I started working at Eco-Age just over a year ago and was blown away by the team. Eco-Age is set up in such a unique way that we have in-house experts in sustainability, consultancy and communications, covering both traditional PR and digital content. Having these technical skill sets within our teams means that we can confidently put out messaging for our clients that tell their sustainability story in an accurate and engaging way.
Working at Eco-Age has certainly influenced my mindset and way of living. Waste, whether it be from fashion, food or packaging is always front of mind (if not in the periphery). Learning that every minute the equivalent of one garbage truck of textiles goes to landfill still horrifies me. It continues to make me pause before I buy and think if I really like the item enough to want to have it in my wardrobe for years to come and still enjoy wearing it too (Marie Kondo mantra here). However, although I’ve witnessed an impressive commitment to reusable coffee cups and water bottles, I am still baffled by the amount of plastic covering all food at the supermarkets. Compared to Australia it seems monumental here. To combat unnecessary packaging, I try to make it to my local farmers market each Saturday and fill up my reusable bags with lots of fresh produce. Doing this I reduce my food wastage as I can pick the quantities, eat better tasting products and spend less (see basket below- some good-looking aubergines)!
I never felt a need to think about provenance of products when I was in Australia, but in London I am more aware of what is seasonal and how far something has travelled before making it onto my plate. And yet I am by no means perfect – I still buy exotic fruits or food wrapped in plastic and sometimes forget my reusable coffee cup when I desperately need my morning flat white fix.