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NEW YEAR

NEW CONSYOUMER

CONSIDERED LIVING

Hi There!

If you’ve found your way to this page of resources for the first time, I just wanted to say a big (warm and summery) welcome.

Each January here at Sustainability in Style we explore the reoccurring series New Year, New ConsYOUmer. This theme began way back when this site was my personal blog. It was born from my interpretation of the common self-improvement catch cry of ‘New Year, New You’. A slogan that’s founded in a desire for New Year’s resolve to change for the better. As part of my (at the time of inception) personal exploration of Sustainable living, I changed the narrative of the slogan to look at the way I was consuming the world around me, from fashion to waste, to how I was interacting with the natural surroundings on my daily walk. Resources on this page reflect the diversity of this interpretation.

We here at Sustainability in Style believe that you can be a ‘new’ you this year if you choose to do so. However, we think you’re pretty perfect just as you are, and that the resolutions or goals aside, the new year can be harnessed as an opportunity for mindful reflection on how you interact with the world around you.

Welcome the New Year with authenticity and big love. 

Katie

NEW YEAR, NEW CONSUMER

Welcome to the New Year, New ConsYOUMer series. This post has been created with ten easy to action ideas to Simplify Sustainability.

If you’ve downloaded our free worksheet, these tips are inspiration for your ‘good’ and ‘go-for-it’ goals for the year ahead. Some of our ten prompts include ideas for each of the Values Motivators so you can work it to suit what you care about most.

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We suggest that you begin your New Year, New ConsYOUmer journey by checking out out Values Motivators Quiz to work out what you really value.

SUSTAINABILITY SIMPLIFIED

Download our free New Year, New ConsYOUmer worksheet to inspire transformative thought processes when making plans for the year ahead. The worksheet shows you an easy way to break large scale visions down to ‘go-for-it’ approaches you can action today, for a better tomorrow.

This is your New Year, New ConsYOUmer worksheet designed to get you thinking about how you can take action in Sustainable Style this year. We take your big-picture ideas and simplify them down into smaller ‘go-for-it’ actionable steps!

10 TIPS

FOR NY IN ECO STYLE

ECO KUDOS FOR YOUR LAUNDRY DAY

If you haven’t heard yet- microfibre plastic pollution is a big oceanic concern. Water samples collected by scientists found synthetic fibres on 18 separate beaches across the planet. While initial studies found a variety synthetic fibre types, Browne et al discovered that polyester (56%) and acrylic (23%) were the main offenders. Until our washing machines or waste water treatment systems get on top of this pollution source, this wash bag option will help you do your bit to keep your fashion choices free out of the ocean.

 

ANIMAL WELFARE AND COMPASSION MOTIVATORS
These examples fit back with our free downloadable worksheet.

Grandiose: Remove all microfibre plastic from aquatic habitats  

Great: Work with a large-scale animal rights organisation on frontline oceanic protest actions.  

Good: Volunteer time with a local research group that rescues or assesses the impact of plastic waste on wildlife.

Go-for-it: When buying your wash bag for your clothes, arrange (or make) another carry bag (not for washing) to put in your purse. Use this bag to pick up ten or more items of litter from the streets each day.

SOCIAL EQUALITY MOTIVATORS
These examples fit back with our free downloadable worksheet.

Grandiose: Prevent microfibre plastic pollution from entering all drinkable water bodies across the globe.  

Great: Identify the amount of microfibre plastic pollution in drinking water in your country.

Good: Work with local water research group to assess the quality microfibre content of drinking water in your catchment area.  

Go-for-it: Invest in a water filtration device for your home, or find a portable water-bottle or jug option.  

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY MOTIVATORS
These examples fit back with our free downloadable worksheet.

Grandiose: Stop the production of synthetic fabrics globally

Great: Start an national organisation that raises awareness of synthetic fabrics and oceanic waste.

Good: Begin a research project in your local area to assess micro plastic pollution.

Go-for-it: Create and circulate an online petition for a global washing machine manufacturer requesting that microfibre filters be created that fit back with old models of their washing machines.

SIMPLICITY AND STREAMLINED LIFESTYLE MOTIVATORS
These examples fit back with our free downloadable worksheet.

Grandiose: Never buy an item of synthetic clothing item again.

Great: Read the labels of every item of clothing in the house to identify all synthetic items.

Good: Wash all synthetic items in a microfibre trapping wash bag.

Go-for-it: Get each member of the house a microfibre trapping wash bag. Put name tags on the bags and offer rewards or incentives for anyone who puts the right fabric clothing in their own bag each week.

RETHINK YOUR CYCLE

You might have heard it before, but here it is again. Greening your period is an easy way to make a huge reduction in your waste output. We highly reccomend personally recommend menstrual cups as they allow you to forget you even have a period- flow dependant- outside of a morning and evening change. If silicone cups aren’t your thing you can opt for reusable pads, or period panties. Whatever the switch, the planet and your purse will thank you for your reusable ways.

  • Passionate about Social Equality? Choose to buy your reusables from a company that supports one-for-one schemes and donate a cup or reusable pad as a result of your purchase. 
  • Love animals? Put the money you would have spent on disposable sanitary products into an account and donate it to an animal charity you’re passionate about at the end of the year.
  • Simplicity and Streamlined Lifestyle your thing? Consider a menstrual cup over reusable panties or pads. They take up less space in storage, require less changes throughout the day, and can be emptied in the shower.
  • If Environmental Sustainability is your thing why not sew your own reusable pads or reusable toilet paper.

MEAT MEET SOME VEGETABLES

No matter your Values Motivator, making a conscious switch in your eating patterns to include more fruit and vegetable can be beneficial to your health and the health of the planet. Whether you choose to participate in Veganuary (this could be appealing for Environmental Sustainability and/or Animal Compassion and Welfare motivated folks) or arrange with family and friends for a social gathering with just one main meat dish. Changing up the way you eat is a very simple switch (a go-for-it) one mindfully cooked dish at a time. Don’t have time to rethink the way you eat? You might want to consider a delivery box service that offers meal plans or farmers markets vegetables delivered to your door.

 

START THE YEAR WITH GRATITUDE AND LIFT YOUR ATTITUDE

If you haven’t kept a gratitude diary or calendar before this might be your year to start. There are loads of companies out there that will sell you products specific to gratitude practice (and some are really beautiful) but all you really need is a notebook you want to look at every day, or a clean jar and some scrap paper. Every day for the year write down a thing (or multiple things) you are grateful for and then keep them safely stored in your notebook or add them to your jar. If you are having an off day where nothing makes you smile, you can open your jar (or a page of your book) and select a gratitude prompt to remind you of things that make you happy.

    CHECK OUT YOUR ECO FOOTPRINT

    Are you interested in finding out about your environmental impact? If you haven’t already checked it out before why not go and complete your own eco assessment with the Ecological Footprint calculator. This movement began in 1990 when Mathis Wackernagel and William Rees developed the concept, and from there it’s developed into a few versions of  the calculator this is the original one here, WWF also have a good one but it seems to be undergoing some work at the moment, there’s also a simple way to calculate your estimate at this site.

     

    EXPLORE THE STORY OF STUFF

    The Story of Stuff Project’s journey began with a 20-minute online movie about the way we make, use and throw away all the Stuff in our lives. Years after the release of this film the Story of Stuff is now a community of more than a million changemakers worldwide, working to build a more healthy and just planet. Head over to the Story of Stuff website to watch movies, participate in study programs and join in their campaigns.

      COMMIT TO KINDNESS

      If you haven’t noticed yet, the media has a penchant for sharing bad news and spreading fear. For most of us, our lives are fairly comfortable and uneventful. Scary and life altering events and changes are usually few and far between (excluding most of 2020). Rather than buy into the idea that the World has evil lurking at ever corner, why not spread some love for the New Year. You can do this by committing to an act of kindness every day. If you are looking for inspiration why not check out the series we wrote with our good friends at Peppermint Magazine. 

       

      TRY OUR MINDFUL NEWS CHALLENGE

      This little experiment is a week-long challenge that give you a brain break from consuming traditional news sources. Banning news perusing from your usual channels and opting in for “Kind-News” only. Kind news is news that is delivered to you via sources in your daily life. It’s your mum ringing you to tell you about the story she saw last night on television, your friend letting you know about a pod-cast she saw that reminded her of you, or the neighbour who tells you about the colder than average winter that’s coming. .

        BRUSH UP ON YOUR SUSTAINABLE FASHION KNOWLEDGE

        Sustainable style your focus for the year? Great! Follow these links and level up your sustainable fashion knowledge.

        If you love Sustainability in Style we now offer Level-Up courses created by founder Katie Roberts (whose background is sustainability, science, and fashion). There’s a whole collection of Sustainable Style fashion-focused courses.

        UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF PERSONAL STYLE

         

        If you want to wrap your head around how our style what we wear (on top and underneath) is a huge part of who we are, check out StyleLikeU. They have been on a mission to show ‘What’s Underneath‘ but some of our favourites are from the Second Skins series, Uniforms, Dispelling Beauty Myths, and the Roundtable discussions.

           KISS ECO-OVERWHELM GOODBYE

          Has the New Year got you feeling a bit stressed out? We’ve got you covered with FREE resources to help you combat eco-overwhelm.

          Click here to find out about our unique approach to caring for your Sustainable Self (including our eight-part toolkit) as you live life in Sustainable Style.

          LEVEL UP

          WITH ONLINE COURSES
          Are you keen to level up your Sustainably Stylish learning? We are now offering online work-at-your-own-pace courses based on our popular Sustainability Education workshop events. These workshops have only been available in real life in the past. Still, we’ve listened and know that Sustainably Stylish folks join us from across the globe, which is why we’ve started converting these courses to interactive online delivery format. Benefit from Sustainability in Style founder, Katie Robert’s years of academic learning, research, and teaching in sustainability education, environmental science, fashion, business, and yoga/meditation with these workshops (with e-booklets). Without time or sizeable financial investments.
          LEARN MORE