002: embrace conscious curiosity

The Voyager | Thomas van Thiel | Bali, Indonesia by way of Oslo, Norway | By The Ocean We Unite | Scientist, Sailor and Conservationist | Currently: 18.7061° N, 98.9817° E

 

Visualize your experience as a form of conscious curiosity.

As you embed, go deeper…consider re-examining how your daily rituals and presence impacts your surroundings and local life. Then, activate practical changes to establish deeper relationships and to reduce demand on the people and places that inspire your productivity and creativity.

Practical Considerations:

  • Think about how climate and topography might impact seemingly innocent choices

For example, the mere existence of single use plastic and the decision to incorporate it into daily ritual adds to an already challenged landscape in Bali, Indonesia. Trade winds and heavy rains exacerbate the flow of feather light plastic bags and bottles down mountainsides with an ocean-bound fate impacting delicate marine life. No amount of education on responsible trash disposal or reuse will change that natural cycle. Opt for sustainable alternatives to single-use items, or pack your own implements.

  • Support local growers and merchants

    Buy direct, walk to the marina, seek out options beyond tourist zones where conglomerate owned developments can be more dense to help ensure your money benefits the local community and individual proprietors.

  • Consider reducing your meat consumption

The industry generates about 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. As US based Jonathan Safran Foer puts it in his book Eating Animals, “One of the greatest opportunities to live our values—or betray them—lies in the food we put on our plates.” But, if a carnivorous diet suits you, a responsible way to source high-quality meat is by buying direct through a local butcher, angler, or farmer’s market. While at the corner store or cafe, choose cows raised on pasture that stores carbon, rather than chickens or fowl raised on modified soy. Even less harmful to the planet are livestock raised on food waste, such as pigs fed scraps from the supermarket. While it’s not always easy to detect where your food comes from while eating out or on the go, your food should have a story. If the merchant or server can’t share it, temporarily opt for pasta or vegetable dishes.

  • Think about your reoccurring sources of consumption, and tweak behaviors  

    At hotels, be mindful of temperature controls and appliance use. Turn off all lights before departing. Hang the Do Not Disturb sign to conserve water—and avoid over-contributing to the laundry service. Or, support local accommodations providers in the peer-to-peer sharing economy where waste is less abundant.

  • Avoid plane travel, especially short flights (<500 km), when possible

If you must fly, choose airlines with high occupancy rates, direct flights - both offering better records for reducing emissions. Reach out to digital, discount travel providers to encourage more transparency about occupancy and trip consumption as a booking feature.

  • Opt for durability as well as portability

Travel can be hard on gear and necessities. Conscious consumption isn't just about how many times you use or reuse something. It's about how many resources it took to produce that something and how many more it will take to break it down if it fails to meet your needs over time.

  • Look around

    Are you frequenting areas or spots where everyone looks, talks and acts similarly? If so, you may be subconsciously self-segregating. Extend yourself beyond the comfort zone and nurture daily encounters and new relationships with locals where cross-cultural knowledge share is possible.

| van thiel photo: fabio bartalli |