Eco-minimalism

Eco-minimalism is a virtue. 

It is by no means an easy standard to meet, and can by no means be achieved passively, lazily, or without soul-laden motive or profound dedication. Yet, like any virtue, it is wholly realistic, and can be worked towards, as anything truly good in life is worth working hard for. In this case, we are doing what is necessary even though it is hard. What is necessary is climate action on a small scale, on an individual scale. 

The individuals impact the economy, the economy adapts to the needs of the individual, and thus, one might naturally conclude that if a great many individuals address this issue in their own lives that we can combat the capitalist economy and materialistic spell over current times as a result of rapid, widespread economic growth thanks (no thanks) to the recent Industrial Revolution. 

The idealistic conclusion is that if we band together to detach ourselves from our consumerist habits and influences, we can move towards a more sustainable and environmental future for humankind. Unfortunately, it is never so easy as this. 

But that's a lot to unpack so quickly. 

Let me first define a few key terms for my argument, eco-minimalism being the first. You have no doubt heard of minimalism, and eco-minimalism is simply adopting a lifestyle of simplicity either for the benefit of the environment and/or with ones environmental impacts in mind. It is an ecologically-conscious way of being, a simple way of inhabiting and interacting with the Earth. 

Humans love stuff. We love owning stuff. Beyond the regular, useful items such as clothes and tools, of which I do not take an extreme view, we love owning bigger things. Bigger things physically, such as cars, property, and, by extension, land. We love owning concepts and specific arrangements of words (quotes, ideas, books, articles, etc.). But I digress. 

Humans are very possessive, very territorial, just like our ancestors. The issue today is that we act the same way but in markedly greater numbers, and that itself is the unsustainable part. I feel as though there is this narrative that for most of our history, humankind has been this self-subsisting, sustainably-conscious, environmentally-connected species. While this may be somewhat true depending on particular cultures and religions, it must be said that it is largely untrue. 

In fact, it's arguable that we are freshly conscious of our impact on the planet and the sustainability of our actions thanks to detrimental events such as the Industrial Revolution, overpopulation, colonization, urbanization, globalization, and the invention of products such as pesticides, preservatives, cement and automobiles (cars, trucks, etc.). 

To that end, even thousands of years ago humans were fiercely protective of their territory and, should we have had the means to, would have been selfish and gluttonous for progress and readily accepted inventions that would make our lives simpler, easier and, as a result, less environmentally sustainable. What's more, without the development of modern medicine such as we know it today, humans could live unsustainable and materially wasteful existences without worrying as the global population was kept at bay by shorter life spans, more frequent child deaths and the rampancy of disease.  

I do not believe that we can really change ourselves to the extent that I wish we could, or not in so little time. I do not ask people to do that which is beyond human capability, to give up everything, to live without possession. Some have tried, but will tell you that these extreme efforts just don't hold up in the long view, and that they require a level of dedication that most people simply cannot produce given their economic situation, responsibilities to their family, their work, etc. Such lifestyles are not sustainable either, and actually perpetuate extremism. 

No, what really must be adopted is balance. Enough gradual sacrifice to make an impact, but not too much that people start feeling that they are giving away their life, culture, passions, interests and selves. There should be, at least at the beginning, little steps being made by everyone. This is entirely better than fewer people radically environmentalizing their lives while the rest of us lazily drag our feet. If everyone participates in eco-minimalism, or at least less overconsumption of products, less consumption of meat, composting, conserving energy, and using public transport or bikes/legs more often (among plenty of others), we will all make a more substantive impact together. 

It is easier than ever to slip into cynicism these days, especially as a young person with the worlds pressures on our back. Yet, as you can see, I am not a cynic. Far from it. I am actually an optimist when it comes to these things. Perhaps just an optimist with a hint of realist as well. What I gave you above were simply real facts that were intended to enlighten you of our present situation. I do believe meaningful work can be done, and I do believe that, if people are well-educated on these matters, and are given a reason to care, then impactful work can occur. 

Being "given a reason to care" about the preservation of the Earth is what we somehow lack in older generations for the better part of the world. Subsequently, this knowledge and appreciation is then not passed onto newer generations, and we grow up feeling further detached from the beating heart of the Earth than all of our predecessors, than all living organisms, have ever been. 

Young people are the future adults, whether we accept it or not. We have to stop infantilizing ourselves, wallowing in the past, closing our eyes to what's really happening as big corporations distract us with addictive diversions. Cellphones and social media apps like Instagram and Tik Tok convince us to care about influencers, stupid 20-second videos and promoting useless, plastic-encased products in our faces by using each other as competitive players in a sick game while they get away with pumping millions of metric tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere, pressuring us into believing we need to follow trends, go on beautiful trips across the oceans, have all our purchases delivered (including food), buy imported bananas all year round, buy buy buy and then throw everything away when we "don't want it anymore." Even recycling is glorified garbage with less guilt. 

If we don't stand for ourselves, advocate for our right to a healthy planet, the current world leaders and individuals will continue to spoil our planet with blind eyes, gluttonous for power and money. We will be the burdensome doom of our children. We will carry the possessive, controlling, capitalistic colonizing values of humankind as it is now. We will see soon enough that we are locusts, blindly feeding off the planet, leaving nothing in return except slaughter and destruction. The Earth will show us how she feels in time anyways, she will bring us all down with her. 

And then there will be nothing. 

As I've begun to make the harrowing---but nevertheless invigorating---pilgrimage to university, as so many just like me have done, I've finished my first year as an environmental studies student hopeful. I am only 19 years old, and I am surrounded by so many passionate, intelligent people who will, in due time, graduate and get jobs and work on this wicked problem we are facing. More than this, I know in myself that I can try my hardest to combat this problem in my small actions. I know that my attempts and my minimalism and my actions are not insignificant. I believe that it is the fact that we believe anything we do is insignificant that holds us back. That something or someone convinces us that we are small and can do nothing that makes us so.

I am not straying too far from reality here, I assure you. Humans, in large groups, have the capacity to change things. Just think of the 20th century. The majority of the problem befalls our developed countries such as mine, Canada, and my country's sister, the United States, as well as others. Our countries are, more or less, run by the people, and what we demand or do not stand should have a greater impact the greater the numbers are. We can bend our capitalist industries, we can be involved in policymaking and changing our economy. I do not denounce capitalist economies, but they are incredibly flawed and, luckily, malleable. We individuals have influence.

Let's take the meat industry for example. We don't even have to go into lean meats or fish, just red meat, which is, by far, the most environmentally detrimental of the three groups. For context, this is because the red-meat industry relies heavily on resource-intensive production. It contributes heavily to carbon emissions in the processing phase, deforestation for the livestock, and water pollution on top of all things. 

Suppose you were to give up red meat on weekdays and only eat it on weekends or at social occasions. That is five fewer animals being slaughtered for your consumption per month! I don't know about where you are, but nowadays eating less meat is also simply more economical for you as well. Additionally, we should all know by now about the empirical medical evidence that exists against eating red meat at the rate that humankind does. 

But back to the example. Picture if everyone on your street or on your floor did that. What about everyone in your building or your neighborhood? What about if your whole city only ate meat on social occasions? Now that's a big impact, just think about it. 

The grocery stores would have to sell significantly less meat since they would lose money otherwise. This means a significant decrease in demand from industrial red meat livestock farms to slaughter and provide meat directly to us and to restaurants and fast food chains, as they would suffer from this too. But this suffering would be temporary, and curved to incorporate more vegetarian options. 

Additionally, about 45% of the grain produced, and thus 45% of the land used to farm grain, goes to livestock, especially cattle. Cattle are horrible converters as well, which means they produce less energy than they require, so a lot of energy is lost in the process of growing and feeding the cattle and then using them for meat. A significant portion of that 45% could be repurposed to address human food insecurity, or even to simply grow back into wilderness and restore ecological integrity and diversity to suffering regions. 

And if the previous statistic wasn't stirring enough, cows produce up to 500 liters of methane a day by way of flatulence. Yes, industrially-stimulated cow farts are a depressingly significant contributor to the influx of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. So you, or at least those living near these farms, may, over time, notice a positive change in air quality. Overall, makes your burger look a bit less appetizing, doesn't it? I certainly feel that way. 

My point is that this can all be changed if enough of us realize that we can do something. You are not insignificant. You, as a human, are a miracle in itself. You are made of the dust of stars and composed of the flesh and blood of thousands of humans who lived before you. Not only that, but you are a product of the flesh of the earth, the same water that flows through the rivers and the fire, the sun that breathes life into all living beings. We are all connected to the roots of the Earth, and have always been. There must be some purpose to your life, and something that meshes all of humankind together in siblinghood. 

So, a middle ground must be found if more people are to partake in a minimalist lifestyle. It must be portrayed as appetizing. It must be portrayed as something to aspire to, something to want to be. For this to occur there are preconditions that I do not have the time nor the proper education to devise and flesh out. 

But I know, so far, that it is something people have to be aware of, educated on, and aspire to. Only when these changes and actions are in our greatest aspirations do we actually make strides to achieve them. If we change what we, as a society, values, we can change everything. And that starts on an individual level. 

If you educate yourself and do everything in your means to be better by the planet, then you are succeeding. I do not like extremes, and have a lot of contempt for human tendency to go to extremes when dealing with these issues. They are not black and white, and do not have polar resolutions, these are complex, and interwoven systems. I am not asking you to go vegan, I am not asking you to give up your car, all your belongings, and not have children. Doing all of that all at once is extreme. I am not even asking you to go anywhere near that extreme, and believe that that itself is unsustainable if not done right. 

No, I am only asking you to be more aware and conscious of your actions in your day-to-day life. I want you to also be hopeful, to know that even little changes can help, to influence others to do the same, to educate your children, be a good influence, and to enjoy it all along the way if you can. 

We humans are characteristically afraid of change, but good change is good for us. It may be different, it may be hard to get used to, but constant change is, I believe, what stimulates our lives and gives it more meaning and whimsy. We learn from it and we can expand on and deepen it, or we can change it if it doesn't work for us. Our world is malleable, and we, as individuals can make little changes that help the large collective effort to mend our ways. 

Even if it's just you and me, at least that's something. 

Works Cited

https://www.thetannehillhomestead.com/eco-minimalism/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652622032413

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270804467_Eco-Minimalism_as_a_Virtue

https://iere.org/why-is-red-meat-bad-for-the-environment/

Published Edition 1: 20-08-2025