Simple Sustainable Living (part 1)

Linda Lander
Sep 10, 2023
4 min read

A few years ago, I made the decision to create a simpler cleaner life. I downsized my living quarters to a little over 500 sq feet. I was able to do this by collaborating with family members to make an agreement to build a cottage (technically called an ADU) on the same property. We get along well and have found living in a multigenerational collaborative lifestyle very satisfying. This process for me was a multi-year multi-step process. Over time I downsized from a home I owned, to a rented townhome, to renting a room in a large home from a friend and finally to building my cottage. In doing so one process has been to learn to live in a smaller space comfortably. I must say it is quite satisfying to enjoy the benefits of less stuff in my life. Along with the smaller space I also made a deeper commitment to sustainability.

What do I mean by sustainability? It is a word that is thrown around a lot these days. Dictionary.com states the meaning as follows:

The ability to be sustained, supported, upheld, or confirmed.
Environmental Science. the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources, and thereby supporting long-term ecological balance.

My personal definition of sustainability is to be a conscious human being; conscious about the food I eat, where and how I shop, using products that have no harmful side effects, using fewer resources such as electricity and water, basically keeping a small footprint. I strive to pay attention to how I live in each moment, making wise decisions that do as little harm as possible to people (including myself) and the flora and fauna of the planet.

Yes, living with a smaller footprint in a cooperative setting has given me a sense of being

supported and sustained. I find that I use less of everything compared to before I downsized.

When I embarked upon this part of my life’s journey, I had become weary of the never-ending cycle of consumerism? My resources to support that lifestyle were also decreasing and costs were increasing. Too, I wanted to live a fulfilling life and make a positive impact on the environment. The decision I made to reduce my carbon footprint, save money, and live a more intentional life was an obvious choice.

Living in a cooperative setting, gardening, composting, shopping consignment and

second hand, reusing, recycling and repairing the things I have rather than buying new, walking as a daily exercise and meditation practice, sharing resources, spending quality time with family and friends and so many more gifts of the simple life have given me more freedom. The simple sustainable life I live makes the statement “less is more” visceral.

I know we all do not have the same circumstances, nor are we all in the same life stage. I for instance am in the third act of my life. Others are in mid-career, rearing children or just preparing for the next phase of life with schooling and dreaming of what comes next. But I believe that given how complex the world is and how easy it is to get caught up in replacing the many gifts of a simple life with consumerism, it would have served me well to choose a simple sustainable lifestyle sooner.

It is a big subject to pen about in one article. Illuminating the delights and details of living a simple sustainable life will take more than one article. I’d like to share more of the details of how I have been able to change the ways I do things to arrive here. Some of the information might help someone else who reads this blog to make steps toward a simple sustainable lifestyle as well. Through comments and reader sharing I might learn some new ideas on how to integrate simplicty into my life. Therefore, this is the first in a series. I hope you will find yourself here again soon to read the next in the series. Your comments are most welcome.

You can comment here on the blog or visit the Garden Gate Cottage Corner Facebook page.

I've suggested resources below and provide links for access to them. In the case of books you can also check your local library, a wonderful resource for a simple sustainable lifestyle. In each article I publish there will be resouce links, some I recieve a small payment for if you happen to like it and purchase, some are links to articles and helpful resources that are not linked to any commission. I will also be adding a resouce page soon that will contain all of the links I have shared. This will allow you to find them again if you forget which article they were in.

Sincerely,

Linda,

Thanks for joining me here at the The Garden Gate Cottage Corner.

Here is a link to EarthBreeze. I love this earth friendly space saving way to doing my laundry. It works great and everytime I wash clothes I feel good that I do not use a plastic container anymore for my soap. Hope you enjoy it too!

For your reading pleasure and information. Here is a gem:

In The Simple Living Guide Janet Luhrs demonstrates how to live a deliberate, simpler life--and savor it. As Janet Luhrs says, "Simple living is about living deliberately. Simple living is not about austerity, or frugality, or income level. It's about being fully aware of why you are living your particular life, and knowing that life is one you have chosen thoughtfully. Simple living is about designing our lives to coincide with our ideals."