Making Sustainability The Foundation Of Our Everyday Lives
Why is it so important to start being more sustainable?
Humans are struggling in our current system. Our consumptive lifestyle results in greed, anger, ill health, poverty, social isolation, and fear. Realigning our social and personal values towards sustainability helps us rethink what is really important in our lives, and how we treat others and the environment.
How hard is it to set up and what if you only have a small area?
No area is too small or too large. With the right setting, you can grow a herb garden in teacups on a winder sill and balconies make great protected spaces for vegetable gardens.
What hardier plants would you suggest for those starting out?
It will really depend on the season but tomatoes are a good all-rounder – with enough water and sunlight they grow anywhere. All year-long carrots are a fail-safe for those who think they have a black thumb.
Can you please tell us details about your upcoming workshop?
The Sustainable Home Gardening workshop helps people reconnect to the environment, and increase their social interaction and support, whilst learning how to be self-sufficient in our food supply, ultimately saving money.
Gardens are all about knowledge, perseverance and care. We will look at why home gardens are so valuable to sustainable lives from being a food source, providing resilience through hard times and the increased well-being benefits from being outdoors. We explore how any size garden can be a habitat for a variety of native species and look at what we can learn from different cultures that have strong connections to the land. We provide insight into what’s best to grow and when and the problems to look out for ensure you succeed with producing crops from your gardens.
But it’s not just all talking, we’ll be getting our hands dirty. Everyone who attends will be planting their own pot with a choice of vegetables that they will then take home to start their own home garden.
In between, we will have time for morning/afternoon tea and lunch in the beautiful setting of The Farm.
Name and business
My name is Kim Polistina and my business is Eternal World Pty. Ltd.
Tell us who you are personally?
I have been living, working and educating about Sustainability for over 30 years. I am a single mum and enjoy quality time with my beautiful daughter who is 13 yo. I try to walk along our local beaches at least 4-5 times a week, I love to socialise with friends and enjoy listening to music. Christmas is my favourite time of the year.
I am passionate about renovating our home into a tranquil and loving environment, establishing a backyard that has a thriving vegetable garden and the habitat for our possums, bluetongues, green tree frogs and birds.
I dislike people who disrespect and abuse others and the natural environment.
What is your story?
From an early age, I enjoyed being in nature and valued the time it provides me for quiet solitude and reflection. After several years working in the corporate setting, I went back to university as a mature aged student and completed by Honours Degree which led to completing my first Phd. I travelled the world throughout this time and learned much about other cultural beliefs and values. During this time the Rio Summit was held and this sparked my interest in Sustainability.
The road to starting my own business has been a bit of a roll-a-coaster as I have spent most of my career working for others. I worked in the UK for several years and started a successful business there before closing it to return to Australia so my daughter could grow up with her family in the Australian environment. The restructuring of the university setting in Australia meant I was faced with the choice of trying to find another lecturing position or be self-sufficient and start my own company again.
How do you start your mornings?
Slowly, I am not a morning person. Then there is the mad rush to get my daughter off to school and me into the office.
What is your product or service? How does it help others?
I have two main services - education and consultancy. Both focus on making sustainability the foundation of our everyday lives. I suppose the main benefit for others in working with us is that by making this change towards sustainability our values and beliefs change. We open up the possibility of a better world without the fixation on money as the panacea for all problems. We provide people with skills, knowledge and strength to be more self-sufficient and resilient through the hard times and content with the good things in life that aren’t necessarily material in nature and so much more.
If you could meet one person in this world, dead or alive, who would it be? And why? And what would you ask them?
Albert Einstein, because he persevered and stayed strong when all around him were discrediting, ridiculing and isolating him and his innovative ideas. What techniques did he use to educate people about the changes that needed to be made in society?
Who is on this journey with you?
Everyone on earth – many of them don’t know it yet – but that’s why I started Eternal World.
If you were face-to-face with a mumma who is struggling, what would be your message to her?
It is scary to go out on your own and be responsible for yourself and your family. Build coping mechanisms, a few I use are:
Have a social support group and meet with them weekly (or more);
Build several income streams – don’t rely on one job. It sounds like a lot of work but it is rewarding to know that if one fails you have others to fall back on.
Respect yourself – dress elegantly (like Audrey Hepburn, not the Kardashians), look after your health, and take time to quietly reflect each day even if only for 5 minutes with a cuppa.
Most of all only interact with people who respect you, you are doing the best you can – celebrate it and never apologise or make excuses to others for not doing more.
Where can we go for more information?
Call me: 0411 062 118
Website: eternalworldsustainability.com