The term “Eco-minimalism” was originally used in design to design buildings made with less environmental impact. Today, this concept has changed and is used to describe a lifestyle.
The words “eco” and “minimalism” have taken a place in our vocabulary. But together, even building a new word, this could be something new
Let’s start with the concept of minimalism, at first linked to a number of artistic and cultural movements, and which has evolved today into a term that mostly describes an ideology of simple, intentional living. The idea behind the concept is to determine what brings us value and has a purpose in our lives, rejecting anything that can be seen as excessive and unnecessary consumption.
However, minimalism, by its very essence, can easily lead those who follow it to fall into the aesthetic ideal, often choosing to buy or replace products that are still in good condition and fit for use in favor of others that are more beautiful or of higher quality. In other words, even though a minimalist lives with fewer possessions, it doesn’t necessarily mean that he or she has a smaller than average ecological footprint because they want to conform to a certain aesthetic and ideology.
Eco, or environmentalism, on the other hand, refers to an ideology whose goal is exactly to leave the smallest environmental footprint possible, considering the impact that your actions have on the planet’s resources.
However, on the other hand, environmentalists tend to get attached to objects because they want to reuse the goods they own and consume as much as possible, sometimes leading to more accumulation than necessary.
Thus was born the term Eco-minimalism, a movement that seeks to bring together the best of both worlds. On the one hand, it joins the minimalist approach of reducing excessive consumerism and living with intentionality. On the other hand, the environmentalist touch is added, considering the environmental impact of every object in their lives, rethinking the way minimalists get rid of what is not useful to them or reusing what they already have without needing to obey a certain aesthetic.
Both movements have a positive impact on their own, both personally and environmentally, but the synergy between the two elevates them into a lifestyle committed to leaving a healthier and more purposeful toll on the world.
Inês is a fan of nature and there isn't anywhere she goes that she doesn't hug a tree for a souvenir. From her undergraduate to her master's degree, she usually says she studied more at Gulbenkian than at the university itself, and would love one day to combine the communication vein with teaching. Although she have always said she's happy doing anything, as long as she does it with people and for people. She doesn't like silents, prefers movies to series, and listens to podcasts more than music. She likes to try new things, with the exception of food, and always wants to do everything at the same time. She loves to make plans, but she lives one day at a time and this is how she sees sustainability: an experience of her everyday life that she wants to help share with others!
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