The case against STUFF ???
Meggie Palmer
Founder & CEO PepTalkHer - Supercharging Your Career Success | On a mission to closing pay &Leadership Gap (free App??) | Executive Coach ? | Speaker ?? | Angel Investor ?? | Tory Burch Fellow | Recovering Journalist??
With little baby Meggie on the horizon, my mind is focused on how much MORE we are going to consume by bringing a human into this world.?
Growing up on a farm in a relatively eco-conscious family, I’ve always been mindful of how much waste we create and how much?stuff?we consume.
Where we grew up, there was no town trash collection - we had to make a trip to the dump to empty the bins. Which makes you more aware of how much waste you create ‘cause it’s right there next to the house - Literally.
I recently listened to the podcast?Zero Waste Baby?about Veronica Milsom’s mission to?‘reduce her tiny newborn’s massive waste footprint’. Easier said than done.?
The list of ‘what to buy ahead of having a baby’ is extensive, exhaustive and to be honest, in some ways feels like an exercise in capitalism and materialism.
For a long time, I’ve been a big user and supporter of online marketplaces for secondhand goods. (I love a Facebook marketplace find and am obsessed with?The Real Real?for pre-loved designer clothes, which, coincidentally was founded by one of my mentors.)
But shopping at thrift shops and relying on hand-me-downs have kicked into overdrive with baby.
Except for the pram, everything else that we have for the baby is pre-loved, or at least, pre-vomited on. Grateful to our friends who paid forward second-hand bassinets, swaddles, and car seats.?
But harder decisions have been around the whole disposable nappies vs reusable nappies debate, landfill vs water consumption.
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We went with the family tradition as our requested gift for our baby shower. Other friends asked people to bring a second-hand toy or book. Another asked for a hand-written recipe of something nourishing that they could compile into a book of recipes.
Babies or not, I love finding ways to let people know I’m thinking of them or gift-giving without aimlessly buying junk. Some of my faves are passing on a book I love with a special inscription on the inside cover. Propagating an indoor plant for a friend from one of my own and of course, gifting experiences instead of STUFF sits a little better with me.
What are your top tips on how to live a more waste-free life? (With or without children!)
I’d love to know. Hit reply and I’ll share your wisdom in an upcoming newsletter.?
You’re awesome,
Meggie
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Join us on Friday, June 10, 12:30 pm AEDT with Westpac Ruby Connection and our panel of experts.?Click here to register!
Manager, Social Worker & Mediator - GradDipMgt, BSW, FDRP
2 年I highly recommend Numidan if you are looking to reduce your environmental impact of baby clothes.
I agree - when I have to tell folks what I would like/ needed for the kids. I always ask for gift cards and books in lieu of toys. Baby clothes are the worst - they outgrow them so quickly (and you are left with the clutter/ hoard of baby clothes). Also - as you said, try and minimize buying "stuff" before the baby arrives - you won't know what you need and what will work with the baby (you tend to make it up as you go along). The idea of a baby register is so stressful. When in doubt - ask for diapers and wipes... Afraid I haven't really gone down the eco route for that yet :) Good luck!
Information Security Manager
2 年Living a waste free life is very hard. Maybe compost our organic waste, have a worm farm and a garden. Instead of our organic waste going to the landfill, it’s going to the garden instead :)
InesGarcia.me, Author, Speaker, Biomimicry, Circular Economy, Agile Coach, Climate Change Coach, Carbon Accounting, Salesforce MVP Hall of Fame - Empowering evolution (not revolution) - freelance. Check out my books! ??
2 年That's my quest: reducing waste. Waste of materials of time and also energy! and find JOY How can we mimic nature where everything comes back into its circle of life? What one can do is highly context-based, one of the questions that seem to work quite well is "How can I reduce my current waste volume by 50%" look at your bin. That is composed of CHOICES, what are your options? At personal level, I have made many shifts, from no further clothing and if replace is needed with upcycled and local, to growing some of my own food and sourcing local and seasonally produced, move my pension funds to 'ethical' investments, huuuge shifts professionally from who and how I do work also to things like this https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/inesgarciaagile_opportunity-event-quality-activity-6912718273335689216-cn_j?utm_source=linkedin_share&utm_medium=member_desktop_web Put one’s time, effort and energy (and money!) where you want the world to go. We are on a pivotal moment in our lifetime. How we craft our tomorrow: is up to us! For more inspiration check: https://takethejump.org/ & https://www.count-us-in.org/en-gb/ Count Us In