Sunray's Over St Marychurch by Peter M Spencer

The word sustainable comes from the idea of something being able to continue, or be maintained, over a long period of time. So, at its simplest, sustainable living could be described as finding ways of meeting our needs today without making it increasingly difficult for ourselves, other people or future generations to meet their needs tomorrow.

That sounds fairly straightforward.

In reality, it is anything but!

Our lives are made up of many interconnected systems — our homes, food, transport, energy, work, finances, the things we buy and the waste we produce. Changing one part can sometimes have unexpected consequences somewhere else.

My Own Sustainability Journey

A number of years ago, I decided that I wanted to become more sustainable in the way I live and to be more eco-friendly wherever I reasonably could.

In an ideal world, I would probably move somewhere surrounded by nature, with plenty of land where I could grow food and live much more simply.

The reality, of course, is rather different.

Now in my 70s, I have to recognise my own limitations. Where I live isn't particularly suitable for growing vegetables, and my home isn't easily adapted for alternative heating systems without a significant financial investment.

That immediately raises an interesting question.

If I had the money to make substantial changes to my existing home, would that actually be the best use of those resources? Would I be better off moving to a more suitable property? And what environmental cost would be involved in producing all the new materials and equipment required to make those changes?

There aren't always simple answers.

Sustainability Isn't About Being Perfect

The more I have looked into sustainable living, the more I have realised that I need to take things slowly and make compromises along the way.

For example, how much can I realistically afford to spend on food?

Could I afford to buy everything organic, or would it make more sense to choose certain foods? Could I reduce the amount of meat I eat? Would changing what I eat have a meaningful environmental benefit?

These are questions rather than instructions.

I don't believe sustainability should become another reason for us to feel guilty about the way we live. Most of us are working within circumstances that we didn't entirely choose, and we all have different abilities, resources and responsibilities.

For me, the important thing is to become more aware and then make better choices where I reasonably can.

I cannot change everything at once.

Some habits have been part of my life for decades, and changing them will take time, patience and determination. Rather than trying to become “perfect” overnight, I would rather make one useful change, learn from it and then move on to the next.

I intend to share that journey here.

 

There is another important aspect of sustainability that is easy to overlook.

It isn't only about what we do inside our own homes. It is also about the things we buy and the businesses we choose to support.

Every purchase is, in a small way, a vote for the sort of products and production methods we want to see more of.

If enough of us begin asking where products come from, what they are made from, how long they are likely to last, how they are transported and what happens to them at the end of their useful life, businesses have a reason to listen.

That is something I am increasingly trying to do with my own artwork.

I am looking more carefully at the materials I use, how they are produced, how they are packaged and the suppliers I work with. Where practical, I want my collectors and art enthusiasts to have the opportunity to buy artwork that has been created or printed with sustainability in mind.

I don't expect every material I use to be perfect.

But I can ask questions, make improvements, and encourage the businesses I buy from to do the same.

Could Small Changes Really Make a Difference?

My Glass Storage Jars from the Charity Shop and Bulk Purchase of loose leaf tea. Shelves made from leftover countertop wood.

That doesn't mean that individual action alone will solve the world's environmental problems. Governments, manufacturers, retailers, energy companies and other large organisations have enormous influence over the systems in which we all live.

But consumers also have influence.

If we start asking for products that use fewer resources, create less waste, last longer and are produced more responsibly, we can help create demand for better alternatives.

And perhaps there is another benefit.

When we begin looking at our own lives through the lens of sustainability, we often discover that living with less isn't necessarily a sacrifice.

Buying less can save money.

Repairing something can be satisfying.

Reusing something can be creative.

Growing even a small amount of food can reconnect us with nature.

And choosing something carefully rather than buying impulsively can sometimes give us greater enjoyment from the things we already own.

What Does the Evidence Tell Us?

There is a useful distinction between sustainability and simply being “eco-friendly”.

Sustainability is much broader than recycling plastic or reducing our carbon footprint. The United Nations' widely used definition of sustainable development is about meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The UN also describes sustainable development as requiring a balance between environmental protection, social inclusion and economic development.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) takes a similarly broad approach to sustainable lifestyles. It considers not only what we buy, but how we live, including our homes, food, transport, leisure and consumption patterns. UNEP describes sustainable consumption and production as doing more and better with less — reducing resource use, pollution and waste throughout the life cycle of products and services.

This is important because the environmental impact of something doesn't necessarily end when we buy it.

A product may involve the extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, packaging, transportation, energy use during its lifetime and eventually disposal or recycling. Thinking about that whole journey is sometimes called life-cycle thinking.

Food is another good example. What we eat, how food is produced, how far it travels and how much is wasted can all influence its environmental impact. UNEP specifically identifies food waste reduction and shifts towards more sustainable food systems as important parts of the transition towards sustainable lifestyles.

Perhaps the most encouraging point is that there isn't one single model of sustainable living that everybody has to follow.

UNEP recognises that sustainable lifestyles need to take account of different circumstances and that people live within different physical, economic and social environments.

That makes sense to me.

Sustainability shouldn't be about copying somebody else's lifestyle.

It should be about understanding our own impact and gradually finding better ways of living within the circumstances we have.

From Sustainable to Regenerative

Recently, I came across an article about the founders of House of Hackney and their ideas around running a business in a way that goes beyond simply being sustainable and towards being regenerative.

That word stopped me in my tracks.

I suddenly realised that perhaps sustainability isn't the end of the journey.

If sustainability means trying not to deplete the resources we depend upon, could regeneration mean going a step further and actively helping to restore, renew or improve the natural and social systems around us?

For me, that was something of a lightbulb moment.

It made me realise that I still have much more to learn.

The founders have been encouraging other business leaders to think about these ideas and work together towards positive change. Reading about it left me feeling hopeful rather than overwhelmed.

Perhaps that is where I would like this journey to lead.

Not towards perfection.

Not towards telling other people how they should live.

But towards learning, experimenting, sharing what I discover and looking for ways in which I can leave things a little better than I found them.

My brush collection includes brushes I have owned since the 90's and some gifted to me. In future could I make my own?

One Step at a Time

So, here is my invitation to you.

Rather than trying to change everything at once, why not choose one area of your life each month?

It might be food.

Energy.

Travel.

Clothing.

Packaging.

Waste.

The things you buy.

Or perhaps something much closer to home.

Look at what you currently do. Find out a little more about its environmental impact. Then ask yourself:

“Is there a better way I could do this?”

You may find that you can't change it.

That's okay.

You may discover that changing it would cost more money than you can afford.

That's okay too.

But perhaps you'll find one small change that works for you.

And then you can make another.

Last year I read The Moneyless Manifesto by Mark Boyle, which contains many interesting ideas about living with fewer financial and material demands. Some of those ideas can also help us think differently about consumption and sustainability.

Today, of course, YouTube and other online resources provide an enormous amount of inspiration and practical information too. We simply need to be selective about the information we trust.

For me, this is becoming a journey of discovery.

I don't have all the answers.

But I do believe that if enough of us become a little more conscious of the choices we make — and encourage businesses to become more responsible in the choices they make — we can gradually create meaningful change.

And perhaps that is a good place to start.

One person.

One choice.

One step at a time.

Thank you for joining me on the journey.

Let's Keep in Touch

I'd love to stay in touch.

Join my friendly community and I'll occasionally share new artwork, studio news, discoveries and thoughts from my journey.

No pressure and no endless emails — just something from me when I have something worth sharing.

With my very best wishes,

Pete