by Matt Preston 

Sustainable living invokes certain clichés and stereotypes that, right or wrong, are what they are. Depending on what side of the spectrum we lean will determine how we engage the associated pluses and minuses with living in a more streamlined way. However, when we are just some dude living on the same block or in the same building as someone else that lives in an eco-friendly way, some of these things may cause confusion. 

For example, many of us have at one point rolled their eyes at their neighbor’s compost pile in their backyard. At first it was assumed to be poor lawn care management or just plain laziness, but it’s the chicken wire around the pile that finally makes us ask what’s going on. After a few of the buzz words and terms like “conservation,” “eco-friendly composting” and/or “repurposing waste” are thrown around, we’ve probably already checked out of the conversation. 

However, on closer inspection, a few things begin to click. First, this does make raking the leaves in the fall a lot easier. If we’re lucky, the township may collect them twice, but usually too early or too late. With composting leaves, we pretty much rake them into a corner of our yard and put some nutrient-rich debris on it to help the process. And if we’re lucky, our neighbor may just let us use their compost tumbler, which evidently is an actual thing as opposed to fantasy. 

In the big city, the lessons can be just as surprising and positive. Take urban ecology for another example; it’s not just the fever dream of an over-caffeinated college professor protected by tenure. It describes the studies of nature in a city environment, among other components. This is all news to some of us as the elevator in our building moves slowly, which gives us time to feign interest as our crush describes the practice in vivid detail. 

Various explanations are bandied about like so much fertilizer in the aforementioned compost pile. “Oh, urban ecology promotes sustainability within urban spaces where people and nature are able to exist together. How interesting,” We might say, faking interest. “It might be that this actually helps with pollution of the air and water, which benefits the environment, citywide transportation and the production of food. That’s totally something that I find interesting,” we may exaggerate. 

As we continue to nod like a bobble head, we’re able to finagle our way into a quick coffee break with our crush, and of course, Starbucks it is. It’s there although we actually begin to absorb how important the application of all this is and how it helps. Cities generally aren’t getting any smaller and neither is the population. And it’s through that that we realize how important being able to study, learn and process the findings in a way that helps the environment, benefits humanity and saves money. 

At the end of the day, one lesson is clear—that it really has to start with you at home. First, we don’t have to let the anxiety of the day’s events, and they are seemingly unending, lead us to look for a quick fix by using a certain company that rhymes with “schmamazon” for every last purchase. There was a time when toothpaste fabric softener and vegan dark chocolate didn’t need to be ordered packaged and delivered by truck, so buying those items in person is a good way to conserve. 

Speaking of toothpaste; when going through our oral hygiene routine, we don’t need to leave the water running for the entire minute that it hopefully takes to brush our teeth. Just the same, we all love scolding-hot showers or baths; but unless we just did a marathon race coupled with a muddy obstacle course and pulled a hammy, take it easy on the amount of water that’s used. And it wouldn’t be the end of the world if we at least attempted to grow our own fruits and vegetables, science fiction as that might seem to some these days. 

In the end, these practices don’t have to be engaged with anything less than positive energy. And the only way this becomes evident is actually seeking out and exploring these new worlds. Just the same, if we’re on the other end of these examples and already practice sustainable living, share this knowledge in a positive way. Who knows, we might even gain a friend from this that might be willing to drive us to work when it’s 100-plus in the shade and we don’t actually own a car. 

Matt Preston is a creative and professional writer from Gloucester Township in South Jersey. Writing is one of his passions; body, mind and soul wellness one of his goals; and belief in destiny his continual motivation. His website and podcast can be found at @TheApatheticVegan.com.