The NEW Influencers - Sustainably Aimee

 

Tell us about your business – what do you do and what audience do you cater to?

I have two sides to my business. I work as a social media influ-encer/advocate (I prefer this term) in sustainable living and reducing personal waste and living more consciously on the front end. And I am a social media manager and consultant for small sustainable businesses primarily for Instagram and will include Pinterest in a few months, on the back end. I want people to enjoy sharing their message on social media with a strategy that works. Sustainablyaimee serves millennials looking to start or continue their plastic-free journey and living more consciously. I share ways that I am finding success in this space.. I too am on this journey so it comes from a really authentic perspective of what works/what hasn’t etc. I only partner with brands that I truly align with and will kick a disposable or wasteful habit. I also share ways I remain mindful, my plant-based journey and connected to my life. I am a beach lover so that too is a part of my theme as well.

You’re a model turned activist. Take us through that moment of realizing that you wanted to do more and build your business.

I love photography and being in front of the camera I started when I was 15. When Instagram came around I started my pages highlighting my modeling career however it very quickly turned into the influencer life with no true direction or message. I was doing well to grow my reach and work with amazing photographers but

"I loved the ocean and constantly shared that message but I did not really feel like I was impacting anyone positively. 'What message was I really leaving people with when they came to my page?' I would ask myself."

I felt lost. I loved the ocean and constantly shared that message but I didn’t really feel I was impacting anyone positively. “What message was I really leaving people with when they came to my page?” I would ask myself. I also know social media can paint a negative picture with mental health portraying a perfect lifestyle message all the time and that’s not good for our health. I wanted to lend to a positive environment for my page for those that connected with me.

To date, what has been your biggest achievement or accomplishment in building your brand?

If you asked me this when I first started in 2018, I would say working with a very large well-known brand in New York City, however I think it really is being recognized in my community for this work and when people are inspired by what I’m sharing. When I see that not only are people incorporating these habits but they are seeing how they can help. Small steps have a HUGE impact in this environment. I LOVE it when someone sends me an article or takes notice of a green effort, because maybe they don’t necessarily engage with my posts all the time but they’re seeing things in a different light so that’s what fills me up to keep doing this and taking it on.

What’s the one thing you feel that we as individuals can do to live a more sustainable lifestyle?

I think firstly, it’s great to do an audit or waste audit on your current habits. Where do you accumulate the most waste in your life? Is your diet mostly meat and dairy focused? For me it was in travel, my bathroom habits as well as diet so when I finished up an item instead of replacing it with something disposable I looked for a reusable. When I would go out to restaurants I would opt for plant-based meals; reducing my own meat consumption. Make changes as you go, that’s the most important way to approach sustainable living. It’s not about throwing everything out, that’s WAY worse. It’s about reusing containers that you already have, investing in reusables and challenging yourself to think before you toss.

Also, just start. Don’t wait for the perfect time, that’ll pass quickly. If you’re a big meat eater and you’re out at a restaurant, opt for plant-based options because the chef definitely will have the skills to wow you. If you love fast fashion - hit the flea markets or swap clothes with friends before you go out to buy something. Think before you consume. Sustainable living is a mindset shift. The consciousness alone to do so is huge. We live in a very fast-paced auto pilot world. When you slow down, you start to see things clearer - conscious living helps with that.

What is Sustainably Aimee all about?

Sustainably Aimee is a social media community and blog where I share ways for people to reduce waste and live with the planet in mind. I want people to know they don’t have to give up luxury in order to remain environmentally friendly. I actually find it is the opposite. I officially launched this new platform and blog in July 2018 for the Plastic Free July Challenge.

Tell us about yourself and your background.

I’m originally from Los Angeles, California but grew up in Columbus, Ohio where I’m based today. I grew up in a very privileged area and knew that definitely wasn’t the picture of the rest of the world. However, I started to see my city from a different view and all this creative energy, community and opportunity in the sustainable space since very few people were talking about it at the time. It made it exciting to stay when I returned from overseas to have an impact at the local level. We have a lot of opportunity for small businesses here and people are taking notice so Columbus is definitely popping up from under the radar, I definitely miss the ocean though so I know I’ll move closer to it down the road.

I grew up with very supportive parents that encouraged my sister (I have a fraternal twin!) Rachel and I, to see the world and life beyond our bubble. I knew I wanted to travel and finally made the choice to do so when I turned 18 and went out to Arizona for University. Fast forward my early twenties were spent in Miami and New York, 5 months in Europe and eventually made it overseas living abroad in beautiful Sydney, Australia. I spent 3 years there which shaped me to be the person I am today and focus on this aspect of work educating around the planet. Sydney has such a large part of my heart I hope to go back when things open up. Travel is the best teacher when it comes to learning about yourself, other cultures and how we live and interact with this planet.

“….I watched a docuseries called the “War on Waste” Australia and I was shook, you could say that was when I woke up to the very real problem.”

My sustainable journey gradually started whilst in Sydney I became more aware of the waste we generate from plastic and food. I was on a photoshoot in Australia in 2017 and we had to move the trash to shoot around the location, it was awful. I immediately felt it was a sign to start incorporating and educating around our waste. Then shortly thereafter I watched a docuseries called the “War on Waste” Australia and I was shook, you could say that was when I woke up to the very real problem. It was categorized by 4 areas of waste; coffee cups, fashion, single-use plastic and food. These categories are so prominent in everyone’s lives. Finally, when I moved back to America in 2018 I sat at a restaurant that gave me a plastic utensils, styrofoam takeaway container in a plastic bag; right then I knew instead of sharing a tip here and there, I wanted to take it on fully and educate others. I announced my name change to SustainablyAimee and my new focus; it felt like the right path. I lost a huge part of my audience but I didn’t care, I knew it was so much more impactful to share this message and inspire better habits.

What do you find most inspiring about sustainability?

I think the most inspiring thing about sustainability is the innovation behind using new materials and products with the planet in mind. Those that reco-gnize the problem are not just throwing their hands up but that they are actually bringing a new material or ideas to the table. I just discovered Mylo (made from mycelium that grows naturally) which is an alternative to leather. We're seeing new types of materials to replace plastic that can break down in the environment better from the science side; that’s bloody cool. We’re seeing more options around plant-based food and restaurants catering to a plant-based diet.

I also appreciate the fact that sustainability is not just one area like ocean plastic but there are so many industries within it that can benefit from our more earth-friendly approach. Biodynamic farming, regenerative agriculture, apparel made from natural fibers, providing a living wage, focusing on forest and park conservation in our poorer cities, reducing your fish, meat and dairy intake. These are all ways that we can still stimulate the economy but we are living WITH the planet in mind not just on it. That’s pretty inspiring.

 
 
sustainable influencerVA Samsustainable influencer, sustainably aimee