Sneha
For me, “shrinking toward abundance” is a daily practice of conscious choices. It is a refusal: to reproduce, to consume non-human animals, to live as if the planet is expendable. I live as a childfree vegan, reducing my footprint where I can. I share my life with three adopted dogs and a cat—my chosen family, a small support circle of friends who make the world a little softer. In a world built on the extraction of bodies—human, non-human animal, and ecological - care becomes resistance. Not virtue, but responsibility. Through my work, I create space for intersectional animal rights, veganism, and procreation ethics.
Stefanie and Luke
At the heart of our two-decade relationship is a commitment to living according to our ethical and ecological principles. Who we are as individuals, life partners, and members of families, communities, and society is deeply shaped by our deliberate, enthusiastic decisions to be vegan and minimalist, to be childfree and to share our lives daily with non-human companions (both indoors and outdoors). These aspects of our lives and identities fit together like pieces of a puzzle, reinforcing and energizing one another, and they provide us a sense of contentment and direction in even the hardest times.
Elizabet
A lot of the green-washed minimalism marketed as a cure-all for the eco-ails of my generation & beyond is just monetized common sense. There’s no judgment because there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism. But I’ve lived without disposable income for over six years now, and even if I were avocado-toast-rich, why would I buy things like coffee to go? The whole point is to sit down and enjoy it. At home, in the train dining car, or in a café. Slowing down is my only weapon against the gimmicks of mandatory overconsumption.
Juan J.
The humble ways I have found to be most sensible to help, at the individual level, during our current eco-social crisis include mainly 4 aspects: diet, procreation (or lack thereof), mobility, and education. I decided a few years ago to become a vegetarian, and now a vegan. I do not eat animals or their secretions, and I do not participate in their exploitation. I also decided, since I was a young person, to remain childfree, and I currently do not possess a car. Finally, and I think this is perhaps my main contribution, I dedicate most of my time as a university teacher, educating about the convergence of crises.
Dusti B.
I am childfree. Being a teacher for decades filled that itch nicely. We have one car used mainly locally. We are vegan/vegetarian, and enjoy growing food and native plants on our half acre. I help my husband with online outreach at Scale Down, advocating for lowering human numbers and reducing consumption such that other species and ecosystems suffer less from human impacts. International flights are infrequent for recovery of endangered giraffe in Kenya and tropical forest conservation in Ecuador. I bring joy to my community and self through music, fiddling at old time and Celtic music jams.
Elisabeth D.
I lead a low waste, plant-based, flightfree and childfree life and my pets are also on a plant-based diet. For four years, I lived off the grid in an eco, custom made, tiny house on wheels installed in an olive grove, with energy coming from solar panels and rainwater -while I was growing food via vegan permaculture methods which helped the wild animals of the area. However, I was car dependent over there but since I moved to Sweden I have cut down my car use significantly, and my next goal is to be carfree, thanks to the great train connections in Northern Europe).
Joe G.
With a devotion to nature, and some fortuity in my circumstances, I live with ecocentrism as a guide. I am married and childfree, and, despite a feline fondness, have no pets. Our time is split between a tiny home (30x12 feet) and a spare room in a family member’s house. I tend towards organic veganism, with food-miles and zero-waste considerations. I get almost everywhere by bus and train and on foot, rejecting planes and rarely using cars. I work a 15-hour week and buy things through need much more than want, seeking pre-used items wherever possible.
Laura U.
One of my favorite ways to give nature a little boost is to replant or propagate the discarded plants I find piled at the end of people’s driveways after a big weekend of yard work. I take them home and either plant them directly into the ground or I root them in little pots and eventually give them as gifts. While it has resulted in the opposite of a trim and pristine front lawn, my yard is always full of birds, butterflies, and busy pollinators, and I delight in giving them a lush place to snack and rest.