#Space Nomads, Furniture & Sustainability
How can we better use space and everything within these spaces to make city living better? We explore the future of #space on planet earth and how it relates to #sharedliving.
Although we may not always be aware of it, pretty much every decision we make has an effect on the environment. From what we drive, eat, and wear, to trying to remember to bring our reusable coffee mug with us to Starbucks, there are a lot of layers to living sustainably. This got us thinking about how the nomad lifestyle plays into the sustainable picture and how we can make conscious decisions on what we buy while we are on the move in order to reduce our environmental footprint.
We — collectively as a society and on an individual level — are facing some pretty big challenges when it comes to environmental sustainability. Many of us are feeling a growing sense of urgency to change our habits, actions, and mindset around a lot of everyday practices, and be more aware of how our actions affect the bigger picture.
So, how does this affect the people who move from place to place? How do nomads, who are generally without a home base to hoard odds and ends collected over time, fair in this area? On one hand, nomads are typically not huge consumers — when your entire life needs to fit into a suitcase or two, you have to be careful about what you buy. On the other hand, never staying in the same place for too long can result in making purchases based on low cost and short-term convenience, rather than for quality and longevity. Because really, why spend a bunch of money on furniture when only planning to stay somewhere for a few months?
With nomads moving from place to place and no one staying in one place for too long, how do we strike the balance between having what we need for the short-term but not be tied down by a bunch of stuff? How do we bridge that gap between finding something that doesn’t break the bank (and that if you end up leaving behind at the end of your stay you won’t be too bothered), but not something full of chemicals, from unsustainably sourced materials, etc. that is bad for both the planet and human health.
The relationship between furniture and nomads is definitely an interesting one! So is the relationship between furniture and shared living. Both for sustainability and from the perspective of creating an environment for social connectedness- one that is inspiring, comfortable, and functional. Furniture is a curious topic because it’s one of those things that can so easily blend into the background and not be given a second thought, but in reality it is such a huge part of our everyday life and its impact on us and the environment is surprisingly complex. Does it really matter or doesn’t it? When travelling, does the furniture in your accommodation have any impact on your experience or your ability to connect with the people around you? Does being a nomad result in more of a minimalistic outlook? Or does it lead to consumerism of disposable products?
There are many factors that play into a piece of furniture’s sustainability status. Where was the wood sourced? How are the chemicals, such as formaldehyde in adhesives, affecting the air quality of your home? What was the manufacturing and shipping process for the furniture?
When you need to get a couple pieces to furnish your place for a few months, where are you likely going to go? Possibly try your luck in the online classified sites (Kijiji, Gumtree), at thrift stores or, if in season, garage sales. If you can’t find what you’re looking for secondhand, realistically are you going to make the financial investment in quality furniture when you’re not planning on staying somewhere for longer than a few months or are you going to head to IKEA or Walmart? Let’s face it, price is what often ends up being the deciding factor in these kind of decisions, regardless if the products are resource intensive and bad for human and environmental health.
So, as a nomad, how do you strike that balance of living in a somewhat sophisticated place, without being tied down by a bunch of furniture? We believe co-living should combine convenience and sustainability, and this is where we as a company want to contribute, working together with hosts and guests to come up with solutions. Wouldn’t it be nice to have access to quality and sustainable furniture that you could enjoy for your stay and not have to worry about when you move on? Just like we utilize spare rooms that would otherwise be sitting empty — rather than the knee-jerk reaction to just develop more accommodation — we believe that thinking sustainably when it comes to furnishing the home is just as important. A shared living space should be warm and inviting, and designed in a way that invites connection. And if you design the space properly you can amplify the effect of the furniture and, even better, use stuff you already have that you didn’t know could be used.
In the context of environmental sustainability, we think furniture does matter and should be given a second thought, and we plan to continue striving towards making our impact as a company as positive as possible; looking at sustainability holistically and determining how we can have a roll in raising awareness and finding practical solutions.
