Living in a city disconnects us from our own natural
environment. Our feet rarely touch the earth, and often we go months without
watching the sun rise or set. eCoexist started its work looking at urban
lifestyles and considering ways in which we could reconnect people to Nature
through the lifestyle choices they make and the products they use. The
intention is to bring an acute awareness of the natural environment to urban
residents so that they make conscious and environmentally responsible choices.
The disconnect however is two ways. Urban living also
disconnects us from our own selves. The stresses of city life, numb the bodily
senses and overburden the mind and this leads to a wide range of mental and
physical ailments. eCoexist believes that human beings who are connected to
Nature are also healthier, more content and happier in their lives and bodies.
Urban environments are filled with chemicals both within and outside our homes. Chemicals used in home products, cosmetics and even in food items affect our health collectively. Chemicals that flow out of our homes into the environment also damage our water bodies and the lives of other species that call the city their home. It IS possible to gradually choose natural products to replace some of these chemicals and live in a more toxic-free environment.
The UseMeAgain campaign highlights the fact that the use and throw habit is responsible for most of the products that end up in landfill today. Single use disposable items such as plastic carry bags, plastic cutlery, PET bottles for drinking water are all designed for a one time use. Many of these have very little recycling value and therefore do not find their way back into the recycling chain either. Since many of these are made of non biodegradable materials such as plastic , thermocol and metallised film, they do not degrade for several hundred years.
The Beauty of Recycling campaign highlights the aesthetic and financial potential of recycling and up cycling. Upcycling is a design process by which a waste product is converted into another products of a higher value than the original one. The Cradle to Cradle design methodology analyses the life cycle of the product and when it reaches the end of its life span ensures that it can be easily dismantled to create a whole new products while generating zero waste.
Reviving our connection to Nature helps us heal ourselves and in the process heal our damaged environment as well. The Healing with Nature programme works on two aspects of healing – plant based medicine as well as working with the earth. The Plant based medicine activities help empower people to strengthen their basic health by using simple home plant based remedies. Working with the Earth is a project which takes people out into Nature to work the land at an organic medicinal plant farm.
