Sustainable Business

I recently went to the Positive Business Conference facilitated by Michigan Ross School of Business. It was a two day event focusing on positive culture in the workplace, case studies of great places, places that turned things around, research studies, and workshops to better understand why this is so important and how to ensure that your workplace is living up to this standard. It was so awesome and inspiring to be in a room full of such empowering people and hearing them speak about their journeys and the thing that struck me the most as the level of authenticity in everything they said. There was no hidden agenda, they were open with their personal experiences of hardship and depression and also with their business practices because they are all wonderful people doing wonderful things!

I was also struck by how much they talked about sustainability and how it is the only purpose that fits every business in the entire world. That it is no longer a sideline issue and for companies to succeed, consumers are forcing them to care more about these issues. Yes, that's right. WE, the consumer, are making a difference by acting with our wallets. Every time we buy something we are sending a message about the kinds of things we want and what type of product we are interested in and every time we buy something that is more sustainable than our alternatives, we are sending the right message - and they are listening!

Since Unilever bought Seventh Generation they have vowed to increase their sustainability efforts across all their product lines which I think is a massive step in the right direction. I always try and support small and local businesses where I can, but seeing a huge company make a commitment to being sustainable means that so much more of a difference could be made. I have realised from these comments from the conference, that I am making more of a difference being one person in a huge institution trying to make a difference by joining forces with other like minded individuals that I would be if I left and created my own perfectly sustainable company. I feel inspired to make even more of an impact during my time here and to keep that goal in mind as I move through my career. My three take aways: Be Authentic, Be Sustainable, Be Positive. What wonderful words to try and live by.

Plastic Straws are the WORST!

OK so maybe not THE worst, but they are pretty fricking terrible. A guy at work just came and asked me when we would be getting more plastic straw coffee stirrers and when I responded with 'never' he said he'd just bring in his own instead. As the person responsible for our office procurement I am fortunate enough to be able to have a lot if not 100% of the influence on what we as an office consume. Now that the straws are gone there are only a few knives my predecessor bought and then we will be done with any single use plastic items. (Woohoo!) But people bringing in things from outside is something that is much harder to influence.

When he left my desk, I sent him an email with a link to The Last Plastic Straw which is a project to eliminate all plastic straws from being used, ever! The damage to the ocean and the ecosystem is mind blowing and so many people remain so ignorant of it. Straws are also so hard to avoid. Every time you sit down at a bar or restaurant they bring you water with a straw in before they even introduce themselves and give you a chance to say "I don't want a straw!" To try and cut down on this as much as possible I will always try and catch our server before any water is delivered to request our table doesn't have them and I carry a stainless steel straw with me everywhere in case I even want or need one (my teeth are pretty sensitive to cold!) and have a little brush to clean it with also which is super handy!

When discussing this interaction with a friend I found out the UK is planning to BAN STRAWS!! How awesome is that! Even McDonald's is on board and has begun phasing out their plastic straws, replacing them with paper ones. The UK is even going a step further to try and eliminate all single use plastics and disposables such as wet wipes that just never break down and more often than you'd hope end up in the ocean. I'm not sure I've ever felt quite so proud of a decision from Theresa May and sincerely hope this comes into effect soon! More countries should definitely adopt this measure, did you know that the amount of straws used in the US per DAY could wrap around the Earth 2.5 times??? That's 62,253 miles. Of straws. That individually are generally only around 8inches long. Mind. Blown.

My Introduction to Zero Waste

I've always recycled. In my house growing up that was just what we did. We did things we thought were more environmentally friendly such as walk everywhere we could and turn the lights off when we didn't need them. These things are something I took with me when I left home. Ways I thought I was helping with the ever growing concern that there are way too many people out there not caring enough about the environment or are perhaps under the illusion that using more and more of the earth's natural resources will not have a significant impact on it's future.

About 16 months ago, while searching for sustainable, fairly manufactured clothing after watching True Cost (a documentary available on Netflix about the fashion industry - if you haven't seen it add it to your list, it's eye opening!) I came across a blog by Lauren Singer called Trash is for Tossers. From there, I found Zero Waste Home and Bea Johnson. How I had not heard about her before this I do not know, and I felt awful to be so behind on something and someone who was clearing making a much bigger impact than I was. Both of these bloggers, and many others, have adopted a zero waste lifestyle where as little as possible goes to landfill. This blew my mind. There was so much they were doing that I could have been doing too. I decided right then to change as much of my life as possible to waste as little as I could. Turns out recycling is great and all, but a terrible place to stop.

These past 16 months have been a fun and sometimes extremely frustrating journey. I'm still not where I want to be (I mean, I don't even compost!) but overall I've made great strides and love living the way I do. People often ask me about zero waste and sustainability and I see small changes in their lives just because we had a conversation about something they saw me doing. Last September I started a new job where the amount of disposables used and trash produced blew my mind and honestly made me question if I could even work here. Then, instead of turning away, I stepped forward and asked if they had thought about in office composting in our building as I knew other buildings did it. They were completely surprised but amazingly receptive and now we compost, as well as recycle, all disposables we use are compostable, all our office purchases are the greener choices and all our events are 97% zero waste.

Everyone thinks that one person can't change enough to make a difference. One person is plenty.

The Next Step & Wedding Planning

Our visa petition has been approved!! YAY! As you know Patrick and I got engaged in November and he immediately petitioned for my fiancé visa which has now been approved! I've spent the last few weeks gathering the paperwork (copies of passport, birth certificate, passport sized photos, police certificate, application form) and I have my medical exam lined up this week and after that it's interview time. I have to say I'm a little nervous as to what the medical will be like and the interview process itself as there is very little information online but that's been the same for most of this process! We have had very little information on what happens next until that step is required and so many things hinge on other processes it's quite frustrating, but! We are nearly there!!

In fact it's less than three months until our English wedding celebration (yes we are having two! A symbolic wedding with friends and family in the UK and then a trip to the courthouse followed by a party in America) and I couldn't be more excited! We went back to England from Norway for a weekend a few weeks ago and picked out our rings and I can't wait to exchange our vows and give Patrick his ring to wear forever. We've asked our close friend and person who brought us together, Louise, to lead the English ceremony for us and we've written the working for it ourselves so it's completely personal to us. It's going to be such a wonderful day and sometimes I just wish it was tomorrow!

However once I go home to England for the six weeks before the wedding there are lots of little things to prepare to keep me occupied! My dress will be arriving into the store the week I return and then I have my fittings - pretty sure I'm not going to want to take it off!! And then I'm meeting with our photographers, having our menu tasting, arranging our seating plan and planning a sample playlist for the DJ! Plus buying some presents for special people and some finishing touches to the decorations. I heard a lot about how stressful planning a wedding can be and I think the level of stress is totally about your attitude. It's easy to get bogged down in little things that at the end of it all, aren't going to ruin your day. If you remember that the point of it all is about you and your partner joining your lives together forever and as long as you both show up on the day it's going to be perfect! Everything else is just icing on the cake - beautiful, fantastic icing of course, but icing none the less. I have to say that I honestly know our wedding is going to be the best day ever and I can not wait to spend the rest of my life with Patrick!

Protein Packed Power Porridge

Breakfast is fast becoming one of my favourite meals to have. From smoothies to porridge to pancakes and everything in between I can't get enough of it! Before I was vegan it was easily my least favourite to the point where most days I skipped it. I didn't like milk so never had cereal, I had yet to discovered I loved peanut butter and that avocado on toast is delicious, so often just settled for a banana and powered through to lunch with coffee. These days I feel like I could eat breakfast foods for every meal and I have so much more energy in the morning!

Porridge is a great option for breakfast as it's quick to make and this version is full of amazing energy boosting foods that are great for your body. The 'protein question' is something vegans or people who follow a plant based diet can find themselves faced with quite often and it's the first thing people think you're missing out on when they realise you don't eat any animal products. However, there are so so many foods that contain protein that are purely plant based its easy to get everything you need without coming close to an animal so it's not something I ever worry about! This recipe is packed full of it without even trying and it's totally delicious.

Oats themselves are a powerhouse of nutrition containing a decent amount of protein (13g per half cup), vitamins, minerals, fibre and of course a great source of slow releasing carbohydrates to keep you feeling full and fuelled throughout the morning - I never run a race without a bowl of porridge in my stomach! They are also said to regulate blood sugar levels and help to prevent heart disease and other health issues which is pretty impressive! The toppings I add to my porridge are also a big hit of protein. My favourites are pumpkin and chia seeds, particularly chia seeds as they are the most protein dense seed and also a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, but all are excellent sources of protein so whichever toppers you choose you can't go wrong! The below recipe has just under 20g of protein in just one bowl - plant based protein couldn't be any easier!

The recipe:

1/2 cup oats* (I used rolled or old fashioned oats - not quick cook)

1 cup oat milk (or any non-dairy milk)

1-2 tsp cinnamon

1 banana, sliced (keep half for topping)

1/2-1 cup frozen raspberries (fresh are also great, and I often sub these for blueberries!)

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds**

1 tsp chia seeds**

Add all ingredients to a small pan except the seeds and half the banana and heat over a low heat. Stir mixture often, I like to mash up my fruit a little, until you reach the desired consistency for your porridge - for me that's about 10 minutes.

Transfer to a bowl and top with sliced banana and a sprinkle of seeds. Grab a spoon and enjoy! 

*If this is too much or not enough just amend the quantity of oats but keep the oats:liquid ratio at 1:2 and your porridge will always be perfect!

**Other great topping options include sunflower seeds, flax seed, nut butters, chocolate chips, shredded coconut, more fruit...basically anything you like!

30 days of Yoga Camp

As anyone who talks to me about yoga knows, I LOVE Yoga With Adriene. She's the most amazing teacher and guide you could ask for and she even accomplishes this through home practice videos on YouTube, not even in person (although she does run group classes in Austin, TX - what I wouldn't give to go!). I've spoken more about her attitude and approach in a previous post but this one I want to dedicate to the 30 day yoga camp she ran throughout January, now that I've come to the end.

This 30 day program is similar to the one Adriene launched last year but this time she took the idea of self love and improved body image through yoga to a new level. There were daily emails and mantras to focus on during each video to develop your practice and ultimately to reduce any negative thoughts about your yoga abilities and beyond. I've never been particularly good at switching my head of during yoga. Sometimes I find myself planning my day or thinking about other things while holding an asana and I have to make a conscious effort to bring my focus back to my breathing. Adding the mantras to my practice each day was such a great way to keep my mind in my yoga and in the moment. If I felt my thoughts drifting I would just repeat the mantra and it immediately brought me back to my practice.

Now this might sound a bit mushy, maybe even uncomfortable to think about, never mind work to improve, but with all the pressure we put on ourselves to maintain or achieve a certain image, the idea of accepting ourselves and nurturing out bodies instead of punishing them is a really important one! I'm going to come right out and say I've had body image issues and thought that the idea of loving and accepting my body wasn't something I ever thought I would be fully comfortable with. But luckily, I was wrong! I had been working on the idea of acceptance and nurture for a while so joining this camp felt like an excellent next step in my journey as I was totally open and on board with everything Adriene was saying and trying to cultivate in me through mantra and yoga. However, if you have not started your journey towards self love, or have long since embraced it!, don't let that put you off giving it a go because if nothing else, yoga is great for mind and body purely through its movements and if along the journey you start to feel better about your outlook on things and have less toxic thoughts then it's a bonus! Even if you're a total beginner there are always options for the harder or more advanced poses or if, like me, your flexibility is limited then no worries! Adriene has got your back, and so do I. The last day is open to 'free practice' and I must admit that at the end of the last 30 day challenge I skipped it because I didn't know what to do! But this time I felt more than comfortable listening to my body and what I felt I wanted to do or experience and created my own flow and it was amazing! My final mantra? I am enough. And so are you. 

My last few months...

It's been a while since I found myself moved to post anything on here. It's not that wonderful things haven't happened to me - the opposite in fact! I think I've been so wrapped up in moving from one thing to another and focusing on what's next rather than sitting down to appreciate and be grateful for all the amazing things that make up my life! So that is what I'm doing now. It's so easy to be swept along and always planning for the next thing - which isn't always a bad thing, don't get me wrong - but it's so important to realise that enjoying the moment is just as special.

So firstly, and most excitingly, Patrick and I got engaged!! It was such an amazing evening together followed by the very special moment in a place with a lot of meaning for us when he asked me to be his wife. As you can imagine I was over the moon, and of course said YES! I then had another surprise and found that all our friends had gathered together to celebrate the night away with us too which was just fantastic! The bubbles flowed ever so freely and I think it was my pure joy that saved me from the headaches that hit our fellow revellers the next morning!! 

I also ran my third and final half marathon of 2015 in Philadelphia with my dear friend Haya. It was a pretty chilly November morning but was my most relaxed and comfortable race yet! We ran together the whole way, keeping each other buoyed and motivated and we hit consistent time splits the entire way with even a sprint to finish. After our training and hard work it was an amazing morning and I was so proud of both of us and our 2:10 finish time!

Shortly afterwards I had my first thanksgiving, left New Haven to return to England for Christmas, had an excellent time celebrating the holiday season and my engagement all over again with everyone back home, met gorgeous puppies, started following Adriene's January Yoga Camp (a post coming about that soon!) and started planning the wedding! It's been extremely busy but hugely exciting and successful. Wedding planning has gone so well so far and I'm enjoying it immensely but more on that in another post too I'm sure! We've applied for our fiancé visa so just waiting for new on that and right now we are preparing to go to Norway for three months on Monday! The start of our next adventure and I'm so excited to see Patrick again after nearly two months apart - six more sleeps to go...!