We often talk about sustainability in terms of practices and policies — but sometimes, it lives quietly in the corners of our homes. In old boxes, wrapped in soft memories.
This Environment Day, I’m not just thinking of the planet — I’m thinking of my bag, my plate, my pencil box.
That first fancy bag, Yes, the one I used in college, woven with love by my bhabhi and used by me to hold memories for lifetime. So is my old pencil box, some of my mother’s sarees… and even the steel plate gifted to me in childhood. I still have my pencil box from school, used until class 12. A simple object, but one that reminds me of a time when things were made to last — and perhaps, when I too was more mindful of how I used what I had. I took care of it, preserved it. It wasn’t just a box, it was a companion to every test, every doodle, every idea scribbled in the margins.
My college bag still sits in my trunk. It’s more than fabric and zips — it holds a universe of memories. It carried my books, my pens, my hopes, my frustrations in crumpled papers, my scarf flying in auto rides, the little letter tucked in a side pocket. It traveled with me — from college to canteen, library to lectures, buses to boardrooms. It has lived my life with me.
I had also written a beautiful poem around this bag of mine in my latest poetry book. Do give it a read – The Story of a Handbag, its under the Water heading/section of my book – “Echoes Of The Elements” its available on Amazon – https://amzn.in/d/gohMXjD
And then there are the sarees — the soft cottons and gleaming silks my mother wore to work. I still have them. Not because I’m sentimental — though I am — but because they last. They speak of timelessness. Of weaving not just threads, but stories. I still wear them sometimes. When I do, it feels like I’m wearing her strength and style, wrapped in elegance.
Also, that plate.
It wasn’t just used by me — my son ate in it too when he was little. The shine might have dulled a little, but the memories remain polished. Because steel, like love, endures.
The things we keep aren’t always grand or expensive. But they’re rich in stories, in moments, in meaning.
My college bag still holds the scent of old pages and the rustle of journeys — from the library to the canteen, from exams to daydreams. My mom’s cotton and silk sarees, still wearable today, remind me that true beauty never fades.
And my pencil box, and my college bag? It reminds me that even as a child, I was careful. Mindful.
Maybe sustainability wasn’t a word back then, but it was a way of life.
All these things have stayed not because they were never replaceable, but because they were never waste. 💚 These aren’t just things — they’re proof that when we value, we don’t waste.
They remind us that durability isn’t just physical — it’s emotional.
We live in a world obsessed with the “new.” But perhaps the most eco-friendly choice is to treasure what we already have.
🌿 This World Environment Day, I invite you to reflect:
What have you held on to? What has held on to you?
Let’s celebrate a world where sustainability lives quietly — in old sarees, used bags, shiny steel plates, and in hearts that remember.
These items may not speak — but they whisper stories of conscious living. Of choosing quality over quantity. Of slowing down in a world that keeps speeding up.
Let us honour that.
Let us remember, respect, and reuse.
♻️What’s one thing you’ve kept for years — and what story does it hold?
Share it. Let’s inspire sustainability not just as a practice, but as a personal legacy.
✨ This Environment Day, I celebrate the idea that the most sustainable things are often the ones we don’t throw away.
Because value delays waste.
Because when we choose to keep, repair, and cherish — we choose the planet.
This blog is a part of #BlogchatterWeeklyBlogHop
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🌿 At Prachi The Tatwa Girl, I celebrate the five elements and their connection to life and nature. Join me in exploring ways to live sustainably, cherish our planet, and honor every tiny miracle it holds.
- Agni (Fire): Recipes & culinary creations, inspired by Agni’s energy and lifeforce.
- Vayu (Air): Festivals, culture, & traditions, everything around us like beliefs and mythology.
- Aakash (Sky): Travel tales under infinite skies, and my journey experiences.
- Jal (Water): Flowing thoughts & emotions, like water are my flow of thoughts.
- Prithvi (Earth): Eco-friendly living & sustainability, and harmony of our greener planet.
🎙 Green Tatwa Talks: Explore sustainable practices & inspiring Green Warriors on my podcast!
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🌳 Did you hug a tree or spot a bird today? Let’s spread the love and protect the earth’s wonders, one feathered friend at a time!🎙 Check out Green Tatwa Talks
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