People For The Planet
Clare Press
Journalist + Author + Conscious Fashion Expert
Clare Press
Clare Press @mrspress is a sustainability-focused author, podcaster, and storyteller with a background in journalism, including being the first Vogue sustainability editor. Her podcast, Wardrobe Crisis, aims to find solutions for sustainable fashion and features interviews with innovators, activists, and policymakers.
IRK: Tell us your “Why”
It’s shifting. I got into this work in 2014 when I figured out my industry (fashion) was linked to terrible environmental and social impacts. I was determined to be part of the change. But I’m disappointed that we haven’t addressed the volume issue – better fashion must mean less fashion, but brands don’t want to reckon with this. What keeps me going is the kindness of other humans, and their endlessly surprising complexity. On a personal level, maybe it won’t be about fashion for me going forwards – maybe it will be more about trees. On an industry level, I think we need to think bigger. Radically change the system not just make a slightly more sustainable sneaker.
IRK: What are you most passionate about with respect to taking care of people and the planet?
I am passionate about protecting wild places, forests and biodiversity.
IRK: What are some conscious actions you implement in your daily life?
In terms of fashion, I buy carefully, ask myself: ‘Do I really need it?’ and then try to support independent designers who care about sustainability. Second-hand and vintage are great options, swapping with friends is another one. Check out rental if you’ve got an event coming up and want to wear something new and fancy. That said, (just throwing this out there!) do we put too much emphasis on individual conscious actions? Obviously, you’ve got to care, and leading by example does matter. I take public transport, buy less, avoid meat, etc. but I also fly long haul so I’m a hypocrite. I suspect we waste a lot of time feeling guilty over personal fails, time that’s better spent ensuring we have the right leaders in government. I would say, don’t beat yourself up over that time you grabbed a plastic bag at the grocery store, or a single-use coffee cup. Vote for the leaders who will legislate all those things out of the picture. If possible, consider standing for election yourself! Others might consider what they can do in the education space or working with community groups. I just sometimes feel worrying about that coffee cup is a distraction.
IRK: What’s your hope for the future of the planet?
Ecologically and socially just. And post-capitalist – a much more level playing field where the super-rich have disappeared, and societies are much more equal. Where no one is a billionaire, and no one goes hungry.
What Sustainable Development Goal do you align with the most? https://sdgs.un.org/goals
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, & SDG 13: Climate Action
Aditi Mayer
Sustainable Fashion Thought Leader + Climate Activist + Visual Storyteller
Aditi Mayer
Aditi Mayer @aditimayer, is a sustainability activist and visual storyteller who examines the intersection of style, social justice, and sustainability. Through her work, she challenges the fashion industry’s colonial practices, amplifies marginalized voices, and explores ancestral wisdom in the Indian handloom industry.
IRK: Tell us your “Why”
My journey into sustainable fashion began almost seven years ago during the 2013 Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh. Rana Plaza framed one of the biggest industrial disasters of human history– an eight-story factory collapse that killed more than 1,132 workers and injured over 2,500. The collapse was not an unpredictable disaster. Structural cracks were identified the day before the building’s collapse. However, due to pressure from upper management, workers were called in to work the next day to finish orders for brands.
Like many in movement spaces, my work began in response to tragedy and loss – and the awareness of a fashion system that had long extracted and exploited the global south. But what has kept me going is redefining me work in relation to my love for beauty and culture.
The project of fashion is one of disposability: from the land and labor behind our label to the end garment itself. The response, then, is one of rooting and respect. My work in the fashion space today has been a return to culture, to community building, to personal identity.
IRK: What are you most passionate about with respect to taking care of people and the planet?
Engaging in movements of reimagination – a reimagination of how our dominant systems can, and should, operate.
IRK: What are some conscious actions you implement in your daily life?
My mission as a sustainable fashion blogger is to reorient who gets to lead this movement. Diversifying the voices of sustainable fashion isn’t just to elicit the cosmetic role of “inclusion,” but also to diversify the modalities through which we understand what sustainability looks like.
Beyond just talking about the plight of garment workers globally, I decided to draw my efforts to support the resistance of garment workers in Los Angeles, a largely undocumented workforce, whose immigration status is often weaponized in order to prevent them from speaking out.
Beyond just sharing the next ethically made must-have of the season, I decided to create content about opting out of a culture that makes you feel like you constantly need to buy more– and understanding your personal style beyond trends.
And while I still work with luxury sustainable fashion labels, the majority of them are BIPOC- owned, addressing the need to create solutions that understand the context of regional issues and can present aesthetics that honor cultural craft.
IRK: What’s your hope for the future of the planet?
I’m often asked what an ideal future of fashion looks like to me. To which I say: Decentralized. Rooted in regionality. If you follow my work, you’ll know that I argue that our dominant fashion model is colonial in nature
Power is Centralized. Among the world’s richest billionaires are fast fashion CEOs, while their workers, and the landscapes they produce in, continue to suffer. Fabrics and fibers are homogenized. Approximately 60% percent of the fashion we see in stores today is made of polyester, a product of the fossil fuel industry.
Fibers are grown in one country to be shipped across seas to be processed, shipped to another to be cut and sewed: all based on an artificial, man-made, subsidized construction that is the “cheaper” way of doing it, without paying head to emissions that suffocate our planet. (Reminder that the fashion industry emits more carbon than international flights and maritime shipping combined.)
That’s why one of the key examples of what equitable and resilient systems can look like is decentralized & localized.
Imagine within a 150-mile radius, you have local fibers growing, that are then dyed by native plants, and then constructed by local artisans, and then brought to you, the consumer. It’s a localized system we’ve seen grow in popularity for our food systems, but not so much fashion systems.
The project of fast fashion exists to alienate consumers from what they consume and where it comes from, which is why decentralization and localization are incredibly important in making supply chains more intimately linked.
What Sustainable Development Goal do you align with the most? https://sdgs.un.org/goals
SDG 13: Climate Action.
Orsola de Castro
Co-Founder Fashion Revolution + Creative Director + Author
Orsola de Castro
Orsola de Castro is an upcyclist, fashion designer, and author. Orsola is the co-founder and creative director of Fashion Revolution, an activism movement which works towards a sustainable fashion industry. De Castro has been in the sustainable fashion space for more than 20 years, since founding upcycling brand, From Somewhere, in 1997, a fashion label that addressed and repurposed pre-consumer textile waste. From Somewhere’s 100% upcycled collections have sold around the world featured regularly in the international fashion press; collaborations include upcycled collections for Tesco, Speedo and Topshop.
In September 2006 Orsola, together with her partner Filippo Ricci, started Estethica, a dedicated ethical fashion showcase at London Fashion Week for the British Fashion Council. Estethica ran from 2006 to 2014 and has showcased designers such as Christopher Raeburn, Katie Jones, Bottletop, People Tree and Veja.
In 2011, Orsola and Filippo founded Reclaim To Wear, an organization that brings designers, producers and distributors to create upcycled capsule collections. Reclaim To Wear collaborations include Livia Firth and Central Saint Martins. ‘Topshop’s Reclaim To Wear’, a collaboration running from 2012 to 2014 in which Topshop reclaimed surplus and excess stock fabric from factories in Turkey, India and the UK to make 3 capsule collections.
In 2013, together with Carry Somers, Orsola co-founded Fashion Revolution, a creative campaigning initiative aimed at raising awareness about the fashion industry’s human rights and environmental issues. Fashion Revolution was founded following the Rana Plaza 2013 Dhaka garment factory collapse in Bangladesh, which happened on 24/4/2013 and took the lives of more than 1,100 garment workers. On the first anniversary of the tragedy, 62 countries took part in the first Fashion Revolution Day on 24 April 2014. Since, the campaign has seen more than 1 million people around the globe ask fashion brands “Who Made My Clothes?” on social media as a call for industry transparency.
De Castro wrote her first book, Loved Clothes Last, a memoir of her work as an upcyclist and practical guide to clothing longevity, mending and fashion activism.
Orsola continues to mentor emerging designers, both in her personal life and via The British Fashion Council, Fashion Open Studio, and as a visiting fellow at Central St. Martins. Her past mentees include Bethany Williams, Angus Tsui, Kevin Germanier, Katie Jones, and Matthew Needham.
IRK: Tell us your “Why”?
I believe fashion isn’t frivolous, and what we chose to wear has a huge impact on people and nature. Starting from my own wardrobe, I hope to inspire better habits, for a more sustainable future.
IRK: What are you most passionate about with respect to taking care of people and the planet?
taking care of people and planet.
IRK: What are some conscious actions you implement in your daily life?
firstly I would prefer not to call them ‘conscious actions’. Conscious is the opposite of catatonic, which I am not, therefore everything I do is in a state of being awake. I do my best in every action I take, but it isn’t always easy living in London as I do. I do all of the above, but I also recognize that as an individual my actions won’t instigate enough change and we need to keep pushing for legislations, regulations, and support from governments. It can feel very frustrating to do one’s best when you hit obstacles you can’t control: but I continue regardless, small steps, little things. Don’t stop.
IRK: What’s your hope for the future of the planet?
love this Earth.
What Sustainable Development Goal do you align with the most? (https://sdgs.un.org/goals)
Goal: 5 – Gender Equality
Sujata Assomull
Journalist + Activist
Sujata Assomull
Sujata Assomull @sujstyle is a renowned journalist and author, known for her work as a contributing editor for Vogue Business and her bylines in publications such as Vogue India, Mint, and CNN Style. As an advocate for mindful fashion, she uses her platform to raise awareness and drive change towards a more sustainable and ethical fashion industry.
IRK: Tell us your “Why”?
I started my career as a fashion journalist in the late 90s. We were so excited about the advent of fast fashion, which made fashionable clothing more accessible and democratic. We never thought about the impact of the consumption patterns we were pushing, so in a way I feel responsible for pushing women to shop more. It was around this time I moved to India from London and was just mesmerized by the textile and crafts traditions of India. Contemporary fashion was just taking off at this time in India. I began understanding the value of investing in handmade clothes. Each craft form has its own heritage, its own story, and the fact it was connected to my own cultural heritage made each garment so special. It struck me that the way to preserve this heritage unless it’s to patronize artisanal fashion and to future-proof our traditions; respectful innovations and disruptions are necessary. The advantage of buying local is small batch producers tend to have a responsibility in their approach to sourcing, production, and design Along came social media, which encouraged buying patterns I did not believe in, at the same time I was growing more aware of the impact fashion was having on the planet. This journey led me to use the voice I had to encourage more responsible approach to fashion.
IRK: What are you most passionate about with respect to taking care of people and the planet?
It’s about one word to me, kindness, treating people with kindness. Ensuring the people behind the products you buy are treated kindly and also buy products that are kind and do not destroy the planet.
IRK: What are some conscious actions you implement in your daily life?
It is just about being more mindful– from choosing clean beauty products, using a glass bottle instead of plastic, looking for upcycled fashion, buying preloved and vintage pieces, and also starting your own fashion club. To do this you must keep reading and learn as much as you can about how to be a more responsible consumer. Be aware. Do your research before you buy and encourage your friends to do the same. I have a few friends whom I swap bags with, and whom I borrow pieces from.
IRK: What’s your hope for the future of the planet?
To value the planet and know it is our job to ensure the planet the next generation inherits is a better one.
What Sustainable Development Goal do you align with the most? (https://sdgs.un.org/goals)
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Carry Somers
Co-Founder Fashion Revolution + Activist
Carry Somers
Meet @carrysomers, As founder of Fashion Revolution, the world’s largest fashion activism movement, Carry has spent the past decade pressuring the fashion industry to take responsibility for its social and environmental impacts. Carry is also in the process of setting up a new organisation, a support network for artisans, as well as writing a book on plant-based fibres and dyes. Carry is a true Fashion Revolutionary!
IRK: Tell is your “Why” Over 30 years ago, on a research trip to Ecuador, I accompanied a woman to buy the wool she needed to knit her jumpers. Seeing the weighing scales, an international symbol of justice, loaded with wool on one side and the woman being charged a price bearing no resemblance to the cost per kilo, I felt a real sense of outrage at the clear discrimination being practised before me. That anger at the injustices of the industry is still there: it’s the fire that keeps me going. And although there is still so much to be done, fashion thrives on change, so I believe fashion can change. But it will require a new mindset, and a new way of working with respect for culture, craftsmanship, makers and the earth’s precious resources.
IRK: What are you most passionate about with respect to taking care of people and planet?
From sailing 2000 miles with eXXpedition to investigate microplastic pollution, to sifting through the sediment at the bottom of Rudyard Lake and retrieving twenty-year-old cotton fibres, to picking up fishing nets and a polyester scarf washed in by this morning’s tide, my passion is raising awareness of the often invisible impact of our clothes on waterways and the ocean.
IRK: What are some conscious actions you implement in your daily life?
I’ve done two beach cleans already today. At the moment, I’m buying my food from a fantastic East Devon network of independent, small-scale food producers called In My Back Yard, where you can buy everything from veg and milk (in glass bottles) to freshly-caught fish. And when it comes to my clothes, almost all of them are vintage or second-hand.
IRK:What’s your hope for the future of the planet?
My hope is that the fashion industry can begin to work in step with nature, not against it.
What Sustainable Development Goal do you align with the most?
Gaol 12, Responsible Production and Consumption and Goal 14, Life Below Water
Oskar Metsavaht
Artist + Designer, Environmentalist + Activist + Founder & Creative Director of Osklen + Instituto-E President, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
Oskar Metsavaht
Oskar Metsavaht @oskarmetsavaht, is a multidisciplinary creator, environmentalist, and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for a Culture of Peace and Sustainability. He is the founder and creative director of Osklen, a brand that has been at the forefront of sustainable fashion innovation for 30 years and the president of Instituto-E, a Civil Society Organization that develops and implements sustainable development projects.
IRK: Tell us your “Why”?
Like cinema, music, literature and the arts, fashion is one of the protagonists of the change towards sustainable development when it acts in the transformation of society’s behavior.
At Osklen, we use fashion as a communication and expression tool. We understand that fashion can be like a manifesto, where people can express their intentions when dressing. And this is a way of collaborating with movements that need more space and visibility such as Brazilian popular culture, the preservation of the Amazon and the culture of its original people, international agreements such as Kyoto Protocol and Earth Charter, the protection of oceans, amongst others.
Together with Instituto-E, we work on the development of sustainable materials from the Amazon, such as juta and latex from the Amazon, pirarucu fish skin and natural oils – actively participating in supporting the socio-economic-environmental chain of the forest. When we transform these materials into design products, we are supporting to keep the forest standing & encourage the industry to think about sustainable development.
Since my first steps at Osklen, in the late 1980s, our commitment has been to bring innovations that really make a significant difference, both for those who will wear the clothes and for the entire production chain.
The ASAP [As Sustainable As Possible / As Soon As Possible] concept is a guide for my teams. “ASAP” asks for the urgency of change, but within the possibilities of each one at the moment. We can’t wait to get it all done – we’re doing the best we can every day. And this concept that I idealized has a paradigmatic importance. Being 100% sustainable is a huge challenge, just take the first step, even if it’s only 1% and build up from there. The ASAP concept is fully inclusive. It’s my invitation to everyone to dedicate themselves to starting. This concept inspires us and inspires many brands around the world.
IRK: What are you most passionate about with respect to taking care of people and the planet?
I have always had a connection for the relationship between the human body and its environment. Us humans live in harmony with our environment, with the planet.
We can’t talk about sustainability if we don’t think primarily of human beings, and understanding people not as biological beings but as human beings. I was invited by UNESCO to be a Goodwill Ambassador because they consider me a humanist, and that’s why I’m an ambassador for Sustainability and Culture of Peace. And recently, also Ambassador for Ocean Decade for UN.
We have always taken everything from nature – and now in the 21st Century, we understand that it’s time for humankind to give back to nature, it’s time for us to give back to the forest, to take care of the forest, the oceans, everything.
We can use the planet’s natural resources to generate profit, economy and development, if we keep them at the same state or even better for the next generation. This is a motto for me, it is so simple to understand.
If we create sustainable development projects, developing products and services both for Brazil and for the world, we will make a turnaround not only for Brazil, but for the planet.
IRK: What are some conscious actions you implement in your daily life?
I believe that sustainability is a process of continuous learning and improvement, and that we must always take the first step in the transition to a more responsible society with the lowest possible socio-environmental impact. And sustainability cannot be seen as a concept, but as a commitment to society as a whole. We do not ask for radicalism, but for everyone to understand the importance of change.
Over the past 30 years, my work at Osklen and Instituto-E has always been to create sustainable development projects generating products and services for Brazil and the world. With a 360º vision of the production chain and the use of sustainable and natural materials and processes, we are collaborating concretely with the preservation of the forest, generating income for the communities, respecting and valuing the local biodiversity and causing zero deforestation.
I understand that our great role is to enable the responsible and sustainable transformation of natural resources from the Amazon, such as jute from the Amazon and pirarucu fish skin, into objects with high power of use in everyday life. Osklen, as a fashion company, takes its style and design team to bring raw materials to life, which will then be transformed into new products.
In 2022, for example, 23 million liters of water were saved and more than 9,000 kg of C02 were reduced by using juta from Amazon as a raw material in Osklen’s collections (compared to traditional cotton).
When someone in any part of the world wears a t-shirt made with jute from the Amazon, or a pair of pirarucu fish skin sneakers, you can be sure that the forest is renewed, that local communities are strengthened and that the concept of preservation is stronger.
IRK: What’s your hope for the future of the planet?
We are the generation that is living in one of the most important and interesting periods of civilization, a moment of transition, the turning point from a sick planet to a sustainable planet.
I think that our generation is going to save the planet and ourselves, and it’s so nice that our generation can be one of the protagonists of this change. I believe in this wave that is coming – it’s coming spiritually, intellectually, in practice. This transition depends just on us, we have the chance to save ourselves and to deliver a better planet for our future generations.
What Sustainable Development Goal do you align with the most? (https://sdgs.un.org/goals)
As a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, I often say that we are guided by the Instituto-E sustainability criteria and committed to all the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We work to give voice to causes aligned with the 17 SDGs in our sustainable development projects in support of the 2030 Agenda. Our great differential is our pioneering spirit in stimulating change and generating transformation.
Sara Sozzani Maino
Creative Director Fondazione Sozzani + Head of Special Projects at Vogue Italia & head of Vogue Talent
Sara Sozzani Maino
Meet Sara Sozzani Maino @fondazionesozzani; Vogue Italia Deputy Director Special Projects, Head of Vogue Talents, Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana International Brand Ambassador. Her goal is to create awareness and consciousness to become more responsible. She aims to create awareness and consciousness to become more responsible.
IRK: Tell us your “Why”?
Supporting the new generation is fundamental they are our future! Passion and determination are the drives for everything.
IRK: What are you most passionate about with respect to taking care of people and the planet?
Giving back is part of my DNA and supporting those who don’t have a voice or the chance to be seen is essential.
IRK: What are some conscious actions you implement in your daily life?
Consume less and think more than twice before buying something.
IRK: What’s your hope for the future of the planet?
That people become more responsible and always look around themselves to see if someone needs help.
What Sustainable Development Goal do you align with the most? (https://sdgs.un.org/goals)
SDG 4: Quality Education
Gabriella Smith
Founder of Upcycle Project
Gabriella Smith
Gabriella Smith @gabriellasmith, is a conscious entrepreneur and the founder of Upcycle Project (@theupcycleproject), whose mission is to revolutionize the fashion industry by creating innovative circular solutions, inspiring discussions, and student mentorship programs. With a focus on sustainable sourcing and ethical production, Gabriella believes that textile innovation is the key to the future of fashion.
IRK: Tell us your “Why”
My “Why” is rooted in my passion for creating a better future for our planet and inspiring others to do the same. The fashion industry’s negative impact on the environment and its communities is a problem that can no longer be ignored, and that’s why I founded Upcycle Project. I am driven by the belief that we can create innovative, circular solutions that reduce waste and promote sustainability.
Every day, I am inspired by the people I work with and the communities we serve. Seeing the positive impact of our programs and initiatives keeps me going, even when faced with challenges. My spirit is fueled by the belief that we all have the power to make a difference and create a more sustainable world. With Upcycle Project, I am committed to catalyzing change and empowering others to join me on this journey towards a better future.
IRK: What are you most passionate about with respect to taking care of people and the planet?
I am tired of the throw-away culture that dominates our society, leaving us with overflowing landfills and dwindling natural resources. I am passionate about creating a more sustainable future for both people and the planet. Our mission is to transform textile waste into valuable raw materials using creativity, circularity, technology, and innovation principles. By doing so, we are reducing landfill waste and conserving resources, paving the way for a more resourceful world.
What drives my passion for sustainability is the belief that we are responsible for being stewards of the environment and ensuring that future generations have a healthy planet to live on. I am committed to promoting sustainable practices and reducing our environmental impact in every way possible.
IRK: What are some conscious actions you implement in your daily life?
Conscious actions are vital to creating a more sustainable future. In my personal life, I strive to implement conscious actions that align with my values and promote positive change. One of my most significant conscious actions is breaking up with fast fashion. Fast fashion is a significant contributor to the environmental crisis, and by choosing to build an ethical closet, I am reducing waste and promoting sustainable fashion habits. By investing in timeless pieces made from sustainable materials, I am not only reducing my carbon footprint, but also supporting a more ethical and responsible fashion industry. In addition to my conscious fashion choices, I also prioritize sustainable living habits. I drive an electric vehicle to reduce my carbon footprint and make a conscious effort to use reusable water bottles and shopping bags to reduce plastic waste. These small actions may seem insignificant, but they add up to significantly impact the environment.
I am dedicated to promoting circularity in the fashion industry through Upcycle Project. By finding creative circular solutions for fashion waste, we are reducing our impact on the environment and promoting a more sustainable industry for future generations. Ultimately, conscious actions are essential for creating a better future for our planet and its communities. By making small, conscious choices in our daily lives, we can collectively significantly impact the world around us.
IRK: What’s your hope for the future of the planet?
My hope for the future of the planet is a world where sustainability is at the forefront of our daily lives, and we live in harmony with our planet. It’s crucial that we all take responsibility for our actions and work towards a future that’s regenerative and equitable for all.
Ultimately, my goal is to create a world where the health of our planet and its communities is valued above profit and convenience. It’s a collective effort, and we believe that by working together, we can make a significant impact and create a better future for generations to come.
What Sustainable Development Goal do you align with the most? https://sdgs.un.org/goals
As a sustainable fashion advocate, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is crucial in creating a more sustainable future for both people and the planet. Through our work at Upcycle Project, we are committed to doing our part in contributing to these goals and creating a better world for future generations. We are strongly aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 9 and 12. SDG 9 aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. We aim to apply creativity, circularity, technology, and innovation principles to reduce landfill waste and conserve resources. We are also aligned with SDG 12, which focuses on ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns. I am committed to promoting sustainable fashion practices and reducing textile waste by building an ethical closet by investing in high-quality, durable, and timeless pieces, reducing the need to purchase new clothing constantly. These practices not only help conserve resources but also reduce the environmental’s negative impact.
Bandana Tewari
Lifestyle Journalist + Sustainability Activist
Bandana Tewari
Bandana Tewari @behavebandana, is a renowned fashion and lifestyle journalist who promotes handmade and craft economies around the world, while advocating for sustainable practices in the fashion industry. Her passion for sustainability extends to spirituality and the interconnectedness of our micro and macro worlds, driving her to serve as a spokesperson and advisor to various boards such as Nest, Fashinnovation, Redress, and Cultural Intellectual Property Rights Initiative.
IRK: Tell us your “Why”
I worked in Vogue India amidst the flamboyance of high fashion and consumption for 13 years. As much as I loved my job, I consciously and organically pivoted to a place where my engagement with the fashion industry resulted in my advocacy as a writer and public speaker towards conscious consumption and mindfulness. What drives me everyday is the exemplary work already done by philosophers, visionaries, spiritual seers and radical environmentalists whose ideas and teachings i bring to my advocacy.
IRK: What are you most passionate about with respect to taking care of people and the planet?
I believe deeply in the power of personal change, in grass-root activism that is based on a fundamental idea that it’s the individuals that make a collective. And individual ‘change of heart’ cannot be underestimated. We cannot afford to look at ourselves as an amorphous mass of unthinking, unfeeling people. We are each a sacred individual, capable of extreme kindness, conviction and fortitude to care for the people and the planet. To paraphrase Vandana Shiva: trees do not grow from leaves, they grow from individual roots embedded in a fertile earth.
IRK: What are some conscious actions you implement in your daily life?
I am on a ‘shopping diet’ and only buy once in 6-8 months, if at all. Everything I purchase, has value in terms of the provenance, non-disposability and monetary respect for the makers of the purchased item. At any given opportunity I give pro-bono talks on sustainability to students all over the world. I do not buy fur and leather or use plastic or polyester. I do not own a car or motorbike. I use shared economy vehicles. I buy local and support local industries of food and craft. My religion is nature and every day I have my rituals that pay homage and deep gratitude to Mother Nature.
IRK: What’s your hope for the future of the planet?
My hope is that there is a colossal shift in consciousness, so that all stakeholders of our planet become custodians of our environment- governments, institutions, industries, schools and individuals.
What Sustainable Development Goal do you align with the most? https://sdgs.un.org/goals
Whilst all goals are crucial, SDGs 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, 15: Life on Land, and 17: Partnerships for the Goal are closest to my heart.