How local can you go?
When it comes to sustainability, the first word that probably pops into your mind is environment. As in, for something to be sustainable, it must support or protect the environment. While this is true, it’s also an incomplete lens. (One I also had until not that long ago.)
Sustainability, by definition, harmonizes environmental, economic, and social well-being; one facet shouldn’t be sacrificed for another. In its application, sustainability strikes a balance of all three.
Enter: the holidays. Whoosh. Suddenly they are upon us, like a gust of wind carrying off with your untethered beach umbrella. You checked the forecast; you knew the storm was coming, but you’re still surprised to be chasing after a rogue umbrella.
Here we are, late November and many of us are waking up with full stomachs from a day of carving turkey with one hand and uncorking wine with the other. In other words, a day of joy, but also the beginning of being stretched thin.
In a season where to-do lists lengthen, daylight hours shorten, and expectations heighten—nevermind this year’s wild card, a pandemic!—how do you sustain *gestures wildly* it all?
For me, it’s about pacing myself and planning ahead. Pacing the amount of work I take on to fit the ebbs and flows of time (and energy) I will have over the next month or so. Planning when and where I will complete said work, too.
Because in the space when I’m not working, I’m making the time (more on that topic here) for my other, equally fulfilling priorities. Such as pacing how—and where—I shop for Christmas gifts, holiday decor, and ingredients for meals. And planning ahead to make those intentions happen.
This looks like:
Buying books (one for you; one for me; repeat) from local independent bookstores, and when I’m not, from Bookshop (the next best thing; the anti-Amazon).
Buying a holiday wreath from a local flower company (a business run out of their home, complete with front porch pick-up) and a Christmas tree from a family-owned tree farm.
Planning what I should buy now to avoid ingredient shortages (thanks, COVID), and what has to wait in order to avoid food waste. Also, anticipating any last-minute decisions that trade convenience for sustainability, e.g., purchasing a single-use roasting pan because I didn’t double-check the size of my dishware ahead of time.
Pacing and planning help sustain my mental health by mitigating holiday stress, yes, but also allowing for the headspace to follow through on my intentions. Do I want to purchase thoughtful gifts from a small, locally-owned shop versus a big chain? Definitely. Do I want my wreath and tree to come from (and in turn, my money go to) small family farms versus an anonymous corporation? Of course. Do I want to drink local (e.g., picking up a growler from my local cidery) and eat local (i.e., procuring ingredients from my local farmers market)? Yes, yes, and more yes.
This holiday season I am grateful for choice. And for pacing. For slowing down and taking the time to think about where my money goes, because I want it to go as local as possible. I think all of those small, steady, sustainable decisions add up.
Especially when we’re in it together.
Supplemental reading: I’ve written a number of articles about sustainability and its intersection with travel (and have dedicated a highlight on my Instagram to sustainable lifestyle tips, too). I also recently wrote about how cities that embrace winter—the unsung heroes of sustainability—support the well-being of their local environments, economies, and societies without tipping the scales one way or another.