5 Influencers You Need To Be Following On Instagram

Instagram, like most social media platforms, has been subject to widespread criticism over the last few years. Many of these critiques are entirely justified; there can be little doubt that the app has some unattractive traits, and is symptomatic (or potentially causative) of some worrying cultural trends. No thing is all bad, though, and Instagram also plays host to a close-knit community of ‘sustainable influencers’; that is, people whose pages are devoted (either entirely or in part) to promoting an eco-friendly lifestyle. As a company which strives for sustainability, we’ve had reason to pay close attention to the lay of the land in this area – and what better way to use this knowledge than to share it with you! In this list of five influencers, we’ve decided to include a couple of pages which aren’t directly focused on sustainability. Even the most devoted eco-warrior deserves a little levity on their feed, and sometimes it pays to step away from the heavier stuff: to get tunnel vision is to risk burnout. With that in mind, we hope you enjoy these pages: some explicitly sustainable, some less so, but all equally great!

1. @LagomChef

Martyn Odell is to Lagmochef what Bruce Wayne is to Batman. Like the (purportedly) fictional crimefighter, Martyn wields a range of gadgets and appliances in his quest to eradicate an insidious scourge on our society, one which lurks in darkened back alleys amongst dumpsters and garbage cans. His battle is, of course, against food waste, and it’s one which he wages valiantly. Martyn’s instructional videos – which span a wide range of culinary areas – often incorporate little-used ingredients such as broccoli stems and carrot tops, offering his followers the chance to cut down on food waste in ways they’d likely never even considered. Occasional educational infographics injects a little gravity into an otherwise light-hearted feed, and his collaborations with @spicymoustache showcase the importance of growing your own fruit and veg. Lagomchef is a real life culinary superhero – and, it’s worth noting, has never been seen in a room with either Batman or Bruce Wayne. Just food for thought.

2. @Poppyokotcha

As a highly adept horticulturist, Poppy Okotcha approaches sustainability with a flair and novelty which is genuinely refreshing. Her feed – which is, both literally and figuratively, as green as any you’re likely to come across – emphasises the importance of reconnecting with nature. In doing so, Poppy’s page also gives practical advice on selecting, planting and cultivating a wide variety of plants (both edible and otherwise). ‘Sustainable’ has become something of a buzzword over recent years, and, as often happens when a particularly overused word gradually becomes platitudinal, we’ve gradually lost sight of its original meaning. Poppy’s feed acts as an antidote to this lexical slippage. As a permaculturist, Poppy advocates for horticultural practices which are sustainable in the most literal sense: she presents solutions which come from the land, and which (as a result) also give back to it. Specifically, she prefers compost to peat and advocates for the gradual harvesting of flowers where possible so as to ensure sufficient foodstuff for bees. Poppy doesn’t aim her content solely at country folk; to the contrary, in fact, she speaks openly of plans to use her rural space to help educate cement-locked urbanites like myself. This is one of the characteristics which marks Poppy out as a ‘permaculturist’: where permaculture was originally considered a largely agricultural phenomenon, it has subsequently developed into a wider social philosophy which works toward sustainability in all areas of life. Poppy’s feed, like permaculture itself, is inclusive and accessible. It’s little wonder that she’s recently been appointed as a WWF ambassador: a considerable achievement which is as unsurprising as it is thoroughly well-deserved.

3. @Sara.docarmo

Sara is a proponent of slow fashion, an anti-plastic activist, a flexitarian, and a dental professional: she’s got her fingers in a wide variety of plant-based pies. Perhaps most importantly, though, and as her Instagram bio suggests, she’s ‘doing her part for a happy Earth’. Her feed contains a range of posts sketching to the contours of the climate crisis, celebrating positive ecological news, and bemoaning backwards steps. Whilst Sara’s page is limited to no particular area of sustainability, her passion for ethical fashion takes center stage. Sara clearly models her philosophy on the well-founded suggestion – cited on her page –  that you “become an active citizen through your wardrobe”. Indeed, Sara’s wall of quotes – occupying the right-hand side of her Instagram feed – is a veritable treasure trove of insight, covering a wide range of topics. She also provides bilingual captions for all her posts, meaning Brazilian or Portuguese followers can also benefit from her insights!.

4. @lauralowton

Laura’s page is the first on this list which isn’t explicitly focused on sustainability. It’s a wholesome family page scattered with painfully cute (and artfully well-taken) pictures of Laura’s family. The quality of the photography on display here is second to none, as are Laura’s design and fashion choices; you could do worse than to check out her feed if you’re ever in need of some inspiration in these areas. As the consistent colour scheme of her posts suggests, Laura has superimposed her flair for design onto her Instagram page: the soft greys, browns, and whites of her pictures are soothingly consonant as you scroll down.

5. @allkindsofdifferent

Another page which isn’t overtly linked to sustainability, Allkindsofdifferent does have an (almost) equally admirable mission: to support small businesses by giving them a platform to promote their wares. If ever you’re short on gift ideas, this feed is a brilliant place to start: it showcases a wide variety of products, the vast majority of which originate from small UK-based businesses. Given that these kinds of companies have been the ones who have struggled most during the pandemic, we owe it to our small business to make an active effort to support them. Have a scroll through Allkindsofdifferent’s feed – or indeed her new page, @ktees.boutique – and see if there’s anything you like. It’s worth noting, too, that you’ll generally get a discount of some kind by using one of her affiliate codes!

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