What do you think of when you hear the words "eco-friendly" or "sustainable"? (Cue viral SEO vocabulary.) What has been portrayed as sustainable, and who has been deemed the "hero" or leading forerunner in that sphere? It's interesting to think about those words and the ways in which our society has shaped our perception of who is able to live a sustainable life.
When I walk around the grocery store, or when I visit "Earth-friendly" shops, I am met with a concept that I love, but at a price I can't afford. A new cleaning spray with no harsh chemicals or dyes, free of scents, safe for humans, and kind to the Earth—that all sounds amazing to me! Then I look at the price. I quickly learn that this isn't marketed toward my socioeconomic class; it's meant for a certain elite class of eco-friendly pioneers, paving the way and doing the hard work of being sustainable simply because their wallets afford them the luxury to buy into it.
It's kind of silly to think about, but I've always believed it's important to think about things! All sorts of things. To think about them more than once, to ponder them, to see them from a different point of view, to challenge yourself, and to think critically with a sense of openness.
Growing up in Ojai, California, the message is loud and clear: the true sustainable pioneers are the people who can afford to shop at the Sunday Farmers Market, wear 100% linen clothing, and frequent the refill shop. I'm a practitioner of all three of those things, actually! But when you grow up Chicana, you gain a different perspective and a desire to share it.
If the "true" sustainable person in Ojai shops at the farmers market every Sunday, I would argue that the original pioneers of food sustainability are immigrant families. In my experience, fruit trees and herbs are abundant in the gardens of immigrant homes. Who needs the farmers market when you have the real farmers market at home? (That was a reference to Jingle All the Way / Turbo Man—iykyk, lol.) And don't even get me started on how many nights a week we ate leftovers from the night before, creatively reinvented into a new dish (famously called "inventos" by my dad). Talk about putting an end to overconsumption and waste.
If wearing 100% linen clothing that costs a fortune is the metric of sustainability, I'd like to argue that immigrant families have an even more sustainable approach to fashion: hand-me-downs, tailoring, and thrift stores. Yes, thrift stores are trending now, but that wasn't always the case. I grew up shopping at yard sales and thrift shops, trying to be grateful while desperately wanting to shop where everyone else was shopping—Limited Too, Abercrombie, Hollister. (Remember, I grew up in Ojai, lol.)
As for using the ethical decision to shop at a refill store as a marker of sustainability, I don't think I have to remind you how immigrant families have been the refill shop in their everyday lives. Ask any Mexican-American how many times they've reached for a yogurt container only to find beans inside.
This isn't meant to bash the upper-class, majority-white group of eco-activists in our small town. I write this from a critical perspective to give some well-deserved credit and shine a light on groups of people who tend to be forgotten or overlooked in Ojai. These sustainable practices that make Ojai the hippie, Earth-loving city that it is were shaped and sustained by immigrant communities.
It's fun to analyze and ponder, and I am always open to learning more or hearing different points of view. Please email me if you have any thoughts or questions; I would love to fail and get back up again on this journey of being a student for life.
Like always, stay curious, stay open, and stay passionate. No opinion is inherently bad—they all stem from a desire to question and learn. The key for me has been to lead my curious mind with love and a passion for understanding myself and the people around me better.
🧸 Meet the Author
Chantal is the founder and curator behind Lila Bear, a dreamy, sustainable gift shop dedicated to giving new life to secondhand treasures and celebrating mindful curation. When she isn't yapping on the blog or analyzing social theories, you can find her restoring items and saving teddys from the landfills.
Browse the Lila Bear curation here: https://mylilabear.com/
P.S. I love to yap, so if you have a topic you'd like me to yap and blog about... I'm so there, it's insane (shoutout to the iconic Eunice in She's the Man). Anyways, email meeeeee! Byeee!