Chief among these challenges, sits the niggling desire to balance our way of life with a desire to do better for our planet. With the cost of living reaping chaos across households up and down the country, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for many to prioritise long-term necessities over short-term comforts.

I want to start by breaking this down a little as there are some fundamental areas that impact such decisions and shouldn’t be taken lightly:

Cost It may not be the most popular thing amongst climate activists, but the truth is that living a truly ‘sustainable’ life can be expensive. More often than not, a sustainable t-shirt costs around three times as much as one bought from a regular high street brand. The reality is that clothing should be expensive to purchase, however we’ve shifted away from the true ‘cost’ of making quality products in favour of cheaper alternatives that instead have a cost on the planet and environment we live in.

Greenwashing Whilst mainstream recognition of a need for greater sustainable practices is a good thing, many companies are jumping on the bandwagon and claiming to be ‘sustainable’ in fear of losing customers or missing out on a hot consumer trend. However, in truth, many don’t have the true visibility into their supply chains to be able to back up the claim—as we regularly see with fashion brands getting caught operating factories with poor labour conditions. This has given rise to the term ‘greenwashing’ to highlight that companies who talk the talk don’t always walk the walk.

Accessibility Despite a push towards creating greener, more sustainable brands, there are many communities even in the UK who don’t equal access to others—most notably in the north-south divide. Living sustainably (at least in the UK) is a privilege that is normally reserved for the white, educated middle class. Of course there are exceptions, but in terms of demographics, there are many marginalised communities that aren’t catered for in this respect—another thing that is in desperate need of being addressed politically and socially. Despite this reality, we’re not here to simply highlight the bad stuff and focus on the doom and gloom when there are ample positive ways we can all change our lifestyle to live affordably and sustainably. Here are just a few on the Ubuntu list.

Firstly, societally we need to address the notion of perfectionism when it comes to sustainability. We recently attended the Festival of Sustainable Business (check out our write up here) held in Bristol, and heard from a range of sustainable business owners and organisations at various stages of their journey. One brand who particularly stood out was Meera Pandya, founder of ethical kids clothing brand MojaKid, who cautioned attendees to lower the bar both in their personal and professional lives. She suggested looking at sustainability as a goal, with small incremental steps building upwards.

For example, if you can’t afford sustainable clothing you could:

• Buy second hand. We’re spoiled for choice these days in the second hand fashion market with online places such as Depop, Thrift+ and even Ebay.
• Or if you prefer the old-fashioned physical shopping trip, head to your local charity shops or vintage stores, or even do some research and attend a “buy by weight” pop-up shopping event.
• And if you’re lucky enough to hang out with stylish people, why not suggest doing wardrobe swaps with your friends & family.

For those who don’t have access to more sustainable foods, there are a wealth of options side from the more extreme plant-based-only or organic diets:

• Meat is expensive, so try introducing meatless Mondays into your routine. There are plenty of budget friendly, meat-free recipes online you could try.
• Try to avoid buying your fruit and veg in plastic packaging. Plenty of shops are now offering loose produce to pop straight into your tote bag.
• Swap out your dairy milk & butter for plant-based alternatives. There are plenty of affordable options in most high-street supermarkets and grocery stores.
• And if you’re adventurous with your food, why not try getting your fruit & veg from companies like OddBox. Buying fruit & veg that is in season is much better for the planet than relying on produce that isn’t, and OddBox is helping reduce waste by using the “ugly” foods that the supermarkets reject.

When it comes to knowing which companies are truly sustainable or not, things can get tricky. As we mentioned earlier, greenwashing is rife, and cutting through the BS can be hard.

• There are a number of great tools and resources to help you. For fashion for example, companies such as Good On You and Beagle Button are available to help you make more informed purchases.
• Avoiding retail & corporate giants who are usually the main culprits of bad labour and environmental practices is a pretty good place to start. Amazon is a classic example—sure, their speedy next-day delivery service is great, but think about the impact your purchase is having and who it’s funding. Instead, search around for alternatives from local retailers.
• Another interesting area for consideration, is to review your utilities and pension providers. Head over to Make My Money Matter to find out what your provider is doing in an effort to make the world a better place. If you think they could be doing more, then have a chat with your employer.

We know becoming truly 100% sustainable is difficult (if not impossible), but there are always things we can do as we learn and grow. For the record, we completely understand that people have varying situations and circumstances, and sometimes there truly are few (if any) options available. But as Meera advised, start small, and you never know where you may end up.