Trying to be an eco-friendly parent

One of the reasons that I initially I didn’t plan on making children was that I knew that bringing a new human into the world is one of the least environmentally-friendly things you can do in your life. Studies show that having one less (or no) child reduces your annual C02 emissions by 58.6 tonnes, which is more than if you were to recycle, be car-less, or use renewable energy. Every person on the planet uses the planets limited resources and contributes to greenhouse gasses. With everything I do to try to live as sustainable and eco-friendly life as possible, how could I justify doing something that I know has such a huge impact on the environment? I couldn’t. My logic was that for me, personally, it would be a purely selfish decision, I don’t NEED to create a baby, if I had felt a strong urge calling me to care for a child (which I didn’t anyway) I could open my life and my home to any of the many children in the foster care system. Therefore, I felt, that it would be better if I didn’t produce a biological child of my own.

So, now that I’ve found myself unexpectedly pregnant and preparing to raise a child, what can I do?

Take climate-positive action

I recently found a company called Ecologi (not sponsored), who, through a monthly subscription, help you offset your carbon footprint by planting trees and supporting carbon offsetting projects on your behalf (including providing hydro, wind, and solar power to communities around the world. ) There are individual and family plans, to account for the number of people in your home. I know that this alone is not enough, but I definitely think it’s a very helpful step, and at least (selfishly) helps me feel a little better about it all.

Buy and consume sustainably

Babies need things that most childless adults do not already own, like baby clothes, bottles, nappies, etc. Which means that when you’re preparing to welcome a new baby or child into your home you will inevitably need to buy things. Buying new things is kind of the opposite of the “sustainable living” philosophy. Especially things like plastic toys, disposable nappies and wipes, and children’s clothes, because they are only useful for a limited time, but end up spending hundreds or more years in landfill polluting the planet. So, to sustainably get everything the baby will need I’m trying to 1. buy/get as many items as possible second-hand, 2. buy anything else from environmentally responsible sources/ made from sustainable materials or 3. buy things with as long a life as possible (can be repurposed as needed with time) as to not contribute to unnecessary waste.

I’m lucky that my sister and cousins have had kids in the last few years and have always been kind enough to hand down things like clothes and strollers to whoever gets pregnant next, and my mum has faithfully stored these things in the off chance that I or anyone else would need them one day. So, that immediately takes a lot of pressure off the need to buy most newborn essentials. There are also a lot of great online marketplaces like Etsy (affiliate) where I can look for preloved items that I don’t have. In terms of furniture, I would have loved one of those bedside co-sleep bassinettes, but a baby can only sleep in them until 6 months, so it’s a short-lived product that I’d no longer use. Instead, I’ve been looking at adaptable wooden cots that can be modified for newborns, bigger babies, turned into a toddler bed, then into a day bed or couch, so that we can get many years worth of use out of it. For toys, we’re planning to keep it minimal. Other than gifts and hand-me-downs we’re only planning to have a handful of things that can be rotated in and out of use as the baby shows interest in them. I’ve been looking at things made from wood, crochet, or other sustainable materials that can see a baby through many stages of development. And for the nappy problem, I’m planning to use a combo of eco-friendly disposable nappies for the very early days, then move onto reusable ones, and then follow evacuation communication techniques to potty-train before they’re 1, so that we use as few nappies and wipes as possible.

Model eco-friendly lifestyle choices

More than just the things we buy, I want to be conscious about the daily choices we make in our life. I’m vegan, and my husband is plant-based, so naturally the baby will be raised plant-based until they’re old enough to make the decision to become vegan, stay plant-based, or become an omnivore. By that I mean, I plan to breastfeed for the first 2 years (or as long as I can until then) and provide the baby with baby-friendly versions of whatever it is that I cook for us at home. I plan to grow as much of our own produce as we can, upcycle and repurpose whatever we can, and include the child in as many household activities as possible so they learn how to “reduce, reuse, recycle” and “make, do, mend”. I plan to involve them in the activism work I do, like making free food to share with the community, or visiting animal sanctuaries and caring for rescue animals. I plan to teach our child about why we eat the way we do, why we use certain products, or why we avoid certain things. My hope is that if they grow up doing these things, learning these skills, and knowing the positive and negative impacts we can all have on the world, then when they go off on their own, they’ll continue to make eco-friendly choices and reduce their environmental impact too.

Now, I want to put a disclaimer saying that I AM NOT PERFECT! This plan/method is not going to be perfect! There is no way for me to be 100% sustainable and have zero negative impact, the majority of us will never be able to achieve that goal for as long as we have to exist in modern, capitalist society. However, my goal with this, as with all things, is to do my best and do as little harm as is practicable and possible in each situation. I never seek to shame or criticize other people for their choices or lifestyle as I don’t know anyone’s personal circumstances, and I know there’s a million reasons why something may or may not be possible for each person. I just try to share my personal experience or things that I’m learning in the hope that someone might find it interesting, or relatable, or useful.

Sustainable & Ethical Fashion Tips

I’ve always been interested in fashion. I collected Vogue magazines as a teen, The Devil Wears Prada was my favourite movie, and I religiously watched runway shows every season to see what the next big trends would be. I became interested in sustainable and ethical fashion in the mid 2010s when I was at university, and I even started my first fashion blog (the blog no longer exists but here’s an interview about it at the time). As an adult I realised that if I care about the environment, workers rights, and animal welfare, I cannot in good conscience continue to participate in fast fashion.

Seeing as I recently became an ambassador for Remake, a non-profit community advocating for change in the fashion industry, I thought it was about time I did some deeper learning about the fashion industry and ethically sustainable fashion as whole. So, I took a Sustainable Fashion course from Copenhagen Business School, I read as many resources as I could find, and I wanted to share a little of what I learned.

WHy ISN’t all fashion sustainable?

The fashion industry is one of the most profitable industries in the world (worth an estimated US$2.5 trillion), but it’s also one of the most polluting and exploitative. Economic growth is considered the most important aspect, and as a demand increases for cheaper and cheaper clothes, companies have to continue to cut their costs in order to maintain and grow their profits. Cutting costs often means cutting corners, and so products are made at the expense of the farmers, factory workers, and natural resources. With seasonal collections being the current system under which most fashion companies operate, they are required to produce large quantities of new clothing every 3 months, encouraging their customers to constantly be updating their wardrobe with the latest collection to fit the latest trends. Consumers receive the end product, the garment, focusing on how it looks, how it fits/feels, and how much it costs, but forgetting that there is a long process that goes into making the product and at each step along the way there is the possibility of exploitation. (Watch this for information about the supply process for jeans as an example.)

The raw materials have to be sourced and processed as cheaply as possible, meaning crops need to be grown, animals need to be sheared, skinned, plucked or boiled, and farm workers need to work, as quickly as possible for as little money as possible. This leads to low wages, poor working conditions, and little to no concern for animal welfare. When it comes to the construction of garments, some companies use factories in their own country but the majority (at least 40 million) are in Asia, as wages are lower and there are less strict worker and human rights laws and regulations to adhere to. Garment factory workers are among the lowest paid workers in the world, they are often women or immigrants, working in unsafe conditions for an inhumane number of hours at a time. Even in the UK, companies such as Boohoo have been accused of modern slavery due to the working conditions of their garment factories. (See this article for more information on slavery in the fashion industry.)

Fast fashion is also extremely wasteful and harmful for the environment. Around 82 million metric tons of green house gas emissions comes from textile and leather production, it takes the equivalent of 2 years worth of drinking water (450 litres) to make just one t-shirt, and clothing made from non-biodegradable fabrics will sit in landfills for 200 years or more. In the end, customers wear the garment a number of times and then discard it, either because it goes out of style, no longer fits, or it becomes damaged, adding to the huge amount of textile waste that already pollutes the environment. (Read this white paper from Fashion Revolution, or check out Remade for more facts about the social and environmental damage from the fashion industry.)

GREENWASHING

With incidents such as the Rana Plaza making headlines, and climate change becoming a bigger and bigger concern, sustainability and “eco-friendliness” has become a hot topic in society, forcing brands to address their role, or face criticism. In recent years you’ll see fast fashion brands talk about being ethical, and many have even made attempts to project the idea of sustainability in their product lines (H&M’s Conscious Collection, and ASOS’s Responsible Edit for example) but when their supply chains and business practices are investigated further, it is revealed that they continue to participate in textile waste, labour abuse, and marketing that encourages overconsumption. This is often referred to as “greenwashing”: using “sustainability” as a marketing tool, but not actually meeting the necessary standards. As most fast fashion companies rely on a seasonal model, aim for continual growth, and focus on increasing profit, it would be an oxymoron for them to be labelled sustainable, as sustainability at it’s core aims to reduce overall consumption, not increase it.

WHAT MAKES A BRAND “ETHICALLY SUSTAINABLE”?

Ethical sustainability is most commonly measured by the companies overall social and environmental impact. This includes workers across the supply chain, such as not using child or forced labour, ensuring worker safety, freedom of association, gender equality and payment of a living wage. It also includes resource use and waste management, energy use and carbon emissions, water usage and pollution. And finally the use of animal products and its animal welfare policies. Sometimes it will also involve looking at the companies standpoint and participation in social and political movements. The most sustainable brands are those who include as many ethical business practices in their company as possible, and continue to try to find ways to improve or help the situation.

HOW CAN I MAKE MORE SUSTAINABLE CHOICES?

The main words to remember are: reduce, re-wear, repair, recycle, and resell. The single biggest thing we can all do is buy less, buy only what we need when we need it. The second thing would be to buy second-hand when possible, as this means no new clothes were produced to fulfil your need, and it saves a garment from landfill. Local thrift stores or charity shops are an option for some, online second-hand sellers are also becoming more popular and accessible too. As trends tend to be cyclical, you’ll often find vintage styles returning to the mainstream, this is where second-hand shopping can be very helpful. For those who can afford it, investing in good-quality long-lasting pieces from ethically sustainable brands and small businesses instead of fast fashion companies, or “voting with your dollar” as it is sometimes called, helps support sustain able fashion and move the market in that direction. However, this involves moving away from seasonal trends and choosing to dress in timeless/classic pieces or creating a strong personal style, as the aim is to keep and wear the items for as long as you can. Where possible, repairing or altering clothes you already have reduces waste, and recycling, repurposing, or donating/selling things you know you will never wear again would be the final step in helping work towards a circular economy.

To find out how ethical your favourite brands are, or find more sustainable alternatives, check out Good On You. For more resources and information I highly recommend Conscious Style, who also have a podcast where they cover many different topics related to sustainability and fashion.

Now, I want to put a disclaimer saying that I AM NOT PERFECT! This method is not going to be perfect! There is no way for me to be 100% sustainable and have zero negative impact, the majority of us will never be able to achieve that goal for as long as we have to exist in modern, capitalist society. However, my goal with this, as with all things, is to do my best and do as little harm as is practicable and possible in each situation. I never seek to shame or criticize other people for their choices or lifestyle as I don’t know anyone’s personal circumstances, and I know there’s a million reasons why something may or may not be possible for each person. I just try to share my personal experience or things that I’m learning in the hope that someone might find it interesting, or relatable, or useful.

Sustainable and Ethical Travel Tips

Sugar cane and fruit at a Mexican market

Why is all travel not sustainable?

More and more often we hear the word “sustainable” in relation to climate change, food, the fashion industry, and tourism. In these cases, it essentially means actions that protect and maintain their environment. For tourism specifically, it can refer to actions that do not exploit natural resources or harm local people. Tourism is on the rise, steadily for the last 30 years, with the exception of 2020 when the tourism industry suffered a loss of almost US$4.5 trillion due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The tourism industry is keen to recover from this loss and travel is expected to increase even more once Covid restrictions are lifted. Flying and package holidays are getting cheaper and an ever-growing number of people want to travel to take holidays abroad. However, as we become more aware of the effects of climate change we also see the effects of tourism, especially on formerly non-touristic countries, many of which are considered “developing” or “third world”. For wealthy people in the global north to visit these places often involves staying in newly developed luxury resorts. However, this can have a very drastic impact on the local communities and ecosystems. (Please read this, this and this research for more information.)

As a travel photographer and avid traveller, I feel it’s my responsibility to understand the impact I have on the places I visit and to travel as sustainably as possible. So, I took an online course on Sustainable Tourism by the University of Copenhagen and did some of my own research, and this is some information and tips I wanted to share for anyone else worrying about their travel footprint.

Eating local foods

Most tourists are from the global north where western diets are the norm. Many times these types of travellers, especially those staying in luxury accommodation like resorts and hotels, expect high-quality food that they already recognise and know they will enjoy. This forces the resorts and restaurants to cater to their tastes, often meaning they have to import or prepare food that is different from the local cuisine. This often forces local farmers to grow food that is not in harmony with the natural ecosystem and also causes a rise in food costs for local people. The more sustainable option, which has a better overall impact on the local community, is to eat the local cuisine from small restaurants and cafes outwith the luxury resorts. Tourists from the global south typically already do this or are more comfortable and willing to try local cuisine from street markets or local-run restaurants. For others, this can seem a little daunting as it can mean a big step outside their comfort zone and eating food that is unfamiliar. However, it is a good way to reduce harmful effects on the people of the country and the best way to enjoy a truly authentic experience of the destination. Researching the traditional dishes of a country before visiting is a good way to prepare and identify which food suits your own palate. (Please read this research for more information.)

Accommodation and the local economy

Many people justify luxury travel to “developing” countries by saying that it helps to boost the local economy and that these countries rely on income from tourism. Although tourism does bring money into countries, the money from luxury resorts rarely filters down into the local community. Staff employed by the hotels and restaurants do benefit from the salary, but often the managers and owners (the people who make the most money) are ex-pats, whereas the labour and support staff such as waiters and cleaners are local people who receive lower wages, face high turnover rates, and experience bad working conditions. The rest of the local community do not benefit from the money and more often suffer environmental consequences as a result of tourism. For example, hotels with pools, garden spaces, hot tubs and spa facilities etc use vast amounts of water, reducing water supply to the rest of the region and sometimes causing shortages. The pools, ponds, water features and wastewater also act as breeding grounds for mosquitos, and mosquito populations are known to rise around tourist resorts and compounds, increasing the local people’s risk of mosquito-borne illnesses. A better option is to stay at smaller local accommodations such as workaways, homestays, or hostels run by local people, and shop at local markets so that the money goes directly to the community and back into the local economy. Some people do not feel safe doing this, especially in countries with dangerous reputations or high crime rates. In that case, it may be better to choose a different destination where you feel more comfortable, rather than fund harmful tourist practices. Also, bear in mind that some places like Hawaii have asked tourists not to visit the islands during the Covid pandemic as they’re health services and natural resources are strained trying to accommodate foreigners, with local communities suffering the consequences. It’s important to consider the wishes and comfort of local people when deciding on your travel destination. (Please read this and this research for more information.)

Wildlife tourism

This is a huge part of the tourism industry, all over travel and tourism Instagram you’ll see photos of people posing with wild and exotic animals. Although it may seem harmless and you may be assured that the animals are well cared for, it is impossible to have wild animals interact with humans in this way, without some kind of training or abuse involved. This training often starts when the animals are young and can be very cruel. Elephants for example have their “spirit broken” through beatings with wooden and metal instruments to ensure that they allow tourists to touch them and climb onto their backs - a completely unnatural behaviour. Tigers and other big cats have been known to be drugged in order to subdue them and get them to “calmly” pose with tourists for photos. Animals that are used for entertainment are exploited and almost always kept in unsafe and unethical living conditions. A more ethical alternative to this is situations where wild animals live freely and are not owned or controlled by humans. This exists in places like Nara Park in Japan, where wild deer live and can be fed or viewed by tourists, and also on reserves like those in southern Africa where wild animals can be watched and photographed during safaris. Not all safaris are ethical of course, those which promote hunting (especially “big game”) or fund ivory and medicine trades are partially responsible for the decline of endangered species. However, viewing-only wildlife tourism is shown to be mutually beneficial for the animals and the local communities. (Once local people realise how much money is brought to their area through conservation tourism they are more likely to protect the wildlife and natural environment.) So, how can you know when somewhere really does rescue or benefit animals? Well, generally it’s best to avoid anywhere that allows you to touch (for the most part) or ride the wild animals, where the animals are kept contained (except for a short time may be due to illness or for rehabilitation), and definitely not anywhere that wild animals are trained or perform for tourists. Even rescue facilities where animals are rehabilitated and released generally shouldn’t allow you to touch wild animals (rescues for domesticated animals like cats and dogs or exotic animals formally kept as pets may be different.) Projects such as turtle hatcheries may provide an opportunity to get up close and interact with newborn turtles as this sometimes involves helping the turtles safely make it to the sea. Scuba diving trips where animals may naturally come close to swimmers is also an option, but in instances where bait is used to lure animals can be considered problematic. I know it’s not as “fun” but for the safety of the wildlife, it’s important to remember that we as tourists should watch, admire and observe them from afar, not disrupt or interact with them or their natural habitat. Some local and indigenous communities have closer relationships with the wildlife, but that is due to their long-standing coexistence with their natural environment and isn’t something that should be forced or mimicked by tourists. (Please check out this and this information to learn more.)

Respecting local culture

Although my research did touch on this topic, a lot of what I’m writing here is personal opinion. I think this is a very important thing that we sometimes forget: tourist are short-term guests in a country, but the local people live there all the time, their lifestyle and culture should be respected by the guest during the visit. It’s a very colonialist view, but western tourists often believe our way of life is the best or correct one and forget that although other cultures may be different it doens’t make them bad or wrong. This means, respecting local customs regarding modesty, alcohol, public displays of affection, etc is important. The individualist view of “I should be able to do whatever I want” can actually have real-life consequences for the local people. In some places, young people view tourists as more sophisticated than locals and believe their look or lifestyle is something to be admired, so when tourists wear revealing clothes in modest regions young people sometimes try to copy them and this can cause tension and social problems among the local community. Another thing to be aware of is what is called “white saviour complex” or "poverty porn” this is when tourists pose with local communities, often children, sometimes to show off the charity work they are doing, and post it on the internet. This is problematic for a number of reasons, not least of all that the children or their guardians don’t get the option to consent to the images being taken or shared, and such images where the children can be identified have been shown to increase their risk of abduction and human trafficking. Additionally, it can perpetuate harmful and offensive stereotypes about the country and culture, painting the tourist as a “saviour” of the “poor” local people (thus the name). Other things such as cultural festivals or events may involve practices that are not common in western cultures, and this can be a difficult ethical dilemma for tourists to deal with. In my opinion, it’s best to allow the local people to decide what they allow in their own culture, and support local activists in being the ones to try to make any changes that they think is necessary, rather than judgement or protest being made by people viewing the situation through a western lens.

What does this mean for the future of tourism?

Well, unwto.org has plans and guidelines in place for how we can kickstart tourism again in an ethical and mutually beneficial way that also prioritises safety from Covid-19. The UN has created a list of Sustainable Development Goals that aim to “end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030”, so look out for places and organisations that are working towards or meeting some of these goals. In general, travelling more sustainably might mean going on more of a backpacker-style vacation than having a private pool and access to a golf course, experiencing local cuisine over luxury room service, or booking a guided nature hike instead of an elephant or camel ride. I know it might not be everyone’s preferred way to travel but when it comes to preserving the planet, the wildlife, and the well-being of the local people, making some of these changes can help make a big difference.

Wild sika deer at Nara Park

Now, I want to put a disclaimer saying that I AM NOT PERFECT! This plan/method is not going to be perfect! There is no way for me to be 100% sustainable and have zero negative impact, the majority of us will never be able to achieve that goal for as long as we have to exist in modern, capitalist society. However, my goal with this, as with all things, is to do my best and do as little harm as is practicable and possible in each situation. I never seek to shame or criticize other people for their choices or lifestyle as I don’t know anyone’s personal circumstances, and I know there’s a million reasons why something may or may not be possible for each person. I just try to share my personal experience or things that I’m learning in the hope that someone might find it interesting, or relatable, or useful.