IMAGE asked 4 Irish women, including past pupil Geraldine Carton, why sustainability is important to them
“Sustainability to me means much more than funky keep cups, or the smug sensation that comes with a particularly thrifty charity shop purchase (although, I mean of course there is that too). Personally, it means connecting the dots between my individual behaviour and what is happening in the world around me. Taking responsibility for the impact my life is having on this planet and its most vulnerable inhabitants, and using my privilege and ‘purse power’ to turn the dial from negative to positive where at all possible.
‘Future is an attitude’: IMAGE asked 4 Irish women, including past pupil Geraldine Carton, why sustainability is important to them
“I am by no means ‘perfectly sustainable’, but I’ve increasingly found that the more of an effort I make in one aspect of my life (e.g. avoiding fast fashion completely), then the more I am spurred on to try and tackle another area in my life (eg. reducing the amount of food I waste week-by week). I know that living more sustainably has made me a more thoughtful citizen and has definitely increased my sense of personal wellbeing. I can’t describe the buzz I get from supporting local small businesses, and let me tell you, the mindfulness that comes with sewing back on a button *knows no bounds*.
“Getting involved in the sustainability movement and feeling the support and encouragement from my fellow environmental enthusiasts has hugely helped me to remain positive in the face of the climate emergency we’re all currently facing. Making a point to learn about the reality of what is going on around the world and understand the solutions available has also empowered me to keep going. At the end of the day, I truly believe that living an increasingly sustainable lifestyle is going to be our only option. If we want future generations to see through to the next century then we need to make the necessary changes today. It’s pretty much as simple as that.”
Geraldine’s sustainability tips are:
Channel the energy of the generations before us! They never let food go to waste, they only invested in a few good quality pieces, and they all knew how to mend clothing. In truth, our grannies were the original “sustainability queens” and they didn’t even know it!
Eat seasonal, locally-farmed produce. By doing so you can decrease your carbon footprint in a BIG way, with minimal effort. Check out stopfoodwaste.ie for seasonality calendars.
Shop secondhand. We have anything between 40 to 400 per cent more clothing than people did 20 years ago, and yet we’re keeping it for half as long. So, instead of requiring additional resources to create new products, why not make use of what is already in circulation and check out your local charity shop, or vintage store, or the likes of Depop and Thriftify online!
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