Eco-Minimalism: What is it, and Ways you can Live an Eco-Minimalist Lifestyle

*Collaborative Post

You’ve probably noticed the word ”minimalism” pop up everywhere these days. Yet there are many different approaches across all the articles, books, apps and videos available. This article will give you an overview of Eco-Minimalism and why many people embrace it as a new lifestyle. It will also cover some key points to keep in mind if you want to start your own eco-minimalist journey.

 

What is Eco-Minimalism? 

Simply put, Eco-Minimalism is the minimalism movement that centres around environmentalism. Minimalism is a philosophy that encourages people to simplify their lives by reducing the amount of stuff they own. So when you add the ”eco” in ”eco-minimalism,” you also adopt a philosophy of environmentalism to your minimalism. 

Why Should you Live an Eco-Minimalist Lifestyle? 

The simple answer is that it is great for your health and the environment. Living an eco-minimalist lifestyle can help you feel better and healthier by providing you with an outlet to unclutter your life and free up some mental space. It can also help you to stay more productive by removing the excess clutter that can often get in the way of getting things done. It can also help you be more environmentally friendly, as by limiting the amount of stuff you own, you can also help reduce the amount of waste you produce. 

So, What Does Eco-Minimalism Look Like? 

Although there are broad principles to eco-minimalism, every individual’s approach will look different, and you should do what works for your lifestyle. A general tip for living a more minimalist life is reducing the amount of clutter and only having necessary items. 

Although there are many shared values at its core, minimalism alone is not necessarily good for the environment. Many people have pointed to the rise of a particular minimalist aesthetic online in recent years that is closely tied to consumerism. 

It’s not an Overnight Change  

Take an eco-friendly approach to de-cluttering. Whilst it might be tempting to get rid of everything as soon as possible, binning excess belongings is terrible for the environment. Instead, an eco-minimalist would look at donating items to shelters, passing them on to friends and family or selling them online rather than just chucking. Different means to the same ends. 

It’s not a competition 

Eco-minimalism is not about being perfect. Rather than buying a new reusable shopping bag that fits the aesthetics of minimalism, it’s about using one you already have and not adding to consumption. Don’t fall for greenwashing. A key point to remember is that just because something is advertising itself as sustainable doesn’t mean you need it if it’s not something you use. Buying a metal straw is not sustainable if you never used straws in the first place. 

It Doesn’t Look the Same for Everyone  

Getting rid of all your stuff only to find out you actually needed it or want it and repurchasing those things new again is not eco-minimalism. A good test is to seek a storage company; you can find one near you using this website. You can place stuff you don’t regularly need in the storage for a year and collect it as you want. Anything you don’t collect in the year is not required in your life.   

Conclusion  

Hopefully, this article has given you a better understanding of eco-minimalism and why it can be great for your health and the environment. The next step is to start incorporating these principles into your daily life and remember that it’s a journey, not a race. 

*This is a collaborative post. For further information please refer to my disclosure page.

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