Various tiny sustainability practices
At times, taking autoethnographic notes is simple. In moments such as this one right now, I don't dive deep into the social and natural structures that constrain and empower me or into my worldview from which my sustainability practices stem. I simply want to note down some things that I do and give these notes more careful attention later.
I don't decorate my home, apart from occasionally borrowing some stones from Nature. Sunlight creates wonderful patterns on bare walls, and I don't think I could ever love any painting or another human-made artwork as much as these ephemeral and moving spots of light on the walls. Like many fellow humans, I can also experience awe when I see human-made art, but I don't invite it into my space.
I use a large woollen scarf that I invited into my life when I lived in northern Sweden instead of a throw to feel cosy when it's cold or rainy. Generally I try to avoid having objects for specific purposes. For example, I use cotton bags as handbags, for grocery shopping, for storage. I use jars as glasses and mugs.
My partner inherited some porcelain cups and plates from his grandparents. Even though their aesthetics doesn't match our preferences (we like simple objects), they are charming and beautiful in their own way. I especially like the fact that some of them have cracks and other imperfections. We could replace them but we don't. We want to live with them and honour them.
Our dining table is also our desk. It works well. I've not had a desk since I moved away from my family home in my late teens.
We don't have any curtains or blinds in our home. I've lived without curtains for many years, and I love living with natural light and nature's rhythms. Oftentimes, fellow humans ask me how I can fall asleep in the Nordics in summer without curtains. It takes a bit of time to get used to it, but I've noticed that gentle sunlight doesn't prevent me from falling asleep. I slept well in northern Sweden without curtains in summer. If I ever struggle to fall asleep in the future, I would probably invite a sleep mask made from organic cotton rather than curtains.
I've not used a key ring for many years. Instead, I use cotton ribbons that occasionally come with various textiles and other objects. I keep these ribbons for gift wrapping too.