Women and the Environment

As women we are constantly getting messages from the advertising industry, especially clothing and cosmetic manufacturers, encouraging us to buy more and more of their products. Somehow they make it seem that buying their products will make us more complete, happier, and make us more attractive to the opposite sex.

This can however have a huge environmental cost and leave us still feeling dissatisfied within.

There are however steps that we can take to minimise our environmental impact as far as the clothing and cosmetic industries are concerned.

1) Develop your inner beauty. Have a clear sense of who you inherently are, and spiritually speaking of your inherent perfection. Self-confidence radiates outwards as beauty. This is the most important of all beauty therapies or routines. It is the journey of self-discovery. It is a full bright smile, sparkling happy eyes, clear and pure in body, mind and spirit. Try practising meditation, silence and stillness; nourish your spirit as well as your body.

2) Find a good image or colour consultant. Knowing what colours really suit you could be an environmental and financial saving; also it can make shopping simpler and easier. A really good image consultant will be intuitive and see your inner beauty and how to best dress that. You will be given advice about clothing, hairstyle and make-up. I turned up for my day at an image consultant's several years ago wearing jeans, leather jacket, heavy doc martin boots. One of the first things she said to me was, 'Where has the woman gone?' This was appropriate in my case as I am usually gentle, accepting of others and quite delicate looking. I'm very feminine. I realised that I was giving conflicting signals out into the world by not dressing the inner me. Wearing colours and styles that suit you really does help to have you look your best. It also means that you are far less influenced by the fashion industry, in terms of colours and styles that they choose for you for that season. You dress the real you, which may well go beyond the seasons of the fashion industry, meaning that you do not need a new wardrobe each season. This too is good for the environment.

2) Buy clothing to last, buy quality. Have a clear sense of you and your own sense of fashion so that you don't need to change your wardrobe every year.

3) Where you can, buy organic and/or fair-trade clothing made with natural dyes from an ethical clothing company. Buy from companies with heart.

4) Recycle your clothing when you have finished with it, give it to a charity of second hand shop, and don't just bin it.

5) Don't buy so much. How much clothing do you really need?

6) Cosmetics, buy natural where you can, even organic. Many of the companies that do natural organic cosmetics, often run their businesses in a more sustainable way. Find cosmetic companies that have a heart, that you really believe in.

7) Don't necessarily feel pressurised to shave your legs or dye your hair. Go with what feels best for you, experiment. I am 35 years of age, and have a good sprinkling of grey in my long dark hair. However I feel beautiful, and very healthy. I don't believe grey hair to be unattractive or in fact particularly important in any way. Developing myself spiritually and having a flexible healthy body, seems more important than trying to get rid of grey hair. Personally, currently, I have no intention of dying my hair.

7) Have fun, radiating your inner goddess out into the world. You will find that with a few beautiful outfits and less make-up you will make a far greater impact. Your impact is about internals as well as externals.