Man in his concrete jungle

Man used to be one with nature. Now, the most sophisticated creature on this planet has gone away from it. One may be living in the tallest skyscrapers in the world, but without a view of nature you feels neither refreshed nor the energy to move on in this fast paced world. 

One wears down with the struggles of a city living. The honking of horns, a characteristic sound of cities, is as close as it gets to a feeling of stress. The rush to get to a place on time, leaves you with no time to appreciate what you have already. One is so busy getting ahead that you does not realize what is left behind, maybe not until it’s too late. 

Another common trap is the corporate job trap. One has to move to the big cities for a job, deal with the targets and pressure that entails the job and before you know it, you have given a big part of your life to it. 

Very often the only form of breaks that we take in daily life is a walk in the park. Living with nature is out of question for the concrete jungles we have built for ourselves.

The consequence

Health issues. Nature has a way of pulling us back to it. Man belongs to nature, he can only go so far away from it. 

All the health issues one faces due to day to day stressful routine such as stress, depression, immuno-deficiency issues etc. all go back to the same root cause, that one is not connected to his roots.

The remedy

Green, green and green is all you need to think of. Whether you live in an apartment or a landed house may not be something you can control. However, what you are surrounded with is something you can control to a large extent. So ensure you have things around you that can give you peace. 

Man started out as a hunter gatherer and then he moved onto agriculture. Understanding this transition can reassure you that we had once mastered the art of living as one with nature without all artificial constructs. So it is possible to go back and still survive. 

Imagine for a few minutes which part of your surroundings would not be visible in a village? That will put a lot of things in perspective, and help you question if things are a product of your urban lifestyle or what is actually essential for a natural living. 

Or how many of your daily activities are cultivated by man and are not a natural instinct? 95% of your activities will fall into this bucket of man made activities. Some of it is unavoidable, such as a desk job, as it helps put bread on the table. But there are a lot of activities that can be rethought to be more in sync with nature.

When was the last time you heard the chirping of birds. It’s highly therapeutic. It makes you wish you could spend more time in this bliss. 

And have you heard the chirping of crickets? Nothing beats the peacefulness that nature provides, when you listen to them. If you have a balcony, leave a small bowl of bird seed outside during the daytime to draw nature towards you. It’s a good engagement for you to watch over them. 

Adding a touch of nature in our homes is a good way to start. Go for alternatives of handicrafts and woodwork. They might require a little more polishing and upkeep at times, but be assured that the time you take off to do that will relax you even more. 

Tips and tricks to go green

Let’s go back to the comparison with a village. Before man moved into cities, he lived in villages. So begin by identifying objects around you that would look different in a village. It could start with cell phones, laptops or any other device you are reading this blog on. 

It would be difficult to re-engineer electronics with sustainable materials so let’s leave that out of the equation. Let’s look at furniture and stationery, if you have them. 

Which one of the furniture you use is made of completely natural materials? Before buying them, did you have a preference for natural vs artificial materials? It’s true that if you go for a wooden alternative, the subject of deforestation will come up as well. So it’s a hard decision to make for wooden substitutes. 

Now look at the smaller objects in your homes, such as boxes, lampshades and trays, table mats and the like. Have you considered a bamboo alternative? Unlike wood, bamboo does not become a subject for deforestation, as the bamboo roots remain intact even at harvest. Bamboo is easily replenishable. You only need to give some care and consideration to own a sustainable home supplied almost fully by bamboo. 

Read this post here to understand how bamboo crafts should be cared for.

Here are six ways to get help from nature to relax while you live in the city:

Indoor plants 

Let’s start with plants. Ensure you add a touch of greenery to your homes. There are plants appropriate for all rooms - living room, bedroom and kitchens. You can get inspiration from ideas from Infarm Nursery’s collection. 

Start by keeping a few indoor plants so that you develop the bond with nature. Not all plants need maintenance. There are a few easy hacks here. Money plants and lucky bamboo have extremely low maintenance and can thrive in water as well. 

Outdoor plants

If you have a balcony or any open space in your home, leverage that. The space is not fully utilised till you add at least a pot of plant there. Depending on the luxury of space you can decide which and how many to accommodate. 

Home furnishings made of natural elements

Instead of synthetic and PU leather, go for more natural fibers. Wherever possible, use wooden furniture. While they dont look as sophisticated as upholstered (PU) leather ones, they look really classic and will always remind you of nature. 

Glass and bamboo are other alternatives for home decor such as lamp shades, kitchenware etc. 

Replace your plastic bottles with glass. Not only are they far more durable and healthy, but also the most eco friendly options. You will also develop more care in the handling of the bottles to ensure that they do not break. 

Strawbiz has a great collection of bamboo. Check out these sturdy trays made from 100% bamboo. They look cute while being extremely functional, and can hold upto 5 kg of weight. 

 

 

Handmade crafts

Having handicrafts is a great way to appreciate nature as handicrafts are often made from simple raw materials. Appreciating the intricate details on these might also inspire you to engage is some form of art. Handicrafts can also include paintings which are a great way to add a touch of sophistication to your homes. 

If you put some thought into your selection, you might be able to replace the majority of plastic ware in your homes. Take these cute paper files made from bamboo for instance, which have a carefully crafted exterior to keep you in wonder of the craftsmanship, and have a felt lining to provide a layer of protection to the papers within. 

 

Yoga  or meditation

Both Yoga and meditation are great ways to relax and get more connected to your surroundings. You will begin to observe the small noises around you such as the ticking of the clock, the purring of your AC or the cars outside your home. You learn to appreciate the little things a bit more which in turn makes you more mindful. Your concentration will improve, tension levels come down and you will be better equipped to deal with the daily anxieties. 

Natural fibers in clothes 

Have you paused to feel how different fabric makes you feel? Especially when you are outdoors? If not, give it a go. If you compare cotton with synthetic substitutes you will realise that cotton helps your skin breathe better and in turn puts you more at ease. 

The same is true for woolen wear as well. A woolen blend compared with a 100%polyester, will make you feel the same way. 

Your destination for all things natural and calming

You can start your journey on exploring all things natural and crafty at Strawbiz. We offer bamboo handicrafts, crochet articles and will be adding many more in the coming months. Stay tuned. 

Conclusion

Man cannot live in his own den. He has got to step outside and meet nature in order to live his best life. We need to look back at our doings and retrace the steps back to nature. 

The best way to start is to surround yourself with bits of nature. Decorating your homes with crafts is a good way to do this seamlessly.