Why We’re Here: M’s Story

I didn’t grow up with curbside recycling pickup. We lived out in the country so we either didn’t have recycling pick up, or didn’t pay for it. We recycled aluminum cans. It was mine and my brother’s job to make sure they were all crushed before our parents brought bags of them to the recycling plant. My family did a lot with what we had; there was no keeping up with the Jones’ because that wasn’t important to us. I also grew up around a grandfather who would drive his tractor along the road to pick up trash, and a grandmother who kept everything in the hopes of upcycling it. (I’m sure ‘upcycling’ was not in her vocabulary when she did this.)

It’s hard to pinpoint when I first became interested in a more eco-friendly lifestyle, but I feel like it was always destined to be. I have always been a minimalist at heart. Having too many things and too much clutter has always overwhelmed me. If I liked an item of clothing or product, I used it until it was worn out or didn’t fit anymore. And I like to take care of the things I have. I think it’s the sentimental side of me, but now I know it’s an important part of buying and wasting less.

I love finding items secondhand. I’m in my 30s; I have most things I need at this point. When I’m thinking of purchasing something I’ll look for it on Facebook Marketplace first. If you can navigate out of the new products they sneak in there, plenty of local folks are selling something you may be looking for. My last local secondhand purchase was two sets of dumbbells. I workout at home and needed the next weight up in my collection. I got my weights at a lower cost than if they were new and they still had the tags on. I also got nearly all of my wedding decor secondhand, using garage sales, Facebook Marketplace, and thrift stores.

I believe that we are a product of how we were raised, but I also believe everyone has the power and responsibility to question why we make the choices we do. Why do I ‘need’ that new phone every 1-2 years? Is it because I’ve been advertised to think this way? Is it because my friends are buying them? How much extra work would it be to bring reusable bags to the grocery store every time? Can I choose something reusable rather than disposable?

I’m excited to go on this blog journey with you. I am not a writer. I am a graphic designer turned project manager, but I am also passionate about minimalism and eco-friendly lifestyle so I hope that shines through over any mistakes! You will quickly learn from us that we are not here to be perfect. We don’t expect anyone to be perfect. We’re here to do our best with what we have or what we’ve been given.