ʻLIVING SLOWLY, RELUCTANTLY

The pleasures and burdens of attempting a sustainable life in a fast-moving world

- RAVLEEN KAUR

This summer, when I visited my aunt with my family, she showered us with love and clothes—a typical gift in Indian households. My children were delighted by the shiny, colourful fabrics. My heart, however, sank. Reality had just upended a plan I had long nurtured: that our family would buy no new non-cotton fabric. A work visit to textile mills had prompted the resolve. Yet the thought of acquiring another pile of “petroleum-based synthetics” dulled the pleasure of receiving gifts. Eco-consciousness can be a burdensome companion—one from which there is no easy escape.