I didn’t grow up with glass jars, metal straws, or compost bins. I grew up in a township, in a home where we reused everything, not because it was trendy but because we had to. Ice cream tubs stored leftover pap, bread bags were rinsed and hung up like laundry, hand me downs had soul, stitched with stories, passed down with pride. We caught taxis together, shared water, shared books and shared dreams. Back then no one used the words eco-conscious or sustainable living, but looking back I realise that our way of life was exactly that. We were living sustainably long before it had a name.
That realisation didn’t hit me all at once, It came as I grew and learned more about the “zero waste” movement. But so often, what I found felt unfamiliar, where were the stories like ours? Where were the versions that honoured our roots? That’s where Conscious Lifestyle Collective was born, from a place of remembering. Remembering the power and purpose we’ve always had. Not to “go green,” but to live meaningfully. Not to follow trends, but to live in ways our grandparents already knew. And that’s what Conscious Mzansi is about , a reminder that our version of conscious living already exists. It’s already in our homes, our habits, our heritage. So this Plastic Free July, I’m not here to tell you what to buy. I’m here to help us unlearn the idea that we’re only now becoming sustainable. We’ve always been conscious. We just didn’t have the words for it.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing more of my journey, spotlighting the wisdom that raised me, and inviting you to reconnect with your own. Stay tuned and don’t forget to shop our conscious, plastic free bathroom alternatives while you’re here.
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