Understanding Minimalistic, Eco-friendly, Sustainable Living

Introduction

It seems like the older I get, the more I care about things. Not to say I never cared before. I just seem to learn more as a go, which catches more of my attention and my concern. In turn, the more I learn, the more I care, resulting with the more I do to make changes in my life to accommodate my concerns.

The Facts

We live in an era of fast paced consumerism. To us, it’s all we know. It has progressed quickly in the last few decades right before our eyes. But it is presented to us in ways that make it seem like the norm, what is expected, “how it’s supposed to be”, or “how it’s always been”. When in truth, that is not the case.

Growing up, I remember my grandparents telling stories of waking up on Christmas morning. Their own socks, (which they wore regularly,) would have some “surprises” in them. An orange, an apple, and a walnut… Yes, you read that right. And that was their Christmas morning…that was it! To them, it was a joyous moment. Clearly, times were much simpler back then. And to them, it was a big deal to be able to buy each of their five grandkids one or two toys to open. Yet American people today are much different.

The Problem

Here we are, three generations later, and what we are told is normal is beyond ridiculous. Parents throw themselves into debt regularly to spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars, on their children for Christmas. From a young age, kids are given high tech electronics that couldn’t even be dreamt of in our grandparent’s day. Back then, they didn’t even have televisions to see hours of ads thrown in their faces, full of the newest, latest, and greatest toys, gadgets, and technologies.

Today, we can’t get away from advertisements. They are in our phones, televisions, laptops, mailboxes, music (radio or streaming). We are force fed ad after ad everywhere we go and expected to spend more and more money on a daily basis.

I can’t even pump gas without seeing a screen—all full of nonsense—which cannot be ignored because it’s so loud and in your face. (I mean really, why do I need a word of the day? Or to hear what is in Hollywood news? And the weather? I'm literally standing outside!! Pretty sure I am already experiencing it; you do not need to tell me about it!)

Taking Control

While I cannot change the world around me, or the way other people choose to live and spend their money, I can absolutely make my own decisions on how things should be. For me. More importantly, for my family. (And I can choose the gas stations without the obnoxiously loud screens.)

In recent years, I have spent a vast amount of time learning how I can live life differently. Together, my kids and I have been working toward a more like minimalistic lifestyle. It’s been a process, to say the least. But we are very much on the same page about it now a days. I’ve also learned more about living eco-friendly and sustainably. Today, we will take a closer look at this simple living and how achievable it is.

Minimalist

Living life as a minimalist is very misunderstood. In his book “The More of Less”, author Joshua Becker mentions that being a minimalist is NOT about owning nothing. It is that nothing owns you. (Talk about a mic drop moment.) Becker also says, “If organizing your stuff worked, wouldn’t you be done by now?” That statement really hit home.

Understand, it is okay to have stuff. But is your stuff serving you, or are you serving it? We were not created to be managers of houses full of things that just sit around untouched. Also, minimalism is NOT a destination. It is, in fact, the journey. We have so much input into our lives, we literally cannot contain it all. There MUST be output! And not just a little.

Becker helped me realize that the more you have, the more it takes to manage it. Having more actually costs you more. For starters, you need the space to hold it all. (Your home, your garage, the basement or attic, or worse, a storage unit.) Then you need space within that space to contain it. (Closets, cabinets, drawers, shelves, boxes, baskets, totes, or more.) Maybe you don’t need a bigger space for your stuff. As Joshua Becker said, "Maybe you just need less stuff.”

Also take into consideration, the more you own, the more you have to clean and keep organized. How many days have you procrastinated cleaning because you’d rather be doing other things? But then you can’t fully enjoy doing those things because you know how long your “to clean” list has gotten. Or you do enjoy yourself, and come home to chaos, resulting in your inability to enjoy your living space and you can’t stand being at home. There is just no winning with all the "stuff".

Becker also says, “Minimalist is the intentional promotion of the things we most value and the removal of anything that distracts us from it.” Meaning, when we are surrounded by less, we appreciate what we do have even more. We need to get rid of the things that take away from what we treasure the most.

Other Becker quotes I love include:

“Success and excess are not the same.”

“Never organize what you can discard.”

“Owning less is better than organizing more.”

“Don’t just declutter, de-own.”

“If you are not content today, there is nothing you can buy tomorrow to change that.”

“There is more joy to be found in owning less than can ever be found in pursuing more.”

“Own less stuff. Enjoy more freedom. It really is that simple.”

Messy Minimalism

Rachelle Crawford is a fun Instagram follow @abundantlifewithless. She wrote the book “Messy Minimalism”, which is on my to be read list. On her Instagram, she says “Minimalist doesn’t mean ALWAYS tidy, it just means EASILY tidied.” I love her take on minimalism! Crawford has a way of bringing the reality of everyday life struggles into minimalism. Such as where to start, how to decide if you really want to donate something, avoiding buying more things, getting your family on board with your minimalism, and so much more!

Crawford is a permission giver of messiness. It is okay to have some chaos as you live your life with messy kids. But living minimalist means you can easily tidy those messes without being overwhelmed or having too much clean up in the end. She makes me feel like it is okay for me to utilize and enjoy my living space—of course that is okay—so I do not need to stress when things get a little crazy because my kids love crafts, games, puzzles, and cooking. Our journey to minimalism means the messes are easier for us to manage. And with less to clean, it also makes kids more willing to help.

Eco-Friendly

The first time I remember taking some real action to be eco-friendly was about three years ago. As someone who runs a cleaning business, after my first year I just knew there had to be a better alternative to chemical cleaners. Every day, I felt like I was suffocating as I scrubbed showers and toilets. Then I learned that if you use chemical cleaners to clean your house once a week, it was equal to smoking an entire pack of cigarettes. Mind you, I was cleaning 2-3 houses a day, 5 days a week, with chemicals. Something just had to change!

This was when someone introduced me to Melaleuca, The Wellness Company. After one house party, I was sold! I got to check out a lot of the products, sample things, and be educated on this very transparent company, I knew I had found my answer. Needless to say, I made the switch. Melaleuca offers a variety of chemical free, all natural cleaning products, as well as many other fantastic (and all natural) products I have come to love.

There are many great options when it comes to safe, natural, and eco-friendly cleaners. I have since switched once again to other safe cleaners. But I want to encourage you to do some research and find healthier alternatives to the products you use every day… in your home… where you live… and breathe. Where your children and maybe pets also live and breathe. Your health and the health of your family is priceless!

What Does Eco-Friendly Mean?

In its simplest explanation, eco-friendly means “not harmful to the environment.” This can mean chemical free, plastic free, paperless, zero or reduced waste, compostable, recycled or recyclable, upcycled (turning old things into new things,) reusable, energy efficient, clean energy, healthier eating, shopping small and locally, etc! Reading all of this can easily seem overwhelming, especially if these are not things you already take into consideration. But every small choice or step counts. What matters most is that we do start taking small steps to be more eco-friendly.

Sustainability

We have all heard the term before, and it is something that has become a “trend”. Trends tend to come and go. Sustainability should not be one that people stop thinking about or pursuing! It is vital that sustainability lives on.

What is Sustainability?

The ability to be maintained at a certain rate or level; avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance. This can pertain to the environment, economics, and society. It is important to seek sustainable energy and sustainable materials.

Examples of sustainable energy include wind energy, hydro energy, solar energy, and geothermal energy.

Examples of sustainable materials can be broken down into three categories. Natural, renewable, and harmless or non-toxic.

• Natural materials are found in nature, are either grown or mined, and can generally be safely disposed of.

• Renewable materials come from renewable sources. This means they can be grown, re-grown, or infinitely recycled by humans or nature. Natural does not mean renewable; renewable sources must be able to naturally replenish what is used at a rate that allows for the resource to not be depleted over time.

• Harmless and non-toxic materials, whether natural or synthetic (man-made), are the alternative to prevent harmful chemicals from having toxic effects on humans, animals, and the environment.

Examples of sustainable materials include hemp, organic linen, bamboo, lyocell, pinatex (vegan leather derived from pineapple leaves), bio-plastics (semi-synthetic & derived from plants), adobe, cork, hay bales, straw, coconut, wool, wood, cotton, stone, clay, metals, recycled plastic, precast concrete slabs, rammed earth, reclaimed wood, reclaimed or recycled steel.

How I Have Changed My Habits

STEP ONE was education! You can’t fix problems you are not aware of. Yet our world is full of them. I have spent a lot of time in recent years researching and learning all that I can about being more eco-friendly, sustainable, and less wasteful.

STEP TWO was planning to start small. You cannot realistically change your entire life overnight. If you are serious about taking better care of the planet, trying to change everything in a small amount of time is overwhelming and even more frustrating. Changing a few things at a time is how you can reinforce good & healthy habits.

STEP THREE was taking action. Do something, anything! Change all your lightbulbs to LEDs. Stop washing your clothes in warm or hot water, use cold instead. Change your thermostat a couple degrees. Stop buying things you do not need or products with excessive packaging. Quit using plastic water bottles, or any single use plastic for that matter.

STEP FOUR is continuing the journey.

• Keep learning!

• Find out about eco-friendly certifications, (and what is required for a product to receive these certifications,) and try to buy products that are certified. Look for certification such as “Green Seal”, “Energy Star” (energy efficiency), “USDA Organic”, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council, for products made from trees in responsibly managed forests), “Rainforest Alliance”, Global Organic Textile Standard”, “Leaping Bunny”, “ECOCERT”, “Fair Trade”, EPA safer choice”, AND SO MANY MORE!

• Start being more observant by looking at the packaging of the items you buy regularly. Stick with products that say things like “organic”, “sustainable”, “eco-friendly”, “green”, “all natural”, “recycled material”, “plastic free”, “chemical free”, “bleach free”, “zero emissions”, "no animal testing", etc.

• Before making purchases, ask yourself some questions

  • Do I really need this? How often will I use it? Where will I store this?

  • Does it come with excess packaging? Can I purchase a product with less packaging instead?

  • Can I make it myself? Would it cost less if I made it myself?

  • Can I buy it used or second hand?

  • How much energy went into making and delivering it?

  • How much energy will it take to use or operate this?

  • How long will it last? When will it need to be replaced? Is there a better quality product I can get instead?

  • Can I safely dispose of this when I am done? Is there a safer version or safer product I can buy instead?

In Conclusion

We have been given one planet. There is no "Planet B". It is absolutely our job to help take care of it! Yes, there are others in the world who should take more responsibility and do more to take a stand (like governments, big industries, factories, big box stores, anyone who is responsible for contributing to carbon emissions, chemical waste, and depleting our natural resources.) It is easy to think that when there are so many contributing to the problem, how can our small changes make a difference?

Believe it or not, your small efforts will make a huge impact. Not only will you make a difference, but you will make ripples in the troubled waters. Your friends and family will see what you are doing and probably learn from you and get on board as well. When you put your money into the business & products that are eco-friendly and sustainable, you are casting your vote for what you want to see more of. The more people that do this, the bigger the impact we can all make together. 

Together, we can make a sustainable world of a difference! 

Sustainability Education

In 2022, I had the privilege to work with Lara Cornell, founder of Artisan+Co & creator of Impactful Artisan Academy. I first heard of her through the Coffee Time Conversations Podcast, hosted by Robert & Rebecca Prince. Lara had been interviewed by Robert, and I was blown away with their conversation. She is a world traveler, a painter whose art has been featured in the Louvre in Paris, an educated businesswoman, and all around wonderful person, full of knowledge & life experience. She is an ambassador for sustainable lifestyles!

Fast forward to meeting Lara, I was interested in what she has to offer. We set up a “clarity call” to talk about if we would be a good fit for artisan business coaching. She and I clicked right away! I loved everything she had to say, and she loved everything I have spent so much time working toward building thus far; she knew she could help me accelerate. Needless to say, I jumped on the opportunity to participate in her Artisan Business Academy by working through her Legacy Blueprint course.

There are many business schools and classes you can find. There are also countless art classes too. But Lara did something a bit different. She combined the two concepts and created a business course for artisans. Her course included 8 weeks of in-depth work, a weekly zoom meeting with Lara for coaching, and more thinking than I have ever crammed into 8 weeks of my life. With an additional two weeks of putting all the puzzle pieces of the course weeks together, I had completed the first draft of my legacy blueprint and officially graduated her course. I have since put extra time into my legacy blueprint to complete my "final draft". Truly, it will never be 100% complete. It is a living document that will grow with my brand and change with my seasons of life.

What is a Legacy Blueprint?

Of all the businesses, large and small, only 1% of them do the work of the Legacy Blueprint. This means I am already ahead of 99% of businesses. The blueprint includes over 40 living pages that are the core of my brand. Pages include stories that have formed me into who I am, my core values, mission, vision, impact areas, statistics on my impact areas, details of my dream client, my eco-consciousness, goals for moving forward, and so much more.

No matter where I end up, my Legacy Blueprint is the base of my brand. This is where all things remain tethered. This document is to be looked at and updated annually. It will help keep me on track, or “on brand”, preventing me from just following trends and being inauthentic. If ever I choose to hire, this is something I can share with those who represent my brand so they can understand the brand as I do and speak as if I would.

Completing the blueprint was a huge milestone for me! I poured my heart and soul into it, as I do everything else. Upon completing the course, I also earned some fun certifications & badges to go with it!

My Credentials

In the Legacy Blueprint training, I worked toward receiving some pretty awesome certifications in the process. Holly Burnside is a Legacy Artisan Brand, an Impact-Driven Artisan Brand, and an Eco-Conscious Artisan Brand. What this means is that I have put in the hard work to complete this course, I understand the content that was presented to me, and I can move forward in the world making eco-conscious and impactful changes, while I educate others on my impact area and help them to understand eco-consciousness as I do.

I would love the opportunity to help you on your own journey. Of course, I don’t know everything, but I will certainly do all I can to help anyone who is interested in living a minimalist, eco-friendly, and more sustainable lifestyle.

Action Steps

• Start doing some research on living a better lifestyle. Look into minimalism, sustainability, and being eco-conscious and eco-friendly.

• Check out the books The More of Less by Joshua Becker & Messy Minimalism by Rachelle Crawford

• Change your lifestyle habits, one step at a time

  • Educate yourself!

  • Start small.

  • Take action.

  • Continue the journey. Continue educating yourself, learn about eco-friendly certifications, check the products you already using, swap out one product at a time, make one change at a time.

  • Be more observant with the products you buy, look for keywords.

  • Question yourself before making purchases.

• Subscribe below for updates! Feel free to ask questions in the comments. Please share with us how you are working toward a more sustainable future in your own life.

Grace & peace,

Holly Burnside

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 NASB