Sustainability has been popping up on social feeds for a while.
From creators sharing tips on how to save the planet by upcycling your wardrobe, to food lovers advocating for the end of food waste. However, you can’t trust all social media hashtags these days – as posting a photo of yourself holding a recycled paper cup captioned #conciouslifestyle, while sporting tons of plastic accessories, doesn’t turn you into an eco-warrior.
Here are 10 sustainable influencers that are practicing what they preach. They are using their platforms to share actionable hacks and ways to live a more balanced life in 2021. After hearing about their quality content, you will know you should go and follow them as soon as you finish reading this article.
The entrepreneurial Influencer
Lindsey McCoy @plaineproducts
While living in The Bahamas, Lindsey McCoy noticed all the plastic bottles washing ashore and, after taking stock of the amount of plastic she was using in her own life, Lindsey made a concerted effort to stop using single use plastics. She had trouble, however, finding plastic-free bathroom products and realized her opportunity to make a difference. In 2017, North Carolina-based McCoy joined forces with her sister to start Plaine Products, a line of vegan, natural body care items that arrive in reusable, refillable aluminium bottles. Once empty, customers can return bottles to be cleaned and refilled. Her interest in learning more about the impact of plastic on our landfill led Lindsey McCoy to get involved in plastic pollution research, so she spent last summer aboard a plastic research sailing vessel.
The green chef
Max La Manna @maxlamanna
Low-waste chef, award-winning author and host of multiple BBC Earth food shows, Max La Manna is a 32-year-old chef who uses colourful plant-based recipes to encourage people to be more mindful about food waste while cooking. As most of us have been in the kitchen more often, thanks to waves of lockdown around the word, this influencer is rapidly growing on social media. In January 2020, he had 97k followers, and by September 2020 his profile had grown a following of 135k. This growth has only increased as the pandemic has continued. By May 2021, the influencer had reached almost three quarters of a million followers (730k and counting).
The minimalist podcaster
Host of a weekly show about eco-friendly living, minimalist parenting, and incremental lifestyle tweaks toward sustainability, author Stephanie Seferian aims to make sustainability accessible and easy. A former teacher turned full-time content creator, she interviews specialists to demystify eco-friendly living for the average,
overwhelmed parent on her podcast Sustainable Minimalists. This is definitely one to tune into to learn more about reducing waste and reliance on plastic, and how to become a more conscious consumer.
The fashion-conscious influencer @haifazakariaa
Dubai-based digital content creator, Haifa Zakaria, balances fashion with posts about minimising plastic use, encouraging recycling and sustainable fashion, and where to find brands that are conscious of the environment and animal ethics. She produces this aspirational content to her 77k+ followers. Check out Haifa’s story highlight ‘Earth’ on her Instagram page to find sustainability content that is updated on a regular basis.
The vegan expat @mostlyamelie
Amélie Gagne is a Canadian sustainability and wellness blogger based in Germany.
Her blog www.mostlyamelie.com features ethical living, veganism, and wellness travel. She also offers recommendations and tips on health, eco-living, sustainability, and wellness. Besides creating content about living a healthier and greener life, the influencer also shares occasional recommendations about living in Berlin as an expat, a city she has called home for five years now.
And here are five sustainability influencers, from different parts of the world, recommended by our readers:
Good for your planet and your mind
“I highly suggest you check out @TimFerriss. He posts new videos almost weekly on his YouTube channel that cover various topics on sustainability
and self-improvement. If you have the time, you can listen to his podcast as well! It features several powerful and successful people from a wide variety of professions who share their philosophies and vulnerabilities while Ferriss deconstructs their habits, traits, and routines. There’s a wealth of lessons to be taken from them that will influence both your mind and heart.”
Matthew Paxton – Founder at www.hypernia.com
The young activist we should be listening to
“As editor of a website on sustainability, I believe there can hardly be a better sustainability influencer than the young Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg. She doesn’t influence like most others do, by locking us into a silent, socially unresponsive cycle of endless consumerism of click-through ads; she influences by acting, speaking, and appealing to the decision makers. But she also teaches us that no age is “too young” to understand the catastrophic consequences of climate change.”
Silvia Borges – Chief Editor of sustainability website at www.enviromom.com
Living with less
“As a warrior for social equity and an advocate for sustainability, Francesca Willow desires to bring some clarity on the best methods to utilize for a more ethical lifestyle. She not only has an incredibly informative Instagram page, but her blog is a treasure for anyone searching for a holistic approach to sustainability. The most important idea I learned from her is that we don’t need expensive products to live a healthy and sustainable life; the products we need are all around us.”
Caroline Lee – Co-founder at software development www.cocosign.com
Sustainability works better when fully integrated
“One of my favourite sustainability influencers is Besma, a Paris-based lifestyle influencer. Her blog, Curiously Conscious, talks about essential eco-friendly shortcuts and makes sustainability feel effortless. She tries to document her clothes swaps and visits to eco-villages, sustainable spa hotels, and organic food markets. She also promotes small organic brands on her profile.
One thing that I have learned from her is how to integrate sustainability into all aspects of life: food, travel, fashion, and beauty as well”.
Miranda Yan – Co-Founder at software development company www.vinpit.com
Advocating beyond sustainability
“The best sustainability influencers in my opinion are Emma Slade Edmonson and Claudia Ayuso. Not only do they both promote sustainable fashion, but they use their platform to advocate for climate change and charity fundraising to help those without a voice. They both possess an active presence in the sustainable clothing sector and are looking to use these platforms to make social change for the better.
Their environmental advocacy is by far my favourite and I look forward to seeing their posts regularly on social media.”
Umarah Hussain – Outreach Specialist at Marketing solutions agency www.surgems.co.uk