Model citizen
Not only a model, Poppy Okotcha is also a Permaculture Designer, using her platform to educate, connect with and inspire her 27k-strong following.
With quarantine forcing us to slow down, reflect and live differently, we asked Poppy to share her wisdom on living a greener, more considered life.
What exactly is permaculture design?
In a nutshell, it’s about living comfortably and sustainably on the planet. Think about a hedgerow: no one goes to feed it, or weed it, no one leaves food for the insects or animals. The system just provides for and manages itself.
Like the hedgerow, permaculture is an ethos and design system that tries to bring that level of deep sustainability and regeneration to all areas of life, eliminating waste and creating systems that just tick over without lots of human input.
It’s used to design everything from homes and gardens to communities. Looking after people and the land is central to permaculture design, as is acknowledging and fighting against the disproportionate impact climate injustice has on the lives of black, brown, POC and indigenous communities.
What inspired you to start learning about and committing to a more holistic, sustainable lifestyle?I had a period of poor mental and physical health because I was working super hard and not looking after myself. When I started seriously considering my health, I realised pretty quickly that human wellbeing is totally connected to that of the Earth’s soils, eco systems and the whole planet at large.
For me, learning to eat well was key. Abundant, healthy, nutritious food comes from diverse, nutrient-dense soils and ecosystems. But so many of us don't have access to this, or don’t know its importance. So, in order to bring that knowledge to people and advocate for a world that everyone has access to, I started my journey to address my life, set an example and hopefully inspire. Remembering the old ways of growing, harvest, food preparation, plant medicine, and understanding the seasons and the landscape is also part of honouring my heritage, keeping indigenous ancestral wisdom alive.
What are the best habits you've picked up from all your learnings about sustainable living?
Composting my kitchen waste is 100% my favourite habit! When food rots down on landfill it produces methane, a nasty greenhouse gas. Composting is so fun when you get into it, plus it's like rocket fuel for plants. I now have a bokashi compost system in the kitchen, a worm bin on the deck and a compost heap in the garden!
I no longer fly unless I absolutely must. When I travel to Europe to model, I just take buses and trains. I wish I switched sooner - it has given me the best adventures and life experiences! And eating seasonally, and locally grown and plant based is just the yummiest! I’ll never look back.
You live on a lovely houseboat in London. How did that lifestyle move inform a more considered approach to living? Living on a boat makes you very aware of what you consume and what you produce as waste. If we don’t manage our resources properly, things just run out. For example, we have water in a tank onboard which we refill every couple of weeks. If we aren’t careful it empties too soon. We can’t leave our rubbish outside our front door for the bin men to whisk away. When it’s hard to dispose of waste, you’re less inclined to produce it. When you know resources are finite and you are responsible for them, you use much less.
For so many westerners, it’s easy to think everything is infinite: water will always run from the tap, light will always come when we flick the switch. These privileges, coupled with a disconnect from the true cost involved in enabling them, can so easily lead to a lack of appreciation. Lack of appreciation can quickly become misuse and abuse. So, I’m grateful for things I never really thought about before and I suppose that leads to a level of value and respect.
The last few months have been a real test for people. How do you look after yourself, and stay focused and motivated?
I’ve kept busy, learning, creating, planning. A massive comfort for me has been growing plants. I have been doing it for years but this spring I really threw myself in. It's very comforting watching a seed turn into a plant against all the odds!
I also make sure I do little bits of physical movement throughout the day to break it up - a short walk, yoga flow, or silly dance.
The current climate seems to have encouraged people to slow down and take stock. What do you hope will be the biggest positive change to emerge from this? Since the outbreak of Covid-19, people just seem so much more receptive and open to the idea of living differently. I hear a lot of talk of going back to ‘normal’ - but what if we dreamed of a new future, a new, better normal? The incredible Black Lives Matter movement has shone some much-needed light on how race relations heavily play into the environmental crisis. For me, that has been a beautiful shift to watch: a growing desire to do the most for the Earth, coupled with a desire to do the best for our fellow human beings.
We love that you use your platform to educate and engage with your community. If you could suggest 3 simple changes that people can make to live more sustainably, what would they be?
The most important thing is not to strive for perfection, but to strive for the genuine best you can do in your circumstances. Going in with that mindset makes the process more realistic, enjoyable and achievable. Then, once the ball’s rolling, it just keeps going!
Find a way to connect with nature and really get to know Her in a way that feels comfortable for you. When we fall in love with the Earth and all Her inhabitants, making ‘sacrifices’ or changes to protect them suddenly doesn't feel hard anymore.
Consider moving towards a plant-based, seasonal, locally grown diet. Locally grown doesn't have to mean down the road from you - it can even mean grown within the EU rather than the other side of the world. But the closer to home the better.
Give your money to businesses that deserve it, especially now. When so many are facing financial hardship, our spending will largely decide which businesses will come out the other side of this. We can shape our future.