Amid the realities of high-speed internet, fad diets, single-use coffee cups and fast fashion, there is a move by many of us to embrace the culture of slow. We’re hearing more and more about people getting back to the simplicity and more manageable, steady heartbeat pace of their grandparents.
Not to say they didn’t get a lot done or work hard to keep all things afloat. Somehow, though, there was more of a “be here now” reality to life not too long ago, before technology and the cost of living catapulted us into a lifestyle that doesn’t serve our bodies or the planet.
We’re learning, if slowly, that consuming less often results in increased quality of life. Making our own meals at home takes longer, and yet is usually more nutritious and possibly even less expensive.
The trade-off is time. Many families are choosing to eat in, cook meals for the week, and invest energy in harvesting local fruit or heading to the farmers’ market. The trade-off may be less immediate satisfaction of food in the belly, but comes with so many other benefits, including less single use to-go wear, and time in drive-throughs all for low quality meals.
Slow fashion is also becoming the new normal. The rapid pace and poor quality of much of the fashion industry is really a newer phenomenon. Ordering cheap clothing online that may or may not fit or remain in style for long has not been a possibility until recently.
With a desire to slow down, and tell a story with our clothing (our second skin), many of us are taking up sewing, knitting, embroidering, mending, thrifting and upcycling. Winter is a perfect time to dive deeper into this and enjoy getting creative.
Entertainment being available at the click of a button has affected our sense of community and creativity. Recognizing this, we are finding ourselves reaching out to spend time with neighbours more, rather than a screen, and to entertain each other for free rather than with a swipe of a credit card.
This time of hibernation is also an invitation to slow down our social scene and spend time with a book or an at-home hobby, honing our skills before the inevitably busier, longer days of summer.
In a strange twist of fate, this seems to be cold season, a forced slowing down because our energy isn’t quite as bouncy as other times. So, dig deep into couch time, knowing it has its place, and that will likely shift with the growing light.
Fast has its appeal, to be sure, and there is a time for efficiency and avoiding wasting time on things that don’t contribute to the quality of our lives or the wellness of the earth. That said, slow is more sustainable in pretty much every sense of the word, so take a moment, or an hour, to contemplate ways that slowing life down can enrich your every day.
Let’s Talk Trash is a team of seasoned trash experts, custom-crafting solid waste solutions since 2011.
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