As a copywriter, I thrive on helping purpose-driven businesses get the right message out to the world. I know many in this space face challenges other businesses don’t. Issues like where they source their goods from, the conditions of workers, and how to spread their message without a huge marketing budget.
Often a lack of time, or the inability to clearly articulate their voice can prevent some businesses from making an impact.
That’s why I'm here, to help them shout their values to the world so they can leave their mark. It’s my way of contributing and supporting a worthwhile cause.
I’ve always been a nature and animal lover. Growing up in a small town, our family had sheep, we grew our own vegetables, and spent weekends outdoors. My parents were mindful of our impact on the environment and as a result, I developed an eco-conscious mindset from a young age.
These values only strengthened as I got out and experienced the world for myself.
One day at a Hare Krishna restaurant, I came across a book called ‘The Higher Taste’. It surprised me to learn so many influential figures were vegetarians, Da Vinci, Rousseau, Tolstoy and even Einstein. In fact, Einstein famously quoted “Nothing will benefit health or increase chances of survival on Earth as the evolution to a vegetarian diet”. I’d been wanting to stop eating meat for a while and this was the push I needed.
This was not only to reduce my environmental impact, but because I felt so much better. Eliminating meat was like tapping into an extra energy source.
Traveling also enhanced my passion for sustainability.
In 2015, my husband and I spent three months backpacking around South East Asia. Visiting Cambodia was a complete eye opener for me. I saw rubbish littering the sides of the dirt roads we travelled. Instead of being removed, the rubbish would eventually be covered over with dirt. These highways and towns were essentially landfills. It was then I fully realised the true cost of our consumer lifestyle. Without proper infrastructure, beautiful countries like Cambodia cannot hide from their trash. They are forced to face it as part of their daily life. I must admit I felt rather guilty.
I returned home to my degree in Sociology and shifted my focus toward studying these issues. This enhanced my desire to work towards a more sustainable future.
Voting with your wallets
Nowadays, purposeful businesses have just as much right to exist as large corporations that have been around for decades. By choosing brands that align with their values, consumers are ‘voting’ with their wallets the type of world they want to live in.
That’s why I was thrilled to find Valka Yoga and their beautifully natural cork yoga mats (even more so when I began writing for them). I love supporting and working with businesses that share the same ideals. When my children grow up I want them to enjoy life on this planet, not suffer the effects of environmental decay.
I believe that one voice and one business can make a difference. Writing is my small way of helping to achieve that vision.
Kristen is a freelance copywriter based in Wellington, New Zealand. When she isn’t pounding away on her keyboard, you’ll find her chowing down on healthy food, listening to music and creating art, or moving through asanas on her Valka Yoga mat. You can learn more about Kristen’s work here.
