Spring Cleaning for the Soul
The sunshine has returned to Switzerland and spring is in the air. In fact, summer even joined us for a few days last weekend as temperatures soared to an unseasonably warm 27 degrees. While none of us in the region would dare complain about the heat after such a dark winter, these unpredictable weather patterns are the topic of many a conversation.
Here in the Alps the effects of global warming are undeniable. Each year the staircase to reach the base of a glacier where my husband and I regularly hike is a little farther away from the path due to receding ice.
Climate change, global warming, oceans swimming with plastic…it’s all so big. So what’s a person to do?
I’m not sure that many of us are prepared to revert to the days of hunting and gathering described by Yuval Noah Harari in Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (the latest and highly recommended addition to my reading list). Nor should we necessarily. But does this mean we should just sit back and make no effort to change what’s broken? Surely we can take a more proactive role in shaping a better future.
If there’s one thing that can be said about the human species, we’re a creative bunch. And while there aren’t any easy answers to the pressing issues of our day, new technologies provide a means of collaborating that was unimaginable just 20 years ago.
And this is where I believe the answer lies: the cumulative impact of small steps. The internet has allowed us to see the world as never before. For better or worse. At the same time, it’s given individuals a platform to come together and build momentum toward a positive end (like this one, I hope).
In an uber-connected society, no action is too small to make a difference. And even a seemingly insignificant act can have a transformative effect on the world. With that in mind, here are a few tidbits of reflection as you embark on your spring cleaning this month.
Much love,
Aimée
This Month’s Inspiration Collection
Read
What can each of us do to turn around this seemingly insurmountable plastic problem? Aside from the obvious adage “reduce, reuse, recycle”, we can also significantly influence the direction of market economies – and the amount of waste generated – with our wallets. Consumer demand shapes society immeasurably. But can demand ever be a good thing? This piece from The Book of Life argues that the answer lies in the quality of consumer demand and urges us to consider “the more important, more humane, task of encouraging ourselves to be wiser in our purchasing choices”.
Reflect
It’s easy to rationalise the problem of plastic as something “out there”. We’ve become so accustomed to consuming and throwing away vast amounts of packaging that it seems a normal part of everyday life. One little candy bar wrapper won’t dramatically change the world, we might reason. But what is the cumulative effect of all this garbage? Daniel Webb put the theory to test: he collected his plastic consumables over the course of a year – to a total of 4,490 pieces – now displayed in this humbling seaside installation called Everyday Plastic.
Photo: ©Ollie Harrop 2018. Image courtesy of Everyday Plastic
Challenge
Could you survive for three months with just 33 items in your wardrobe? According to Courtney Carver, creator of Project 333, it’s a lot easier than you think! Here’s how she did it.
If that all sounds too easy for you, how about committing to an entire year of no shopping? Ann Patchett describes her experiment to reduce clutter by eliminating new consumption altogether: “It doesn’t take so long for a craving to subside, be it for Winstons or gin or cupcakes. Once I got the hang of giving shopping up, it wasn’t much of a trick. The trickier part was living with the startling abundance that had become glaringly obvious when I stopped trying to get more.”
Listen
Whether you’re a fashionista or more of a jeans-and-T-shirt person, the clothing we choose has a huge impact on the earth. In the latest episode of the CultureRISE podcast we meet Xenya Cherny Scanlon, creator of Green Stilettos, to explore the aesthetics and ethics of our clothes. Tune in to hear Xenya’s favourite “green and glam” fashion tips for your wardrobe.
From the CultureRISE Archives
“Once you have experienced the powerful impact of a perfectly ordered space, you, too, will never return to clutter”, says Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying. But can a tidy house really transform your life? We tried out her method in a blitz of spring cleaning.
#LOOKUP
Taking a moment to remember what really matters (photo: submitted by a friend)
Wealth is not an absolute. It is relative to desire. Every time we yearn for something we cannot afford, we grow poorer, whatever our resources. And every time we feel satisfied with what we have, we can be counted as rich, however little we may actually possess.”
Alain de Botton
Feature photo: unsplash-logoNitish Meena
