Tuğba is a mindfulness enthusiast, book lover, creative writer, runner and foodie from Berlin
Do you have an easy tip to live more sustainably?
Successful outcomes/habits are never the result of a single choice. They are built up through good choices over time. I keep reminding myself that a sustainable life is never a choice, it is a series of choices. Every little bit counts! I don’t think it’s that people don’t care about the environment, it’s just that many think that living sustainably requires a lot of work and being always perfect like we see on social media. Living a more sustainable lifestyle can be as simple as using reusable cups in place of single use cups. Last night, I met a friend for Glühwein and I took my keep cup with me. It was just another mini step into reducing my daily waste consumption.
What does conscious consumption look like in your daily life?
All big things come from small beginnings. It took me some time to understand this. I kept comparing myself to more sustainable friends, people on social media and I used to feel guilty when I slipped and bought something on impulse. I realised, this year was even harder to not break the good habits as many of us are in an emotional turmoil and impulse buying is usually linked with feeling down so treating oneself to e.g. another pair of shoes that we don’t really need.
This year I did a lot clothes swapping with my sister. We both create a pile of clothes that we no longer wear, invite each other, have some tea and swap clothes. Whatever is left in the pile is sold on Kleiderkreisel. It’s seriously like buying new clothes. I never understood the fuss about cloth swapping but now I get it. If and when I need to shop something new, I try and do it with intention. I try thrifting and I also started using this app called “Good on you” to check the sustainability rating of various brands.
Other things that I try and do are buying my produce from the Südstern farmers market on Saturdays. I’ve also noticed since it’s a bit pricier, I’m a lot more conscious on what and how much produce I buy, so I end up wasting less food.
We care about adding something better. What do you add to your life to make it better?
Mindfulness! Mindfulness makes life more meaningful. Practicing mindfulness is good for more than just peace of mind. Being mindful makes me more conscious in all parts of my life - work, relationships, health - literally every area.