YOUNG, BROKE AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE How to practice sustainable living Story by Alexis Lynde Illustrations by Ray Alarcon Marquez
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or many people, your twenties are a time of intense studying, working, and partying. But most importantly, they are about getting your life started. Some fear what their future might look like due to the rising climate change crisis. People like Maria Dotz and Sarah Alame began practicing a more sustainable lifestyle in their early adulthood to do their part and help the cause. Dotz, 24, who works at a biological consulting firm, said, “We specialize in biological services such as plant and wildlife surveys, mitigation plans, and impact analysis.” Alame, 26, began practicing sustainability at 18 years old, and is now the president of Students for Sustainability at CSUB and ASI director for sustainability. As for myself, I am a busy, broke 21-year-old and am guilty of consuming fast food and fashion, which are known to be especially wasteful. Trying to keep up with trends and live within a tight budget can be a challenge. I have been interested in living a more zero-waste lifestyle, but getting started can be both overwhelming and intimidating. Many high-quality, sustainable products can be expensive, and almost everything nowadays is wrapped in plastic, so where does one start? Thanks to Dotz and Alame, here is a list of four tips and tricks that have helped me adjust to a more sustainable lifestyle.
1.
SHOP LOCALLY
Alame and Dotz said that big corporations produce an incredibly large amount of waste. Though it would be nice if they took more accountability for their actions, it’s also our job as consumers to change our shopping habits. Alame said, “If we’re funding these companies that are mass producing, producing a lot of greenhouse gasses, they’re producing a lot of excess, unnecessary waste, that’s on us. That’s why it’s always important to try and shop local if you can.” And with that I headed to the local farmers market and picked up some local honey. Not only was I supporting a local business, but the honey also came in a glass jar I could reuse and was approximately half the cost for the same amount of honey from a grocery store.
38 | SPRING 2023