How sustainability and minimalism go together

A few days ago, when I was watching a video about sustainability on YouTube, videos about minimalism were automatically suggested to me on the right side of the screen. This made me curious and I asked myself whether and to what extent the two topics are related. Do minimalism and sustainability essentially mean the same thing? Is that a prerequisite for the other? Or are they actually two completely independent concepts?

First, I would like to define both terms to get a clearer overview. Of course I - like I think most people - have a rough idea of ​​what is meant by both sustainability and minimalism, but I still find it not uninteresting what the Duden says about it.

sustainability

1. Long lasting effect
2. 1. (Forestry) forestry principle according to which no more wood may be felled than can grow back
   2. (Ecology) Principle according to which no more may be consumed than can grow back, regenerate and be made available again in the future

That sounds plausible to me and pretty much corresponds to my idea of ​​the term. By the way – fun fact – this term has been in the spelling dictionary since 1915.
And how is minimalism defined according to Duden?

Minimalism

1. conscious limitation to a minimum, to the bare essentials

Here the definition of meaning seems vaguer to me. I miss an explanation of what is meant by “the bare necessities” and to which areas of life the definition refers. Hasn't minimalism now become a kind of interior design style?

For me personally, minimalism doesn't necessarily mean getting by with as little as possible, but rather living with the things that you really like and use.

What does one have to do with the other?

We all know the pleasant feeling you get when you buy something new. Be it as a reward after a strenuous time at work, as a frustration purchase when everything feels like it's going wrong or simply because you're really up for it. It just feels good to treat yourself.

It's often not even important to know what exactly you're buying and what groundbreaking difference this material good will make (or not) in your life. Rather, we look for the feelings of joy and satisfaction that the purchase brings us.

In my opinion, both sustainability and minimalism are not just about buying less (unnecessary) stuff, but also about appreciating more the material wealth that is already in our lives. If you buy fewer new things, you can also invest more in the things you end up buying.

This shows the interplay between sustainability and minimalism: If I buy less that I don't necessarily need and have more money left over for what I really need, then I have the opportunity to buy higher quality and more consistent, durable items and invest in sustainable products.

This means that my possessions are simultaneously more important to me but also less important: less important because I no longer define myself and my success by my material achievements. More important because I am more grateful for, appreciate and enjoy the things I own more.

What does that mean for me?

For me, sustainability and minimalism go hand in hand. Living minimalistically is more sustainable, and sustainability is easier to achieve through minimalism. However, the terms can be separated from each other and not everyone who follows a minimalist lifestyle lives sustainably - and vice versa.

Maybe it's enough to start by simply thinking more about your own consumption. Is this purchase worth it? Do I really need the tenth handbag or are the nine I already have enough? Does it make more sense to buy new trousers three times a year and then wear them out after a few wears or should I invest once a year in trousers that are more expensive but fairly produced and made from high-quality materials and therefore also last longer?

Of course, everyone has to decide for themselves how important sustainability and/or minimalism are to them. And you don't have to change your entire lifestyle overnight. But I see questioning yourself and your own decisions more often as a great start to dealing more with the topics of minimalism and sustainability.

If you would like to find out more about the topics of sustainability, mindfulness or healthy eating, take a look here .

Photo by Jake Melara on Unsplash