Sustainability: Expectation vs Reality

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I dreamed of fresh lemon scent (real lemon that is) and white linen sheets. Fresh sunshine and organic cotton dresses. Green herbs. Organic food, all the time.

The reality is a little more like scrubbing the labels off jars to add to a never-ending collection. Carrying around used coffee cups until I can take it home for composting. Overthinking purchasing anything. Hours spent researching.

Living sustainably isn’t the easiest, sexiest journey. But it is rewarding, internally and has an immense reward for future generations.

Here are some of the expectations I had when I began my sustainability journey and the realities I’ve since faced.

Expectation: I’ll know what to do, and do it

Reality: I will fail

I sometimes end up with a disposable coffee cup in my hand. I still love leather boots. I wear polyester clothing. I eat butter. 

The world needs us all doing something. Not necessarily everything, but something. Maybe you can reduce your meat intake. Maybe you can sit down to drink your coffee. By all means, set yourself high and lofty goals for how much you want to achieve. But don’t beat yourself, or worse, quit, because you don’t get there.

Celebrate your wins. Analyse your losses to see how you can improve more for next time. And then move on. 

Expectation: I will reach perfection

Reality: I will need to do more 

It’s like climbing a mountain where you can’t see the top. I might think I know how high I’m going to climb and how far I’ve got left to go. But as I get closer, I realise that what I can see is just a ledge. And there’s more to go. 

Expectation: The answers will be easy to find

Reality: Research is key

Where do you buy eco-friendly swimwear? How do you make a vegan cake? How is power generated in New Zealand? What can be recycled where I live? Is organic actually better?

This is where I think the small, step by step process is essential. Trying to flip your entire life upside down in one move is overwhelming. Instead, pick one thing you want to change. It could be something that you have a bit more time to research, that you don’t have to rush into. 

When I went vegetarian, this is how did it. Slowly. I started when I was dining out. I had no idea how to cook vegetarian so I learnt what the options were by seeing what the restaurants made. Then I slowly started learning how to cook those things. Eleven years later, I’m still learning new things to cook (nasi goreng and sourdough are my recent favourites).

Expectation: I’m going to wear linen dresses all the time

Reality: Completely replacing my wardrobe isn’t ethical

Although I’d love to be wearing eco-friendly, natural fibres all the time, I own a lot of nylon clothing. I used to work in a fashion retail chain that uses a lot of polyester and nylon. Throwing out everything I own and buying new sustainable fabrics would be lovely and fun, but buying more than we need is a huge driver of waste. 

We are not going to shop our way out of the climate crisis. Buying less as well as buying thoughtfully is important. So I’m going to use up the items I have. And when I need something new, I’ll buy second-hand or natural fibres. Cashmere dresses, I'm looking at you.

Expectation: I will know all the answers

Reality: People come up with a lot of questions

I don’t know the answers to everything. People often want me to. But I’m not perfect. That can be exhausting and make me feel like I’m not good enough. And perfection isn’t the name of the game. Progress is. 

This loops back into the research, critical thinking and more research.

Expectation: I’ll make great decisions

Reality: Some answers aren’t clear cut

Meat grown in NZ has a different carbon footprint to that grown in the states. Butter isn’t vegan but margarine is highly processed. Cotton is a natural fibre but it can use a lot of pesticides and even organic can end up circling the globe multiple times in processing. How much is actually recycled in New Zealand?

I’m not going to get things right all the time, no matter how much research I do. And somethings that seem like they are solving one problem (almond milk!) are just creating another (water use!). 

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

— Maya Angelou

Final Thoughts

Are you on a sustainability journey? What have you learnt along the way? Has it lived up to your expectations? Let me know in the comments below.