Ways We Can Become More Sustainable

With World Environment and Ocean Day coming up we wanted to ask ourselves what are some ways we can change the way we live to be more sustainable?

In the Modibodi office we are always conscious of the amount of waste we produce in-house and are always looking for ways to adapt and be better; however small the steps are.

We have a thorough recycling system, make a habit of not printing anything, we don’t use business cards, all our samples and excess stock are donated to charity, we use the dishwasher (making sure it's full) to save on water, to name a few.

We reached out to one of our customers Maali, who is currently living in a very full household with her family, to see what changes they have made around the house to become more sustainable.

So who lives in the house? How did you all come to live together? 

My husband and I moved in with my dad (apparently temporarily) nearly 3 years ago to save money. In the meantime our daughter (now 2 years old) has come into the picture. My sister and her husband usually reside in Bali but returned to give birth to their baby girl. Then COVID-19 happened and they are not sure when they will return so now we have 3 generations under one roof, 5 adults, 1 energetic toddler and one beautiful newborn.

What ways have you changed around the house to live more sustainably?  

We started growing our own vegetables. We initially plant the seeds in egg cartons to germinate inside out of the harsh weather, once the seedlings are planted in the soil the egg cartons will decompose. I’ve also learnt that it is possible to grow some vegetables just from the off cutes that usually get discarded when cooking, so far I've had success with celery, spring onion and leek. The kitchen window sill is starting to look like a garden nursery! 

Composting! With so many mouths to feed also comes a lots of food scraps! 

We got chickens! Yes we are those people that went and panic bought chickens during COVID! They are fabulous because not only do they create delicious eggs to eat, they eat your food scraps, create great fertiliser for the garden and make great pets for us to play with. You can even throw the chicken poo in the compost too!

I’m lucky that my husband is quite handy, we decided to create the chicken coop with spending a little money as possible. He used odd materials from the shed and knocked something together. As for saving money? Ask me in a few months. I’m yet to harvest any vegetables and we have had a total of 5 eggs (apparently hens don’t really lay at this time of year but nobody tells you that!)

Why is it important to you?

Living with so many people you realise how much waste we create. It’s been a real wake-up call! It’s also been a great time to teach my daughter about where her food comes from and the importance of living sustainably.

Do you all eat together?

We all eat dinner together most nights, we take turns in cooking which is a bonus of having so many adults in the house. 

Do you try to choose sustainable clothing/home brands?

This is something I am definitely becoming a lot more conscious of. That’s why the Modibodi concept appealed to me!

How did you hear about Modibodi?

I first read about Modibodi online and was completely intrigued by the idea. I had always struggled with the waste involved in disposable sanitary products and Modibodi seemed like a no brainer for me.  

Do you and your sister both use Modibodi?

Yes, we do!! They have been life changing! Not only is it so much better for the environment, it is just so much less mucking around in our busy lives!

Is everyone in the house trying to be more sustainable?

The whole household have been on board with living more sustainably. They are probably sick of me telling them what to put or not put in the compost or chicken scraps buckets but that haven’t kicked me out yet! 

What are some ways you have changed your way of living to be more sustainable? Has the recent shift in the world due to COVID-19 made you more aware of your waste, or made you want to be more sustainable? Let us know in the comments!