something You Shouldn’t Do When Starting Green Living
One of the biggest things I’ve learned recently is that there’s a whole community of green-living people out there. So, if you feel like your friends or family can’t share in these new thoughts, don’t stress! Head over to Instagram or Pinterest, and you’ll find a whole group of green-living enthusiasts eager to share what they’ve learned. On the other hand, if you want to discuss some ideas or have a lot of questions, feel free to reach out to me. I’d be happy to listen to your thoughts and help build a better community together.
Conclusion
So, I’ve shared with you what not to do when starting green living, and let’s be mindful that when we love nature and the environment, the environment rewards us with valuable things for our health and spirit.
Start with the smallest steps toward green living and practice them daily until they become habits. Don’t try to live above nature; live within nature. Love nature and protect nature.