More sustainable doesn't need to mean less affordable

It has been almost a year since COP26. A lot of things have changed in the meantime and even though the importance of environmental issues has been slowly increasing overtime, it continues to be seen as less important than others. It is not surprising that the cost-of-living crisis is the number one topic across the world and understandably individuals are less willing to make their lifestyle more sustainable when they struggle to pay their bills, especially with a challenging winter ahead of us.

Ipsos World Worries: Long-term trend (inflation, climate change & coronavirus)

It is probably fair to say that generally sustainable products are considered as more expensive. But is it always the case? Don't we sometimes use this argument to mask our hesitancy to change our lifestyle as it can be unsettling? I was keen to hear what other people think, so I did what a researcher would do...I asked people outside of my social bubble what is their view. And I think I got a nice collection of answers, what do you think?

I am definitely not a role model when it comes to sustainable living. I take short haul flights back home from time to time (worth noting that I took a bus once and definitely won't be doing it again after witnessing a fight between strangers on board and one men being arrested. Not to mention the man next to me who started eating his pickled herring after it being sat in his bag for 15 hours. Kill me!). However, there are quite a few areas when acting sustainably that don't cost me more money and I listed some of them below. In fact, the biggest barrier at the beginning was to change my routine. You might argue that these things won't really change things much on a global scale. Well, maybe you are right, but I would rather make small steps than doing nothing.

Cycling as transport

It took me a while to get back to the cycling routine after the pandemic but my trusty bike is once again my most often used mode of transport when travelling around London. Obviously, it saves me money and in addition, it makes me feel better about myself. I am not going to sugarcoat it. London is a busy city and its cycling network could see some improvements. And yes, there is an ongoing battle between some drivers who try to block you, probably a reason why only a third of bike commuters in London are women. However, in general the drivers are more considerate than in my birth city, Prague. What I really appreciate is the whole supportive infrastructure provided by employers. Well equipped showers with clean towels and modern hair dryers...very helpful. Back in Prague, I would have had to cross my boss' office all sweaty to access the showers. It wouldn't have gone down well given that he was there suited up from 6am. Quite a relief!

Re-fill shop

Going to a local zero waste shop with my containers and buying free package eggs and re-fill oat milk has become a part of my Monday morning routine. Zero waste shops can sometimes be quite pricy but eggs, oat milk and some other basic goods such as muesli are cheaper or equally priced, at least in my neighborhood. It was a bit unsettling at the beginning as you have to think about having the right containers with you but that's just a matter of the habit.

Vermicomposting

Yes, I live in a flat in London and no it doesn't have a garden. In addition, organic waste collection is not organised in our neighborhood. That is why I started to do vermicomposting. Wait a minute, do you know what it is? It turns your kitchen scraps (which is more than half of our bin) and turns it into a rich dark soil without anybody having to collect your waste and dispose of it. On top of that, if you buy a nice composter, like the one from a Czech designer, it can actually look quite trendy. The second benefit is that you can then use the soil for your plants. We faced quite a few challenges with vermicomposting at the beginning but love it now.

To sum it up, acting more sustainably doesn't always mean paying more and I think sometimes we are using the price argument as an excuse to hide our laziness or hesitancy to change things. Yes, changing your routine is energy consuming but it is a good opportunity to open yourself to new ideas and see things from a new perspective, don't you think?