Sustainable living can be a very challenging shift in today’s hyper-capitalist society, but that doesn’t mean that it should be disregarded. With the power of online resources, everyone can access pools of information regarding every aspect of sustainability. However, this can also prove to be quite overwhelming, as the information available is practically never ending. That is why spaces dedicated to helping people reach that initial level of awareness are a great thing to have on hand; spaces where real people give real advice on real problems. And that is exactly what our latest Cool Face of Bastet Noir managed to create.
Gittemarie Johansen is a sustainable living and zero-waste content creator, environmentalist and author dedicating her work to helping people lead a more sustainable lifestyle. Whether that’s through her blog where she shares anything from vegan recipes to where to shop vintage around the world, to in-depth Youtube videos about sustainable home decor and travel tips, Gittemarie has become the go-to online stop for people that just don’t know where to begin. We are thrilled to have Gittemarie be a part of our Cool Faces of Bastet Noir series, and if you’d like to know more keep on reading!
Who is Gittemarie Johansen?
Environmentalist, content creator, public speaker and author of the book “Sustainable Badass”.
What’s your morning routine like?
I drink plenty of water, sometimes with a little elderflower syrup in it. I try to take good care of my skin (although I am not always successful), but on most days I remember to moisturize. Then I do my makeup, if I feel like it. I only support low waste, low impact brands and try to avoid as much plastic packaging in my products as possible. Lastly, I pick out an outfit. 90% of my wardrobe is second hand, the rest is from sustainable and ethical brands. For breakfast I love to make green smoothies with veggies from the farmers market, pancakes or scrambled tofu, that always gets me.
We found out about your inspiring work through Youtube! And rightfully so, as your sustainability and zero-waste channel has amassed more than 100K subscribers. Tell us more about the journey, how did this whole thing start and what inspired you to document your zero-waste lifestyle?
Wow thank you so much! It actually started as a fun 30 day experiment, where I wanted to see if I could go a month without generating waste, and after that I never looked back.
You have also written a book all about zero-waste in Danish, including your tips and tricks on how to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. How did you find the book writing process and were there some challenges you faced along the way?
Yes, it came out in Danish in 2020 and it will be coming out in English this June 2022, so excited! During the writing process, I kept thinking about all the things no one told me, but I now wish I had known from the beginning of my journey — both those small tips and tricks as well as the broader and bigger impact, and mental health aspect, of sustainable living. I basically wrote a survival guide for my past self, and hopefully it can make a lot of peoples journey into green living a little bit easier. Of course, there were some small challenges, but mostly I just fell in love with the whole process, so it is definitely not the last book I’ll write.
On your blog you have several lists on international second hand shops, your favorite eco brands and more, specially curated for your readers. How did this idea come to be, and how does this curation process look like for you?
These lists are living documents for me, so I update them constantly, sometimes, I have to remove a brand or a recommendation if the company takes a turn I cannot stand behind, and often I learn about new brands that I add to the list. This idea came about, because I have a rather international following, and I often got questions about which brands I like, if I knew any brands from this area, or country, etc, so to give people a place where they can alway come for inspiration, while not having to worry about getting greenwashed, I created my lists on gittemary.com
Three things you wish you knew before starting out?
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You don’t have to be perfect, so relax, let your shoulders down, do the best you can.
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Embrace that you might not know everything from the beginning, you might change your habits in one direction, only to find out later that there is a better way, or something else that gives better results, lean into it, and don’t be too proud to change your mind, and
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Adding black salt to your morning scrambled tofu makes it absolutely bomb!
Books that changed your life
Astrophysics for people in a hurry, by Niel Degrass Tyson. It was one of the first non-fiction books I picked up after I got my Masters degree, and after 5 years of classical literature, it sparked an interesting in physics which has since made curious about both quantum theory, paleontology and many other braces of science, but it all started with this little book, and now I get emotional when seeing spacerocks.
Other books that have inspired and captivated me are “Mythos”, by Steven Fry, “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close”, by Jonathan Saffran Foer, “The Alchemist”, by Paulo Coelho, and the poetry collection by William Blake, “Songs of Innocence and Experience”.
Favorite female empowerment speech?
What’s in your Bastet Noir cart?
The Fiore Dress, for sure, that green color is gorgeous, and The Nina Set, such a badass vibe!
If you liked Gittemarie’s story, there’s plenty more to come, just hit that sign up button to get in our inner circle of coolness and never miss a thang!
If you liked Gittemarie’s story, there’s plenty more to come. Just hit that sign up button to get in our inner circle of coolness and shop ethical and eco-friendly dresses!