Sustainable living is a lifestyle that attempts to reduce an individual’s footprint by reducing the use of natural and personal resources.
Through an assessment of diet, health management, energy and household management practices, methods of transportation used, as well as overall consumption patterns, we can learn to consume and live responsibly.
The goal is to view sustainability from a personal perspective. Namely, what changes can be make in our lives that are in line with sustainability and the urgent need to address climate change.
Dr. Minna Allarakhia is faculty at the University of Waterloo. She and her son Imran recently co-authored a book entitled: Saving My Earth-52 Weeks of Making a Difference; A Book of Quotes and Activities. Based on this book, they developed this program to discuss and enable others to live more sustainably.
This 4 week course is structured around discussions, personal reflections and assessments, as well as comparative analysis enabling participants to both individually and collaboratively discuss and design their sustainable lifestyles.
Our 4 week journey includes:
Week 1: Understanding ourselves, our values and beliefs. Connecting these values and beliefs to sustainability and how we can design our lives for sustainable living.
Week 2: Reflecting on how climate change is currently affecting our lives. Assessing our food, product, and lifestyle choices. How do our food choices, product choices, and consumption patterns affect our health and well being?
Week 3: Making choices that positively empower the people connected to the production of the goods we buy and have a minimal impact on the environment. Reflecting in detail, on how our product choices impact others near and far as well as the environment. Considering how we can live impactfully by empowering all of the people connected to the production of the goods we use in our everyday lives.
Week 4: Considering how minimalism can help us to find happiness and peace of mind. How can living for purpose and not products enable us to find happiness and peace of mind? By returning back to our value and belief systems, we can learn to focus on people and the relationships that matter to us and find meaning in our lives beyond our possessions.
Join us in this program as we learn how sustainable living is directly connected to our health, happiness, and purpose in life. Learn more at: