ISSUE 005 // NINA MAAT

What would your advice be to someone who wants to start living a more sustainable life?

Don’t be too hard on yourself when you don’t live the perfect sustainable lifestyle because this could discourage you. Everybody has their own truth, find yours.  Don’t just listen to any kind of influencer or marketing trick, Google things for yourself! Sustainability matters can be simple but also in need of nuance. 

Is there anything you absolutely can’t leave the house without when you go grocery shopping?

I guess the expected answer would be a reusable bag. But a lot of new environmental “solutions” need more nuance. A cotton bag is only more sustainable than a plastic bag when you use it more than a 100 times. Plastic for example, was introduced as an environmental solution to decrease our use of paper. Additionally, with covid19, hygiene is also an important aspect to take into account when taking your own Tupperware to the store. This doesn’t mean I’m pro plastic, I am pro science-based solutions, executed properly by marketing people so everyone knows what to do. 

What brings you joy and pure bliss? 

Nature and drinking Hugo with friends at Walvis

What is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to a sustainable lifestyle?

Sustainable living is the combination of efforts made on a micro, meso and macro level. So I try not to judge people that don’t put in any effort when it comes to sustainable living. The balance between individual effort and political effort is difficult. So, I guess I judge people when they shove responsibility towards one side. Additionally, environmental issues also come with social injustice issues. Promoting sustainable living for me now seems irrelevant, as it wouldn’t take into account how a lot of people are busy trying to make a living. It is more about a sense of jealousy when I see people eating meat or taking the plane, because they are able to put these issues aside. I need to learn that too. 

If you had the chance to address the entire world, what would you say?

I would address policymakers to accelerate the circular economy as this new economy has a fresh, different approach on solutions for climate change.