Becoming an ‘eco-minimalist’: USC experts show how you can help the planet
Solving the myriad environmental problems that face our planet? That requires some of the world’s greatest minds. But becoming an eco-minimalist and being part of the solution? That’s easy.
“It’s a way to reduce the environmental impact of our individual choices,” said Jill Sohm, associate professor of environmental studies and director of the environmental studies program at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. “It’s focused on reducing environmental impact by simplifying your life and buying less.”
The word “eco-minimalism” started as an architectural design term has morphed into a movement. USC Dornsife experts offered suggestions to help you become part of that solution.
Start with the plate
A natural first stop for making changes is diet, said Robert Vos, associate professor and director of graduate studies at USC Dornsife’s Spatial Sciences Institute and co-author of SDG 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production: A Revolutionary Challenge for the 21st Century.
“It’s a choice we make several times a day,” Vos said. “Eating a diet that’s, generally speaking, more vegetarian is going to have less impact on the environment than one with meat.”
Meat as well as dairy consumption tax the environment, according to Audra Isadora Bardsley, a lecturer for USC Dornsife’s environmental studies program. “Animal products tend to be particularly water and energy intensive to produce, with conventional feedlot beef being a top offender,” she said. “We actually dedicate more land in the U.S. to growing food to feed animals than we do food to feed people.”
Eco-minimalists needn’t forgo meat. “Even opting for plant-based milk rather than dairy milk or replacing several meals a week with meat-free alternatives can have a substantial climate impact,” Bardsley said.
Drive or walk toward change
In the U.S., nearly 30% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 came from transportation, according to an Environmental Protection Agency report.
Light-duty vehicles driven responsible for 58% of the share of greenhouse gas emissions, which warm the planet.
How can you address that issue? Walk, bike or use public transit, suggested Vos. Drive less, he said, and consider “what type of automobile one might drive.”
Eco-minimalists can have an even greater impact by making their voices heard. “Corporations are responsible for the vast majority of emissions, which means they need to do their fair share to mitigate sustainability challenges we’re currently facing,” said Sohm. “Hold them accountable, asking both of them, and our governments, to change to a more sustainable system.”
Easy ways to do this: Email your local government officials and vote for politicians working toward sustainability.
Begin at home
Living space factors into the eco-minimalism equation, particularly when it comes to energy use. “This can be even more significant than transport choices,” Vos said.
Look at everything in your home, large and small, that uses energy, be it lightbulbs or appliances, Vos recommends. “Aim for appliances that use less energy, like those ranked as Energy Star,” he said. These appliances meet strict energy-efficiency criteria from the EPA and U.S. Department of Energy.
But don’t be fooled by “eco-friendly” label, he said. Be aware of “greenwashing,” a form of marketing that falsely implies a product may be good for the environment.
“One has to tread carefully when it comes products advertised as being green,” Vos said. “There are questions to ask, including: Does the manufacturer have a fully developed sustainability program? Does it have good metrics for its supply chains, and how much energy is used both for making the materials in the product and for the product itself?”
Delay gratification and shop smart
The pandemic has changed the way the world shops, moving more commerce online. Is this better or worse than driving to the store? “Wanting something delivered to your door quickly raises your footprint,” Vos said. “If items are delivered by airplane versus container ship, their impact on the environment is higher.”
Compounding the issue is when consumer products need to be returned. “Reverse logistics are a big, fat mess,” Vos said. “And often, when items are returned, they get disposed of, taking away good circular reuse in reverse logistics chains.”
Consider the life cycle and the environmental footprint of a cotton T-shirt, Bardsley said.
“The energy needed starts with operating farm equipment to plant seeds, synthesizing/distributing/codelying pesticides used to protect the crop from insects, harvesting and processing the cotton, transporting the compressed staple fiber, spinning the fiber, weaving it into fabric, shipping it to a garment manufacturer, sewing the fabric into clothing and bringing the shirt to point of sale,” she said.
To become more mindful when making purchases, look into resources from the the EPA, Better Cotton, Forest Stewardship Council and Marine Stewardship Council, all entities that certify businesses with sustainable commodity systems and trustworthy imprints.
Shopping at thrift or second-hand stores is one way to conserve.
Consider, too, why non-sustainable products can be cheaper. “Items may be made in countries where workers are paid very low wages or [are] created with materials like plastic that are derived from, or depend on, fossil fuels, which are subsidized,” Sohm said. “Essentially, we’re not paying the true cost of inexpensive goods.”
Make change
Ultimately, eco-minimalism comes down to consuming less.
“Lots of people making small changes all together can have a large impact,” Sohm said. “And making sustainable choices is empowering in a world where it can feel like we don’t have much control.”