Long before the days of Greta Thunberg & climate strikes, I used to live in the gorgeous coastal city of Durban, South Africa. Blue waves kissed the beige shoreline in perfect rhythm, the temperature of the ocean so comforting you could keep your toes dipped in it all day long. It was a surf haven, specially for beginners. I’d get on my surf board, paddle out into the ocean and wait for the waves. I’d spot dolphins, the early morning colours of the sky, the occasional paddle boarder & more dolphins. On the water, is where I truly felt humbled by nature. I learnt about balance, strength and respect and how tiny we are in the vastness of our only home.
That’s when I started questioning my every day choices. Although I grew up in a very simple, minimalistic household where we weren’t wasteful or indulgent in any way, the full impact of my choices only hit me in my truest interactions with nature.
Fast forward to many years later. I now live in Singapore, raise a little human and feel the innate need every day to leave him a better world. So, in my own little way I try to influence our family and those around me to be a little more mindful, a little more conscious.
We stopped going to the super market, we go to wet markets instead avoiding all the plastic that comes with the packaging. We carry our own straws. A little flexible box for left over food. Bring our own bags when shopping. Shop less. Shop local, mostly at mindful markets. Use bamboo toothbrushes. Go to refilleries for shampoo and cleaning products. Cycle instead of using the car whenever we can. We use biodegradable poop bags for our doggies. Create our own wrapping paper with newspapers and paint. I also started another company called The Better Alternative which inspires brands and people to make more mindful choices (www.thebetteralternative.com).
It’s not perfect, but as they say we don't need a handful of people doing this perfectly. We need many millions doing it imperfectly.
So when it came to indigrow, we do the same. We try, in our own small way to be mindful and conscious. We source recycled and recyclable cardboard, avoid plastic in the supply chain as much as we can, print with soy ink from re-harvested farms. We try to make durable, safe boxes which can be upcycled, with messages for little ones and parents on ideas of how to reuse them. We use sustainable reusable post-it's for our workshops. And most importantly, we hope to fill the world with kids who will grow up to be empathetic, imaginative, kind and mindful.
Living consciously and with a purpose has become a way to live. And I hope to inspire others to do the same. I also hope to surf with my little boy in a dazzling blue, pure ocean that stays that way.
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