Sarah Allen: From Facebook activist to low waste author

On January 1st, 2017, Sarah Allen made a Facebook post that would change her life.

She simply shared the steps she was taking to reduce her environmental impact. Before long, Sarah's discussions on global sustainability issues and tips for making a difference became a huge hit and earned her a growing number of followers.

Now, Sarah has her own blog, a newspaper column, is a regular speaker on living a low waste lifestyle, and has published a book, 52 Tips To Reduce Waste. 

On a waste-reducing mission

Sarah writes from her home and favourite place on Earth, South West England. It serves as a constant source of inspiration for her, thanks to the area's stunning natural beauty and supportive eco-friendly community. 

Sarah has always been passionate about recycling. But her waste-reducing journey began when she attended a talk by zero waste legend, Bea Johnson. Sarah and her family now produce one garbage bin of waste every six months using the framework refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, rot, recycle or return. But it was only more recently that she gained the confidence to share her passion. 

"Modern technology changed everything," she says. Not only could Sarah learn from her fellow activists, but she realised she was inspiring others to reduce their own environmental impact. "I love it when people tell me the changes they've made as a result of something I've said." 

"The quickest way to make a big difference that won't affect your lifestyle is to change energy supplier." Pick a company that provides 100% green electricity and carbon-neutral gas so that every time you switch a light on, it will be coming from a renewable source. 

One small change

In Sarah's experience, one small change often leads to another. And she should know. Back in 2017, she committed to one small change, not knowing where she would end up. "I wondered how long I could go before I bought a product with non-recyclable packaging. That initial step led to a better understanding of the terrible effects of plastic pollution. My family and I rejected single-use products as much as possible, leading to a huge reduction in our rubbish." 

And she doesn't plan to stop there. "Once you become aware of something, you can't become unaware!" This year, Sarah set up an eco-group for her street. So far they’ve run a book swap and shared ideas for future projects including planting trees, setting up communal fruit and vegetable plots and maybe even a communal electric car. "I may be getting a bit ambitious with that last one!" she laughs.

Closer to nature

Though it's not always easy, Sarah has noticed that living a more sustainable lifestyle has given her a stronger connection to nature. " I notice things that I wouldn't have before, such as the change of seasons or bird song."

"Unfortunately, I also notice the bad things more, like litter." And indeed occupying an online space is not without its challenges. "Negative comments and trolling can be quite hard to take. I've developed a thick skin and come to realise that not everyone is ready to make changes yet."

Sarah's stress-busting technique is simple. "Drink more tea!" Getting closer to nature also helps her to unwind. "I try to quieten my busy mind and just focus on what I can see, hear or feel such as the trees, the noise of the leaves rustling in the breeze and the wind on my skin." 

As you'd imagine for someone so connected to nature, climate change keeps Sarah awake at night. "It threatens every living thing, including humans," she warns. But to the growing community of activists and supporters, she says: "Be proud of what you're doing and show others the way. Then you become a change-maker!"

Sarah's book 52 Tips To Reduce Waste is out now. It features one tip for each week of the year designed to help you live a more low waste lifestyle. You can also follow Sarah's community projects on Instagram and Facebook.

Photos courtesy of Sarah Allen.