It’s never too late to start practicing a more eco-conscious lifestyle. If you’re looking for tips and tricks on how to get started, these Instagram influencers will fill your feed with valuable action steps and resources that’ll make the planet smile. Whether it be purchasing an eco-friendly face mask or promoting an inclusive environmental space, these change-makers will inspire a more sustainable lifestyle.
Leah Thomas – @greengirlleah
Leah Thomas is the founder of Intersectional Environmentalist, a movement bringing social justice to the forefront of environmental conversations, striving to “protect the people and the planet”. Thomas uses her platform to promote sustainable brands and products, while also amplifying marginalized voices in the environmental space.
“I’ve stood beside white environmentalists during climate protests, but I’ve felt abandoned by my community during acts of unjustifiable violence toward Black and Brown people”, Thomas writes in Vogue. “I’ve had enough. The time is now to examine the ways the Black Lives Matter movement and environmentalism are linked.”
Lauren Singer – @trashisfortossers
Also known as “the girl with the jar”, Lauren Singer initially went viral after fitting four years worth of all the waste she’s created into one mason jar. Since then, she’s launched a leading “zero waste” editorial platform, Trash is for Tossers, delivered a TED talk which brought the concept of zero waste to millions, and opened the (virtual and physical) doors to the Package Free Shop, a one-stop shop for sustainable products.
By documenting and promoting her own waste-free journey, @trashisfortossers will show you simple swaps that’ll make reducing waste fun and accessible.
Kathryn Kellogg – @going.zero.waste
Kathryn Kellogg is a National Geographic’s spokesperson for plastic-free living, author of 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste, and the face of the @going.zero.waste Instagram account. A cancer scare had prompted her to reduce endocrine disruptors from her daily use, particularly plastics, and move towards a more holistic lifestyle.
Her blog, goingzerowaste.com, became a documentation of her journey, and later a resource to promote this lifestyle to others. For product round-ups of the best eco-friendly face masks, or actionable steps to becoming more environmentally responsible, @going.zero.waste is a great place to begin on your own eco-conscious journey.
Dominique Drakeford – @dominiquedrakeford
“Redefine, Reclaim, Reimagine and Revolutionize” – these are the “4 R’s” that Brooklyn-based influencer, writer and public speaker, Dominique Drakeford, stands for when addressing consumer sustainability (an upgraded version to the traditional, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle & Rot”). Dominique Drakeford is the creative director and founder of online publication MelaninASS and co-founder of platform Sustainable Brooklyn, which both celebrate and amplify the voices of BIPOC in the sustainability space.
With 10+ years of experience in environmental justice advocacy & youth development under her belt (on top of a BA in Business Environmental Management and a Master’s from NYU in Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Fashion), Drakeford strives to educate and disrupt, while celebrating blackness. If you aren’t marvelling at her aesthetically pleasing Instagram account, you can also catch her co-hosting the podcast: Kale & Cognac.
Marie Beecham – @mariebeech
Previously known as “Waste Free Marie”, Marie Beecham is a college student and activist, who uses her platform to educate on both of her passions: sustainability and social justice. She says her goal is to make sustainability accessible and inclusive, and to teach the relationships between privilege and the climate crisis.
Though her feed is filled with valuable facts, information, honest commentary and actionable steps, Beecher reminds us to navigate with respect and responsibility. “While many think of me as a resource, it’s important to remember that I am a whole person.”
