Yve Ramírez: “Individual changes add up. We need to look for ways to multiply”

El cambio hacia la sostenibilidad es imprescindible para que podamos seguir habitando el planeta. Actualmente, la información que recibimos sobre el cambio climático es alarmante. Los expertos apuntan que en 2020 se superarán los 500 millones de toneladas de plástico producidas anualmente, cifras que suponen un aumento del 900% respecto a los niveles registrados en 1980. La buena noticia es que existen caminos para evitar todo esto. Uno de ellos consiste en cambiar los hábitos de consumo y evitar la tendencia del “usar y tirar”, en definitiva, sumarse al cambio hacia el movimiento del Zero Waste.

And if we talk about using and reusing, Yve Ramírez is our go-to woman. She is an environmental communicator, activist, and author of the blog ‘The Ecocosmopolitan’, one of the leading platforms of this movement. Although she doesn't consider herself an expert, she is very knowledgeable about the proposals and measures necessary to achieve a more sustainable lifestyle, waste-free and making the most of resources. After participating in the interview series Born in the Seventies organized by Seventy Barcelona every week, Yve has shown us how we can achieve a lifestyle that respects the planet. Grab a pen and paper because you'll want to take notes!

What does being sustainable mean to you?

I would say that, nowadays, none of us are truly sustainable, as society and everything around us leads us to the opposite. Starting from this point, we can define sustainability as an intention. So what should we consider? Above all, how we consume. For example, my book focuses on trash. And indeed, all the trash we produce is nothing more than a reflection of our consumer habits. It's the trail we leave behind when we consume. The key lies in what we consume, how, when, how much, and where it comes from. If we consume less, of better quality, more ecological and more sustainably sourced, we can do much more. If the bad news is that we are doing very poorly, the good news is that we have a lot to improve, there's a long way to go.

Personally, how did you experience this journey towards sustainability?

In my case, it was a series of moments. The main one was when I arrived in Barcelona from Caracas in 2001. Caracas is a city with a strong American influence on consumption, where you depend on a car to live, and a city where recycling still doesn't exist. When I arrived in Barcelona, I realized that the scenario was completely different. I could do without a car and move around the city by bike or metro, I could separate waste into three containers... I began to embrace the change, realizing that things should be done this way.

Another very important moment for me in this process was when my first daughter was born in 2006. That's when I started to consider everything related to nutrition and care... I was absolutely clear that I wanted her to eat real food, and then I realized that if it was organic, it could be even better for her. With this, I incorporated a lot of exotic, new, very healthy, and organic foods. At this point, I realized that by eating so many things that came from the other side of the world, no matter how organic they were, it was an action that must have a significant environmental impact. In other words, even though I was trying to take care of my daughter, my actions were having a global impact, harming the planet.

This personal journey continued for some time, and in 2013 I saw that I could share my transformation and pave the way for those who would follow. Not because I considered myself an expert, but to share my reflections and help someone join the process. That's how the La Ecocosmopolita blog was born.

So the motivation to create the blog in 2013 was centered on wanting to convey everything you had been able to see and everything you had been able to reflect upon.

I always say that all individual changes add up. But you have to find a moment when you can somehow multiply them. Usually, when you've made many changes, you realize the urgency there is, that what you're doing is useful, but more needs to be done. That's when activism comes into play. I think it's very important to create initiatives and spaces like this one, which help to raise awareness of change both inside and outside the home.

And what can users find at La Ecocosmopolita?

Alternatives, not choices. It's necessary to explain the problem, show that we can change our habits and find alternatives, and give advice on what is right. We must try to provide clues about changes in everyday life. I also give a lot of space to projects that are doing well, companies I collaborate with and I think are good examples that deserve to be known.

Moreover, since 2016 we have physical alternatives. We have a cooperative called 'Use and Reuse', which is specifically focused on waste issues. We realized that people had the information but did not apply the change in their daily lives because they did not have access to certain items, so we decided to offer them in the store and on the web.

Your philosophy is based on Zero Waste, how does this fit into a consumerist society like ours that doesn't give things a second use?

It's a challenge, a goal that fortunately more and more people are joining. It's very important to think that this zero is very relative, that it's something inspirational, a horizon to walk towards, not something that's 100% applicable in our day-to-day life. This movement is an inspiration for many people and has made it something “cool”. When I started the blog in 2013, the first articles I wrote about reducing waste were written thinking that no one would read them, and yet now talking about all this is in vogue.

And what do you think has influenced this topic to become so attractive in such a short time?

I believe that social media has been very important, there are great bloggers who have managed to turn what could be considered frivolous information into something aspirational. They have combined aesthetic minimalism with the pursuit of sustainability, and I think this is very positive. It is true that when you search for Zero Waste on Instagram, you find very beautiful photos with a good dose of posing, but even so, that's a good entry point. My entry point was my daughter's nutrition, and from there I learned, but any entry point is valid. From different paths, we can arrive at the same place. And even if you want to pose with a photo on Instagram, you start to learn more about how you can really achieve that Zero Waste, because you necessarily have to consider the social implications behind it, as well as the economic and deeper environmental implications. So, let the posing be welcome.

If you had to give some key advice to those who want to start being sustainable, what would it be?

There is one that may seem very immense but is actually basic: think about the things you throw away in your day-to-day life. Do you drink a cup of coffee in a disposable cup every day? Do you take your sandwich wrapped in paper that you will end up throwing in the trash? Do you drink a mojito on the weekend in a plastic cup with a straw? All these things you throw away every day are extremely easy to eliminate because they are very predictable, you just need to take the precaution of bringing them from home. Eating utensils, reusable water bottles, cloth bags to replace plastic bags. There are many alternatives that can be adapted to each person's lifestyle.

What happens is that often these products are associated with a higher price or it seems like you have to spend more money on them. Do you agree with this? How could we reverse this way of thinking?

It's not a significant investment, it's an investment you make for many years. You occasionally buy something of good quality and you know it will last. On the other hand, there are other aspects that will help you save a lot of money. For example, in everything related to feminine hygiene, you end up saving a lot, reusable menstrual pads and the menstrual cup are clear examples. Many of us come to them for environmental reasons, others for practicality, or even for health issues (irritations, pain, allergies...). So, in addition to comfort and hygiene, you end up saving money because you invest just once in something that lasts. Moreover, when we talk about a life based on Zero Waste, we talk about consuming less by being more efficient and rational. In the end, this will result in savings that will offset any investment you had to make.

Let's talk a bit now about Barcelona. How should this ideology of sustainability and responsible consumption be applied in a city like Barcelona?

It seems unbelievable, but in Barcelona, we have it very easy. Sometimes it's harder in small towns because they might only have one big supermarket and no alternatives. In my neighborhood of El Clot, I buy milk, cheese, flour, and butter in bulk at a store, I buy everything from cereals to chocolate, and even beer. There are so many options in Barcelona, the range now is overwhelming, not like ten years ago when you had to go to two big stores that were only in the downtown area. Now you have many alternatives in almost any neighborhood.

And in this regard, what are we doing right and what are we doing wrong? Or rather, in what should we improve?

As citizens, we are bombarded with an enormous amount of advertising that leads us to overconsumption. Just as we have all these bulk stores, we have stores that change their collections every two weeks. As consumers, it's super important that we recognize the need for a shift towards reducing consumption. At the municipal level, Barcelona has a quite serious zero waste policy. The use of reusable cups and plates at neighborhood parties shows that there is an increasing awareness and acceptance of change, but still, there is much to be done.

Respecto al tema de la vivienda, que es un espacio en el que pasamos la gran parte de nuestro tiempo, ¿qué consejos podemos aplicar para hacer de estos espacios más sostenibles y verdes?

Firstly, we need to thoroughly review our shopping list. Then, reduce the waste bin leftovers and properly separate recyclable items. For example, at my home I ended up completely removing the waste container, because I realized that something always ended up there. It's also important to have spaces to dispose of all those residues that don't go into the classic bins but should be taken to a recycling center. On the other hand, if the house water is not good or ends up tasting very bad, you can always install a good filter. And beyond this, everything related to energy efficiency, but that's not my specialty.

It seems that the movement must start with oneself and go from less to more.

Yes, it's about trying to find a solution for a problem that you see very clearly and presenting well-explained alternatives to others that encourage change. It's also very effective to have talks on sustainability for businesses, because they stir people's concerns and in the end, if 10 or 15 people come together, it's certainly easier for them to achieve a change in the company than it is for just one person.

There is now a rising trend towards concern, especially among the younger generations, about climate change. How do you value that?

It's fantastic, I think we owe so much to Greta Thunberg… It's great that climate change is being talked about, which is a tough subject to address and it deals with things that people often don't want to hear. The fact that she stands up with such seriousness and says that we need to do something urgently because we are facing an emergency, and she assumes it with such gravity, has shaken many people and has especially inspired many young people. And that's something fantastic.

Little by little, trends are emerging that are more focused on sustainability, are we really getting closer to reversing this problem?

I believe so, it's a change that is accelerating. However, we are also consuming more of everything and generating more plastic and more waste. Even so, from 2013 until today there has been an incredible change and I think that 2019 has been a very important year thanks precisely to this youth movement we were talking about. I cling to that hope.

And what do you think we need now for that collective awareness to really happen?

I don't know, those who want to see what's happening are already seeing it. It's hard for people to find those turning points when it comes to such global issues, so I think it's important that more and more of us spread this awareness to others. The foundation is to generate awareness about the influence and individual involvement of each person in change, whether it's from school, at work, from home... to see how one can propose and implement changes in each community.

** Cover Image: Luis Padilla