The founder of the sustainable lifestyle blog ‘Curiously Conscious’ talks on her work of life
By Vilma Gerulyte
How is it that you run your blog? What helps you to choose what is the next post going to be about?
I love this question - I was once asked this by a client who I write for. My answer: I’m always inspired by new discoveries, and the world of sustainability is moving so fast that there’s always something new to try!
What challenges do you face while running it?
There’s a few challenges - it’s very easy to feel hopeless or negative when writing about sustainability, when there’s so much to be done and so little time. However, it’s led me to write in a very positive, non-judgemental way, and I hope it inspires others to try making sustainable changes that work for them. I’m also conscious that I’m just one person, writing from one point of view, which is why I created ‘Ethical Influencers’ [an online collaboration of sustainable storytellers], to show so many other people and ways to be sustainable.
To what extent are your conscious choices affecting your life?
It may seem like I’m over-exaggerating when I say ‘everything’ but I genuinely believe it does affect everything. Being sustainable means taking time to make decisions, carefully considering my impact, and also balancing that with what I need. Sometimes buying a plastic-wrapped sandwich is the best option (if I’m too hungry to function, and not going to be home for hours) and I won’t be upset with myself for doing this, but it’s a rare occurrence because I do plan on being sustainable every day, and will usually pack lunch or have reusable cutlery and a lunchbox with me. The main recommendation is to assess your own habits, and see what small, easy changes you can make - because those are the ones you repeat the most, and will have the most impact over time.
If you can imagine a statistic, how many people to do you think you 'converted' into living an ethical lifestyle?
I would say it’s a small amount - say 5% of people. That said, I think anyone can be more sustainable and ethical in the way they live, and that it doesn’t take ‘converting’, just small steps here and there.
If you were given all the powers of the world, what is the one thing you would change?
I would make a low environmental impact (encompassing both social sustainability and environmental sustainability) a key success factor for all businesses and governments. If the environmental impact of business and politics was given as much priority as profit, we’d have a very different set of systems in place.
What tips would you give to people who wish to start living more environmentally friendly, but don't know where to start?
Start by assessing what you do regularly, and if there’s anything you can do to make those sustainable. Do you drive short distances? Could you walk? Do you throw all your rubbish away? Could you recycle? Do you love makeup? Could you try a few cruelty-free brands? Making personal changes will be easier to keep up and you’ll feel happy every time you do so.
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