Gabrielle Koster (@gabrielle_koster) is a freelance writer and influencer based in Amsterdam. She’s passionate about sustainable fashion, natural beauty and conscious living, and she loves sharing eco tips with her virtual community. A new mother, her Instagram account is a treasure trove of sustainable baby products, like washable diapers and rattan cradles, and a great source of style inspiration for expectant mothers. We asked Gabrielle a few questions about being a sustainable mom and how her life and priorities have changed since.
How did you get into a sustainable lifestyle?
It all started with going vegetarian when I was around 14 years old, but I’ve always had an interest in making the world a better place. I’m a highly sensitive person and seeing how the world suffers made me realise that I had to do something to protect it.
So I started reading more and more about the impact we have as humans on our planet, watching documentaries like “The True Cost” (a film about the devastating effects of fast fashion), and taking other small steps, such as reducing plastic waste.
What is your goal and who is your audience?
My goal is to show that it can actually be really fun to make conscious choices, and that you don’t have to give up on a lot if you want to live a sustainable lifestyle. You can still wear your favourite outfits or have a sense of style, you can still eat amazing food and do so many other great things. My followers probably don’t live full zero waste lifestyle, but they are curious to know more about sustainability and what it means to live a conscious lifestyle.
What has been the biggest learning curve in your professional growth?
I had to learn that I make mistakes and that everybody makes mistakes. This is very normal, especially when you are following a sustainable journey. I also realized that when it comes to a career, there is more to life than having success. I think that being happy in the now is what matters most.
What are the biggest misconceptions about what you do?
People think that Instagram influencers are very superficial; that their whole life is free, that they don’t pay for their rent, for their clothes or for their food. Unfortunately people don’t realize how much work and time goes into that and that its not superficial.
What’s a day in your life like?
At the moment it is mostly diapers, feeding and naps for my little baby. I’m a new mother and we are at a newborn stage, so it is very different from what it used to be. This website article helped a new mom like me. By the way, I love writing, creating content and going out for a walk. I work out, I like to meditate and do yoga, and just generally take care of myself. But my days are very different nowadays, sometimes I don’t even go out of the house.
On my ideal day I would wake up and have a healthy breakfast sitting outside in the sun with a book maybe, I would do some yoga or meditate, write articles, fix some content, have a healthy lunch and a dinner with friends.
Who inspires you?
Lots of people inspire me on a daily basis. I don’t have one specific person, it changes depending on what I’m working on. It switches from my neighbor to my mother, from Malala Yousafzai to Greta Thunberg.
Who is someone you want us to know?
I definitely recommend some amazing sustainable influencers such as Zoe van Liere, Let’s Talk Slow, Alisson Simmonds, Talita Kalloe, Quirine Smit, Jaleesa Isabella,
One sustainable product you can’t live without?
That’s a good question. I think I couldn’t live without my reusable bag. I use it as my sports bag, grocery bag, and every time I go outside and I need to bring something with me. Other than that I can also mention my bamboo toothbrush and my shampoo bar.
One eco-friendly habit you wish everyone practiced?
I get so sad that after a sunny day parks and beaches are filled with trash. I would love to see a world without trash, no plastic in the oceans and no trash in nature.
What does sustainability mean to you?
I think this is a tough question because I don’t think that sustainability is one concept anymore nowadays. We can work towards a more sustainable world, using less resources, having a better impact and leaving the world behind better than how we found it. This would be the ideal definition of sustainability to me. But I also think that is more about the steps we take and the effort we put in, because I don’t believe in perfection.
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists and contributors are their own, not those of Impakter.com. — In the Featured Photo: Gabrielle Koster. Featured Photo Credit: Gabrielle Koster.
