Sustainability Ain’t a Trend, It’s Survival
Somewhere along the way, they turned sustainability into a hashtag — like it’s a cute weekend hobby or something you buy on Etsy. But where I come from, sustainability ain’t about looking eco-friendly for Instagram. It’s about keeping the lights on, stretching a dollar, and figuring out how to make something out of nothing.
People love to talk about compost bins and fancy solar panels, but for me, it’s about learning to live within what I’ve got. Reusing old jars. Saving seeds. Rebuilding things most folks would’ve thrown away. That’s not a lifestyle trend — that’s survival.
When I started trying to live more sustainably, it wasn’t because it was “in.” It was because I had no choice. My back was against the wall, bills were high, and I was tired of depending on a system that keeps folks broke. Every time I grow a tomato, collect rainwater, or use something till it can’t be used anymore, it’s my quiet way of saying, I don’t need your system as much as you think I do.
People act like sustainability’s some kind of rich-girl aesthetic. But it’s always been the backbone of the working class. Our grandparents lived this way long before it had a label. They mended clothes, canned their food, and shared what they had with neighbors. That’s not trendy — that’s tradition.
Living sustainably teaches you how to be grateful. It reminds you that luxury isn’t about excess — it’s about enough. Enough water, enough warmth, enough food, enough peace to breathe for another day.
So no, I don’t need everything new or pretty. My garden tools are worn, my pantry jars don’t match, and my hands stay dirty more often than not. But that’s real life. That’s the kind of beauty you earn — not buy.
Sustainability isn’t a look. It’s a mindset. It’s waking up every day and asking, “How can I make what I’ve got last?” That’s not a phase — that’s survival.