Looking after our planet ♥

Julie is a former professional dancer who has since trained as a lifestyle consultant. Her passion for simplifying your life as a means to improve wellbeing is contagious and, as you can read below, is based on personal experiences and a real commitment to improving the lives of those she works with. 

I’ve been talking a lot about the big changes that I’ve been making or am planning on making this year. It’s made me realise that it’s not only big lifestyle alterations that are important, and there are a lot of little things that I’ve started to do which also make a difference to my environmental impact. 

When Kat founded Kalleco she decided to launch the brand with metal straws. This was because it is a simple change that people can make to their lives which can make a significant impact on the environment. Straws make up 7% of the plastic debris in the oceans, so removing any from the eco-system is a big benefit. Since we launched, we get a few recurring questions about our products, so we have decided to do an FAQ about (drum roll)... straws!

I did not have high hopes for the plastic situation in Vietnam when we headed there. Vietnam makes up one of the six countries that is most responsible for plastic pollution in the oceans. That said, we have been pleasantly surprised. This could be because we have been visiting beautiful Hoi An, a UNESCO heritage site.

The concept of consumerism is becoming more and more commonly used in a derogatory sense. As the environment creaks under the ever increasing weight of plastic and industrial waste, increasing numbers of people are turning on what used to be considered one of the main motors of the world.

Minimalism is having something of a revival at the moment, although it’s questionable whether it ever went away. Having too much clutter can cause stress and having an organised home is easier if you follow minimalist principles. The most famous advocate of these at the moment is Marie Kondo...

‘The Buyerarchy of Needs’ by Sarah Lazarovic, is an idea that really makes you think. Whilst Maslow’s hierarchy of needs works it’s way up from our physiological needs such as food and water, to higher concepts like self-actualisation, this adaptation serves as a great reminder whenever you are considering making a new purchase.

There are loads of things that you can do to provide green gifts. Anything homemade shows real thought. A photo album of your favourite memories, or using one of your talents to share with that person what they mean to you. It will be unique, and from personal experience often even more appreciated than the gifts that cost the most money. Or how about some homemade food?

2018 has been manic. We’ve made some huge life changes, and that culminated in Kat starting Kalleco just over six months ago. The last six months has been such a huge learning curve for both of us. Since then, thinking about living a more eco friendly life has gone from being something I did frequently to something that happens everyday, and that’s why I’ve been reflecting so much in the last few weeks.

Committing to making changes in your lifestyle is quite scary. Whether it’s losing weight, kicking a bad habit, living more healthily, or making changes to live a more sustainable lifestyle, the first step is often the hardest.

 I have never really got into ‘hero-worship’, but that doesn’t mean that I am not influenced by others at all. In fact, I actively go looking for examples of behaviours that I would like to see more in myself in others, so that I can see how they manage it, and bring those examples into my own daily routine. Making any changes in our lives or ways of thinking is hard, and there’s no way that works equally well for everyone as we all have different personalities and experiences, so casting my net wide when I look for ways to improve means that I can take the ways that work for me.

I thought I’d share how I came to be interested in the environment. It wasn’t a eureka moment, it was a gradual process, and I feel like I’m still learning and developing. Every time Kat has a new product idea I realise that it’s something I haven’t even thought of (she’s my inspiration!), and increasing my mindfulness of the environment is one of the big changes that I have made.