10 Simple Steps To Get Started With Eco-Minimalism

Did you ever look around yourself and think your personal space is surrounded by too many things you do not even need. Have a quick analysis inside your head and calculate how many things you are surrounded with which are harmful to the environment. With the increasing global warming and all the environmental destruction, you can not blame the big groups for industrialization only when you are also responsible for the same behaviour. This is where minimalism takes part, which is a practice of controlling the environmental hazard/destruction and teaching humans how to live with important things under limited resources to save both environment and non-renewable resources.

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What is eco-minimalism?

You might have heard minimalism, but if you are wondering what eco-minimalism is, you can quote it from the term itself. Living a sustainable lifestyle without consuming over resources, basically, the entire motive is to limit the material under your possession by decreasing your usage. Hence by doing this, you are saving, reducing the wastage and adopting methods of 3-R and making efforts in order to control pollution. Not buying anything unnecessary if you do not need it is eco-minimalist.

Suppose you are looking forward to having an eco-minimalist lifestyle. In that case, you must go further down the hills and avoid using all the items made up of synthetic material, which is non-decomposable, and can harm the environment. We all are aware of the harmful chemicals these substances create in the water bodies and landfills, which cause land/water/air pollution into the ecosystem. So people who call themselves eco-minimalists always practice cutting down all the over usage in their life, which is unnecessary and accumulates space in their home and causes pollution. So when you identify eco-minimalism by looking at their lifestyle.

Differences between minimalism and low waste/eco-friendly living

After looking at this article’s topic, you might be thinking that minimalism is the same as low-waste living. Typically, it is, but there is a thin line difference between them; you can call low waste/eco-friendly living a part of minimalism. Under low waste living, you can include cutting down on all the materialistic products you might be using in excess. Under minimalism, you do not just cut down all the excessive usage but also try living a sustainable lifestyle which falls under eco-minimalism.

Further, you can start your journey of being an eco-minimalism by starting with low waste living. Then as you succeed in your tasks, you will automatically shift onto being minimalism. Although once you start minimalism, you can include further movements like a sustainable/vegan lifestyle under which you can start switching your wardrobe accordingly. That is a far-case scenario, but you can start by taking small steps like choosing options like vegan bags. It is so obvs that you can switch your entire fashion collection to a vegan/sustainable one, but you can start with small accessories. If you are thinking about where you should start and how to proceed with the process. Under the next section of the article, you will find some simple steps with the help of which you can practise eco-minimalism.

10 Simple Steps To Get Started With Eco-Minimalism

Till now, you might have gotten an idea why minimalism is important and one who practises it gets benefits of their own too. Now you might be thinking about how you can also start living an eco-minimalism lifestyle. So read these simple steps regarding eco-minimalism and get started.

1. Know your purpose: while you are reading this article, you might be thinking about many things that are taking up space in your houses and harming the environment, but it is better to make a clear list of the things you need. As you read, going low waste and minimalism are almost the same with a thin line difference. Make sure you are not overconsuming anything which is harmful to the environment. Make your own basic rule/principle regarding going eco-minimalism.

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2. Think about Eco-system before the disposal: people often mistake and think being minimalist and eco-minimalist is the same thing. While being an eco-minimalist, you need to follow 3-R (reduce, reuse, recycle) carefully. Because you can’t just throw away your old clothes into the landfill or burn them to cause carbon emissions, it is better if you practise giving your old stuff for the giveaway, donation, sale, etc.

3. Think before you purchase: this should be what every person who is reading this article should do. We frequently buy things that we do not use extensively and sometimes end up not using them at all. Also, before buying anything, act like an aware customer and pay attention to these certain things:

• What the particular item is made up of.
• Where the manufacturing took place.
• What has been used in the packaging?
• Also, think about the sustainability of the product before buying it.

4. Put a limit on your consumption: it is important to keep track of your consumption so you can calculate what is taking up unnecessary space. You can practise it by allotting everything under your cabinet/wardrobe ceratin space, and if anything’s demanding for extra space, you will get to know that.

5. Share and trade:  by share and trade, we mean you do not need to do everything on your own under this minimalistic process; you can involve multiple people and form a community. For example, if you are growing cucumber on your farm and your neighbour’s tomatoes, then you can trade your food with them. In the same way, if someone offers help, then give them something in return.

6. Create a space in your home: it is somewhere impossible to control/convince everyone in your home to follow eco-minimalism along with you. Especially it is hard to convince your children. For instance, multiple times, your children throw biodegradable waste into the regular trash bin when you have actually made a composite box. It is advised not to push anyone around to follow what you are doing cause it could free them you being pushy. It’s better if you take small steps and encourage your others patently to do the same.

7. Take on a buy-nothing challenge: It will be better if you choose not to buy anything; ever thought of this? This will not only save up your money but also help you with your purpose. Take the challenge of not buying anything at all, not forever, but for a short period of time, like three to six months. So start from today, set a timeframe and commit to yourself not to buy anything under the decided time period. You’ll be amazed by not buying anything for long periods without buying stuff. Also, think of the resources and money you might be saving up by doing so.

8. Use minimalism to free up your time: By reducing the number of things in your household, so that later you don’t need to spend as much time cleaning or deciding what to wear. The worst part is not finding anything to wear under your messy clutter. Once you clear up your space, you get a better view of your possessions. Also, try buying eco-friendly things like eco-friendly tote bags and more eco-friendly articles under eco-friendly clothing that are eco-frindly.

Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-putting-coin-in-a-piggy-bank-3833052/

9. Save your money by practising minimalism and investing it in sustainable goods: while you are following minimalism, you might also save up money. You can invest the money you saved up that you upgrade your living style even more by investing in sustainable goods. Try sustainability in every part of your lifestyle, from your eating to your wardrobe.

10. Do not try to push yourself: most of the time, eco-minimalism becomes anxiety for people who are practising it. In the initial stages, it is advised not to force anything upon themselves cause, remember, it is a slow and steady process. Make your own “To-Do list” and follow accordingly. Meanwhile, in the process, you can also encourage people living around like your friends and family with the same motive of minimalism.

Conclusion:

With the growing environmental crisis, movements like eco-minimalism are important, and everyone should practise it in their respective household. We can not blame everything around us except ourselves for environmental pollution/hazard. Give your contribution as an individual instead of just discussing the problem. Hope the above-written article might have helped you with all the research that you might be looking for regarding the topic.

Frequently Asked Question

Question 1. How do you become eco minimalist?

Answer: It is not that hard to practise eco minimalism; you just need to pay attention to your space and look up what changes you need in your lifestyle. Take small steps like not using excessive chemicals in your household; try using organic. Involve reuse, reduce and recycle more in your life. Further, suppose you need assistance regarding what more you can do in order to go eco-minimalism in the above article. In that case, you will find some ways which you can easily practise in your own surrounding and lifestyle.

Question 2. What are the Benefits of Eco-Minimalism?

Ko: These are some of the basic benefits of following/incorporating eco-minimalism into your daily habits:

• There will be less wastage, which will cause fewer landfills and pollution.
• The amount of clutter will be less.
• You are contributing to a healthier environment.
• Less usage means the energy will be conserved.
• Reduction in pollution level.
• It also teaches water conservation.
• Practising minimalism can improve your efficiency in your daily life.

After cleaning the space around your, you will feel lightheaded and can feel positivity around you.

Question 3. How Is Eco-Minimalism Good?

Answer: Less the use of plastic and chemical, less pollution will be. When we talk about eco-minimalism, everything under it happens by considering the environment. Because of the over usage, overproduction under the maturating company takes place, which is why chemical industrialization is on top of the statistics of causing environmental pollution. Hence, if you want to make an effort as an individual, then follow eco-minimalism, which is a good way to contribute to saving the environment.