Simple Sustainable Living for the Non-Conformist

People are busy to go green. What's worse is that multi-billion companies are using the Green Movement to bolster their sales and make people think that they are on their side. Though the Green Movement sprung a hundred years ago, it's relevance to daily lifestyle remains. Industries continue to obliterate natural resources which are irreplaceable. The destruction ends up endangering human health and various ecosystems.

Different nations celebrated the first Earth Day on the 22nd of April, 1970. Its goal is to maintain an environment of decency, quality, and regard for all living creatures. To ensure environmental protection and consciousness, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created. On top of the agency are legislations pointing towards the negative impact of several profitable industries such as forestry, fisheries, mining, and manufacturing.

Why the Green Movement is Limited to Specific Groups

Being eco-friendly is beneficial to all yet people prefer not to go green. Even homeowner and renters who choose to live in a sustainable estate like Cloverleaf would dwell on the reasons not to go green. Every non-conformist know this while the public may not be aware of their choices as it became part of their daily life.

To shed light on this thinking, here are the top reasons why not everCloverleafyone is a follower of the Green agenda:

1. Most people don't have enough time. An average person spends 9-16 hours at work in Cloverleaf offices including travel time and sleeps for an average of 6-8 hours. That leaves them with 9 hours to take charge at home, run errands, bond with family, or do activities they are passionate. Unless sustainable living and being green is their passion, there is not enough time to think of the idea.

2. Some are not aware of the impact of individual actions. A mainstream consumer prioritizes their comfort over anything else. They don't think that minimizing usage of plastic bottles or straws can save the ocean and the planet that will house future generations. They can't see the big picture because they aren't conscious of the effects of their decisions. They won't give up their comfortable lifestyle and switch to eco-friendly alternatives just because they are accustomed to it.

3. Companies brainwash their consumers. Most consumer goods are either in plastic or not sustainably manufactured. Clothing and textiles use synthetiCloverleafc dyes and other chemicals to color and design their product. Supermarkets and groceries sell consumable goods in plastic containers or place them in a non-biodegradable bag. These stores also sell eco-bags which most consumers dump upon using them.

4. Organic and all natural products, as well as eco-friendly solutions, are expensive. Alternatives to mass-produced products have high prices because the supply is less than the demand. These products also have a high production cost as they often employ traditional methods of manufacturing.

There is an opposing side to everything even if the things or advocacy will benefit the people and its habitat. Group, companies, and other individuals will disagree with the Green Movement and do everything in their power to persuade the population to do the same. There are no right or wrongs as each person has their opinion on the matter. Some people choose to live sustainably, while others would instead stick with what's comfortable.

How a Non-Conformist Can Shift to Green Living

A non-conformist always has a choice. Thay can reflect on their current lifestyle to think about its long-term effects or stick to it and watch the planet decay. Change comes from a decision and being part of the Green Movement begins from the changes at home. There are several ways to include sustainability in a simple home living.

Below are some ways to become an eco-friendly homeowner:

1. Relocate to a mixed-use township like Cloverleaf in Quezon City or Arca South.

A mixed-use community has residential towers, commercial spaces for dining, shopping, and entertainment as well as establishments for healthcare and office complex. These types of township minimize carbon footprint as institutions and structures are within reach. People's needs are within walking distance. Hence, there's no need to use a vehicle to get to the area.

2. Patronize homegrown brands.

Locally-manufactured furniture and home accessories, town specialties and other native products are examples of items within the country. These brands acquire their materials within their location. Therefore, they burn less gasoline over imported ones. The same goes for pieces of clothing and quick bites. The ECOlta Fair at Escolta features brands with innovative products such as The Real Happy Cow, Indayog, and A Beautiful Refuge.

3. Decorate with purpose.

Fill a room with greens instead of synthetics or plastic decor. A plant is exciting and challenging to have for its needs and benefits. It cleanses the air in the area as it absorbs toxins and releases carbon dioxide. To minimize the hassle of maintaining a plant, choose one which doesn't require regular watering and steady source of sunlight. Some indoor plants can survive without weeks of watering.

Besides plants, bedsheets, pillowcases, cushions, and fabric shower curtains are some of the functional home items which make a statement. Go for one hundred percent organic cotton when shopping for these pieces. The material uses water-based dyes.

4. Use all-natural hygiene and cosmetic products.

Soap, shampoos, conditioners, and lotions from store shelves all contain chemicals to preserve and enhance their performance. Unfortunately, exposure to these compounds results in a negative impact on people's health in the long run. All-natural products use plant-based materials and other organic compounds. These goods are less likely to produce skin reactions because of their mild ingredients. However, they may have a short shelf life as they lack preservatives.

5. Modify the features of your home.

Install a low flat toilet for less gallon per flush consumption. Use LED (light-emitting diode) or CFL (compact fluorescent lamps) to reduce heat and energy. Insulate your home using borate-treated newspapers (a combination of oxygen and boron which is fire-retardant). Plant tall trees to have a shield from UV rays. Place programmable thermostats, so the air-condition runs only at the designated temperature.

These five steps to sustainable living don't mean becoming a blind conformist. Freedom to choose is still with people. It's up to them to decide how to accept the benefits of the challenge of living in green.

Note: This article was originally published on July 7, 2014 as "Making Your Home More Green." It was revised and updated to increase public awareness on the impact of their collective actions.

Inspiring Nature Quotes - How to Invite Nature Into Your Life

Have you been in any homes in Laguna? Have you seen how these homes are so close to nature you can literally breathe it? Indeed, there are several perks to being one with nature. Perhaps, the nature quotes below will inspire you in inviting nature into your life.

The purpose of life is undoubtedly to know oneself. We cannot do it unless we learn to identify ourselves with all that lives. The sum-total of that life is God. ~Mahatma Gandhi

Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower. ~Hans Christian Andersen

On earth there is no heaven, but there are pieces of it. ~Jules Renard

Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction. ~E. O. Wilson

Nature always wears the colors of the spirit. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today. ~Dale Carnegie

Every flower is a soul blossoming in nature. ~Gerard De Nerval

Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises. ~Pedro Calderon de la Barca

To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug. ~Helen Keller

An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day. ~Henry David Thoreau

I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order. ~John Burroughs

I will be the gladdest thing under the sun. I will touch a hundred flowers and not pick one. ~Edna St. Vincent Millay

To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon the verdant green hills is the most perfect refreshment. ~Jane Austin

I myself am quite absorbed by the delicate yellow, delicate soft green, delicate violet of a ploughed and weeded piece of soil. ~Vincent van Gogh

I am in love with the green earth. ~Charles Lamb

Sounds of the wind or sounds of the sea make me happy just to be. ~June Polis

Nature is the art of God. ~Dante Alighieri

Man is not himself only... He is all that he sees; all that flows to him from a thousand sources... He is the land, the lift of its mountain lines, the reach of its valleys. ~Mary Austin

We inter-breath with the rain forests, we drink from the oceans. They are part of our own body. ~Thich Nhat Hanh

One touch of nature makes the whole world kin. ~William Shakespeare

Your deepest roots are in nature. No matter who you are, where you live, or what kind of life you lead, you remain irrevocably linked with the rest of creation. ~Charles Cook

There is something of the marvelous in all things of nature. ~Aristotle

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful. ~E.E. Cummings

And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair. ~Kahlil Gibran

It was in the forest that I found "the peace that passeth understanding." ~Jane Goodall

Wisdom begins in wonder. ~Socrates

Now I see the secret of the making of the best persons. It is to grow in the open air, and to eat and sleep with the earth. ~Walt Whitman

I want to realize brotherhood or identity not merely with the beings called human, but I want to realize identity with all life, even with such beings as crawl on earth. ~Mahatma Gandhi

Never a day passes but that I do myself the honor to commune with some of nature's varied forms. ~George Washington Carver

As long as I live, I'll hear waterfalls and birds and winds sing. I'll interpret the rocks, learn the language of flood, storm, and the avalanche. I'll acquaint myself with the glaciers and wild gardens, and get as near the heart of the world as I can. ~John Muir