We are inspired and love women who are adopting sustainable living and making changes in the world once step at a time. In our series #WomenWeLove we share the stories, the insights and tips from sustainable living advocates. Today, we are happy to interview, Margaret, founder of nudemarket.  

Hi, I'm Margaret, creator of nudemarket, which bloomed out of a dream to make zero waste living more convenient and accessible. You can usually find me in the kitchen filling reusable jars with my fresh-ground peanut butter and making delicious recipes for my three daughters. My passion for shifting to a more sustainable community lifestyle and giving my children a better future is the dream that keeps me going!

Why did you become an advocate for sustainable living?

It all started one day when I felt I had enough of driving around all day trying to buy food and household products that I felt good about. I had enough of sorting plastic bags, containers and packaging that really didn't enhance my life. I had enough of feeling bad for being so wasteful when I really couldn't do anything about it. I had enough and I decided I was going to change it. Zero waste for me is not just about material things, it's about my time. There is so much time sorting waste bins, or trying to find the healthiest, lowest impact foods. I wanted to give families a healthy and convenient alternative to single use foods that they could find in stores and know it's a better option for the planet and their family. 

In a nutshell, what do you do to live a sustainable lifestyle?

There are so many things to consider when making your lifestyle more sustainable, from eating more local and organic foods, to trying to reuse and reduce waste as much as possible. Along with supporting sustainable businesses, I strive to present opportunities to create impactful change - and not just on the side of the consumer. A lot falls on the consumer to live less wastefully, but unless businesses take responsibility and do their part, this will not be possible. 

What was the first actionable step you can recall towards living a more sustainable lifestyle?

I committed to composting!  It was a perfectly easy way to reduce waste and it felt good knowing that I was enhancing the soil in our backyard as well as being a part of our city's new solutions.  

What is the biggest impact/improvement you have noticed through living a more sustainably?

It's easier, less timely, and it's more fun. Everything you do and buy has a reason. I love the idea of closing the circle and coming full circle with products, instead of a constant cycle of buying and disposing. Through this adventure, I have already seen a shift in how my own children think about what they consume and the choices they make, and that is so exciting!

What would you say is the biggest obstacle with sustainable living and how do you work towards overcoming it?

Sustainable choices haven't always been as accessible as I would like, in terms of cost or availability.  I find that with a lot of creativity I am able to figure out solutions that work for our family without breaking the bank.

What are the biggest myths about living sustainably?

I would say the biggest myths I hear is that it's more expensive and more work to accomplish. Which is ironic because, living more sustainably can actually save you a lot of time and money! It does take more creativity, some planning and research to find the best alternatives to single use products, unsustainable foods and routine swaps but you will be surprised how many hacks there are that will allow you to save money which you can invest in quality, long lasting or more ethically produced items!

What is your advice for small, actionable steps people can take towards living a most sustainable lifestyle. Why should it matter to them?

The phrase "sustainable lifestyle" can be daunting. Even if you adopted one of these it would make a big difference: 

• Try to make your own food, cleaning or beauty items, there is a DIY recipe for everything!
• Support local businesses and buy second hand if possible, there are a ton of retailers that are online and even deliver.
• Repurpose and revamp items that would have gone to waste - you don't have to buy all the trendy reusable gadgets. 
• Consider the sustainability of packaging of things you are considering buying, and make a bulk, refillery shopping trip if possible. 
• If you have to buy things that come in packaging (coffee, pasta noodles ect.), purchase in really big amounts so you produce less packing waste in the long run. 
• Follow some sustainability Instagram accounts so you find new fun hacks to try out every day!

Follow Margaret on Instagram!