About me
Hello everyone! My name is Alejandra Dueñas. I am a 21 year old Ecuadorian student living in The Netherlands. I studied Earth, Energy and Sustainability and now I would like to share with you some of the things that I have learned during my studies and the changes I have made in my life to become more sustainable. I want to encourage others to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle because as we know, climate change is a massive threat, and each one of our actions contribute to the problem. Therefore, it is important to reevaluate our decisions and try to incorporate more sustainable habits if we want to reduce our ecological footprint.
We need to be conscious of what we eat and how our food consumption affects the environment and our health. The agricultural sector is responsible for 12% of the global CO2 emissions. This has negative consequences such as climate change, land-use change, biodiversity loss, pollution and a loss of freshwater stocks. A (partially) plant-based diet is a great way to reduce your own emissions and improve your health.
Many of the products we use daily - clothes, toiletries, beauty and, cleaning products - have a negative impact on the environment. Are you for example familiar with Rang-tan? The orangutan who lost his family due to ilegal palm oil extraction? Rang-tan's is one of many stories that shows that the production of some of our favorite products can be detrimental for the environment.
Therefore, it is important to be aware of the impact of our consumption on the environment. Only then is it possible to consciously decide which products to buy and which companies to support. An increased demand for sustainable and ethical products helps to shift the market towards sustainable and ethical sourced products. This market shift can help to reduce the negative impact of our consumption on the environment.
Here you can find some tips on products that I have found to be the most sustainable. Many ethical and sustainable products tend to be expensive. Therefore, I also offer alternatives that allow you to reduce your ecological footprint with a limited budget.
Sustainability and well-being go hand in hand. Thinking about what climate change will do to our future can sometimes demotivate, or create a feeling of hopelessness. This sometimes makes me feel powerless, and during this time, I stop prioritizing my well-being and health. Once I stop prioritizing my well-being I feel even worse and in the end I find myself trapped in a circle of negativity. I have found that well-being practices such as journaling, exercise, yoga, meditation, self-care routines, and art are quite effective at keeping me on track. It helps me accept and appreciate myself, which in turn helps me maintain my sustainable and healthy habits. Well-being is a life-time journey, and I wish to help you find yours, in respect of sustainability!
