Live eco-conscious, think eco-friendly!
Living sustainably is not a trend; it is a lifestyle. A balanced lifestyle, putting nature first, is not something I have to consciously think about every day. I am grateful for my upbringing close to nature in South Africa. My style of living and life choices are inspired by my upbringing in the vineyards in Paarl. My education and experiences in the Western Cape set the framework for a lifetime of eco-conscious and sustainable living. I grew up respecting nature, nurturing the environment and enjoying the outdoors.
My journey with sustainability
I spent most of the past 25 years travelling and exploring the world. I learned a lot from other cultures and traditions. Living in Asia for a decade also shaped my mindset and made me more aware of our impact on the environment. I learned from observation, I learned about things in my everyday life I can change, and I earned to have a solution-based mindset. My adventures in Asia also inspired me to live a simple, balanced life in harmony with nature.
The most important thing I learned in a career in journalism is that I can make small changes with my camera. In 2016, after a story I did on marine debris in Taiwan, my whole focus in my career changed. I decided to start focusing more on environmental stories and solutions journalism. This shift in my work aligned with this fire in me to fight for the environment and the health of our planet.
How do you start to live sustainably? For me, my work towards the environment’s health starts at home, in my immediate environment and in how I live every day. It all starts with your lifestyle.
Living green and a sustainable lifestyle is one way to support the environment. I can write a book on my thoughts on sustainable living, and I probably will, but for now, I would like to share my fifteen (easy) ways to live a sustainable lifestyle. These actions are tried and tested by me and work. It is easy to implement and will put you on your way to being an environmental activist.
All of us can learn from each other and stand together to advocate and collectively work to protect the environment against climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, destruction and pollution.
#OnlyOneEarth Practical Guide
A Practical Guide to living sustainably in harmony with nature developed for World Environment Day 2022.
If you don’t know where to start and feel a bit lost in the sea of information on the internet, UNEP published a practical guide that you can use as a resource to learn what actions you can take to start living more sustainably and to learn to protect and restore our planet.
This guide inspired my listicle, and I am happy to share my ways of living sustainably with you!
Learn to make sustainable living the only option!
My fifteen ways to live a sustainable lifestyle
1. ADVOCATE FOR CHANGE
First and foremost, I will continue writing stories and doing photo projects on environmental emergencies, including climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Slow multimedia journalism and photography projects that advocate change are my focus, and I will continue to advocate against climate change and pollution.
You don’t have to be a journalist to write stories or take photographs…
Land of Fire, Series I.
Land of Ice and Fire, Series I.
2. SPREAD KNOWLEDGE
The way we live is focused on a love for nature and respect for the environment, and we will continue to spread our knowledge, research, experience and actions with friends, family and our wider community and networks via social media.
We all have access to social media and use the tools to advocate for the causes you support.
3. GET INVOLVED
I join and support local organizations in Berlin and the countries we travel to. I work with organizations that support sustainability and that focus on environmental projects. Solutions-based thinking by campaigning for systemic change is crucial for me.
There are so many actions organisations, governments and people can take, research a cause you want to get involved with, take the initiative and join the conversations, and be an environmental activist.
4. ETHICAL INVESTING
My husband and I will continue banking with a sustainable bank. GLS was the first sustainable bank in Germany, founded in 1974.
Research and choose financial institutions that are socially and environmentally responsible.
5. LIVING IN ENERGY-POSITIVE HOMES
Our living space is green. We live in an energy-positive apartment in Berlin with Photovoltaic systems on our roof that generate electricity from the sun’s rays.
You don’t have to fork out money and invest in solar panels; there are numerous other ways that you can make your living space green. Sustainable energy and clean energy are the future; with little research, you can start by making small changes.
6. CONSERVE ENERGY
Living energy conscious- are always thinking about saving energy, turning off lights and electrical appliances when not in use, and using only high-quality appliances with high energy-efficiency ratings in our space.
It is essential to research electrical appliances before you buy them. Make sure your investments are of good quality, and also, in the end, this does not only save you money but will also cut your energy consumption.
Our living space is green, and our fridge, dishwasher, washing machine, oven, induction stove and all the lights in the house run on clean energy.
7. EATING A BALANCED PLANT-BASED DIET
Following a plant-based diet is where sustainability starts for us, experimenting with local ingredients at home and in the places we visit and sharing recipes with friends and family.
Eating a plant-based diet is healthy and reduces reliance on foods that use more natural resources to produce.
8. USING ALL OUR FOOD
Plant-based living makes us focus on buying green. We will continue buying only the food we need. Less for me is always more.
9. GROWING YOUR FOOD
Getting our hands dirty in our urban garden here in Berlin is fun and rewarding.
We have been growing our herb and tea garden here in Germany for two and a half years. We grow avo trees, lemon Bonzai, tomatoes, and sunflowers. We have a selection of herbs we grow to cook with too. We experiment a lot.
Invest in a herb or tea garden, get your hands dirty, and plant some seeds.
10. CHOOSE NATURAL, CHOOSE NATURE
We buy products supporting ecosystems and local communities, such as wood, bamboo, metal, and clay. We use organic textiles and fibres and no plastic and one-time-use products.
When I travel, I like to attend textile workshops. I enjoy printing my textiles.
I look at clothing labels and choose quality over quantity. Check the clothing labels; fast and cheap textiles and fashion will cost you in the long run.
11. SLOW FASHION
Sustainability continues into our cupboards to buy fewer and better clothes; we invest in high-quality textiles, primarily organic textiles, not fast fashion. We are big fans of Armed Angels and Vaude brands and prefer eco-friendly and eco-conscious brands to anything else. Living a sustainable lifestyle is not just a trend for us; it is a lifestyle.
12. DITCH DISPOSABLES
Our shopping habits are also green. We don’t use products that can’t be reused in our homes. We are always looking for sustainable options. We limit single-use plastic and avoid it where possible.
13. BEING ACTIVE
Walking and exploring, other than using a car is another way we live green.
Berlin is a photographer’s dream. So naturally, with my passion for street photography, we are out and about on weekends, exploring the streets, markets, museums, exhibitions and all the magic this vibey city has to offer. We travel by tram, train, or the underground metro system; this very convenient public transport system takes us where we need to go.
14. DITCHING FLIGHTS
There are many holiday destinations close to us in Berlin and we explore by train, bus, and bike. We use slow travel, when possible, by train. We are especially keen to use the 9 Euro train ticket implemented by the German government this month.
The low-cost ticket lets you use public transport and regional trains nationwide in Germany this summer!
This initiative is part of a larger package offered by the German government to support residents, citizens, and visitors with the rising fuel prices resulting from the war in Ukraine.
Not only does the ticket help with financial relief by offering low-cost travel, but it is an attempt by the German government to reduce oil and gas consumption, and it will also promote climate-neutral travel with public transport.
15. GO CLEANER WITH TRANSPORT
Moving around, we use electric vehicles with car-sharing options. We do weekend breaks always close to home and around Brandenburg, visiting lakes, parks and thermal spas. We book our rental cars from we-share.io here in Berlin; they offer 100% electrical car sharing. We avoid air travel when possible. If we fly for a holiday, work or visit family, we try to make choices that support our efforts to live a sustainable life.
“We must shift from harming the planet to healing it. ” A practical guide to living sustainably in harmony with nature. UN Environment Programme #OnlyOneEarth
#WorldEnvironmentDay #OnlyOneEarth
What actions do you take to live a sustainable lifestyle? Freel free to add your thoughts in the comments below the listicle.
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Created with love in Berlin!
Photographs and text by
Lizane Louw
As a travel & culture journalist, Lizane research, write and share original travel and culture-related stories. Lizane produces high-quality content for various platforms, including print, online, social media, and video platforms. Lizane enjoys writing feature articles, sharing experiential stories, and creating photo essays of all the offbeat, remote and interesting destinations she visits.