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Balanced Toni

You are here: Home / Sustainable Lifestyle / Hello world!

Hello world!

April 13, 2021

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So, this is where it all begins: I’m crossing over to the blogosphere. What a day to be alive. I’ve been writing about sustainability on Instagram for a couple of years now and I really enjoy it, but as you probably know, Instagram doesn’t allow for longer texts. And I love writing, so longer texts are my jam. There are a lot of things that I share on IG that I would love to dive deeper into, and now I can!

First of all, I’d like to introduce myself, for those of you who don’t know me. My name is Antonia, aka Toni, and I’m a 27-year-old sustainability enthusiast with a passion for the outdoors, all kinds of exercise and movement, good food and wine, and books of most genres. I’m based in Helsinki, Finland, where I live with my partner Robin in a cozy flat in a turn-of-the-century building. Originally, I come from the Åland Islands in the Finnish archipelago.

skating on the ice

My days are spent working in the e-mobility industry, writing and thinking about sustainability and slow living, spending time outdoors (preferably with friends or family) and with myriad of hobbies: singing, sailing, watercolour painting, cooking etc. At work, I do branding and sustainability tasks at a Finnish startup in the electric vehicle charging industry, and I’ve been there for three years. I have an MSc in Economics and Business Administration from Hanken School of Economics, that I finalised in the end of 2019. I’m never finished learning, and I’m currently taking a couple of classes at community college – French and Coastal Skipper.

Lofoten hiking trip Kvalvika

On this site, you can expect thoughts and musings about living sustainably, low waste alternatives, hikes, sailing trips and outdoorsy stuff, books I’ve read or want to read, food I’ve made, home DIY projects and so on.

I hope you’ll enjoy this mish-mash of content!

Make sure to follow me on Instagram 🙂

in Sustainable Lifestyle

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Comments

  1. Robin says

    April 15, 2021 at 8:24 pm

    This and you are amazing! ❤️

    Reply

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Hello, I’m Antonia

I’m a sustainability enthusiast, outdoor dweller and e-mobility specialist living in Helsinki, Finland. I write about living a simple sustainable lifestyle here on Balanced Toni.

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  • skating on the ice Hello world!
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  • Stamped From The Beginning My top four books as of late

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low waste swaps

5 low waste swaps I’ve actually loved (and 2 I don’t recommend)

Stamped From The Beginning

My top four books as of late

Categories

  • Books
  • Sustainable Lifestyle

Latest ‘Grams

balancedtoni

Antonia | Sustainable living 🌱
Book of the month for January 📚 ”All We Can S Book of the month for January 📚
”All We Can Save”, an anthology edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson. I got it from my local library.

I’m so happy I finally got around to reading this book! It’s a collection of writings, poems and art by 60 women, all at the forefront of the climate movement. They write about climate change, the climate movement and how to move forward. And they write about it so, so well! 

The book leaves me feeling inspired, excited, shocked, sad and a myriad of other emotions. A perfect way to start the year, reading-wise. Honestly, just read it! 

(In some ways – maybe in how it’s inspired me? – it reminds me of the absolutely beautiful book ”Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Another strong recommendation!)

#bookofthemonth #allwecansave #climatemovement #bookstagram #firstbookof2023 #ecoliving #sustainableliving
This is that place – there’s nothing quite lik This is that place – there’s nothing quite like the Finnish archipelago ✨ 

Can’t wait to get out on our boat again 💙 

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#saaristo #saaristomeri #skärgården #skärgårdsliv #skärgårdshavet #archipelago #oceanside #sailinglife #slowliving #ecotravel
Love seeing other people’s post like this, so I Love seeing other people’s post like this, so I thought I’d post my list of Ins and Outs in 2023 ✨ 

Do you agree with the list? Or disagree maybe? 🙊 I’d love to hear your ins and outs! 

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#insandouts #inandout #sustainableliving #ecofriendlyliving #oneplanet 
#environmentalist #slowliving #kestäväkulutus #gardeninglove
It’s decided: I’m doing a low buy in 2023 ✨ It’s decided: I’m doing a low buy in 2023 ✨ Mine is especially focused on clothes and skincare. 

I wouldn’t say I’m a huge consumer, BUT having tracked my expenses for 2022, I realised that I still used more money than I thought. 

In this post, I share why I’m doing a low buy, what I’m hoping to achieve, what my rules are and some general thoughts! 

The inspiration to do this came from a bunch of creators on this app, such as @christina.mychas @tyylipuhetta @easypeasysustainability @what_chloe_thrifts and many more 🤗

Have you ever done a low buy? What would your goals be if you did one? 
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#sustainablefashion #lowbuy #slowfashion #usewhatyouhave
I feel great about 2023, how about you? ✨ One y I feel great about 2023, how about you? ✨

One year ago today, I was feeling burnt out and out of energy. The night before Christmas, I googled ”signs of burnout” and ticked almost all the boxes. I was unmotivated and had lost touch with myself, stopped working out and was unhappy with a lot of things. Today, I feel so, so much better. It’s incredible what can happen in one year! Slowly but surely.

Things I want to bring with me into 2023 that helped me in 2022 are:
- consistently moving my body a few times a week. I’m still loving my gym guide by @natacha.oceane 
- Prioritising rest and recovery
- Understanding ”good enough” often is better than perfection

I want 2023 to be a year of enjoying the small things in life, taking care of myself and those close to me. What about you? 
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#2023 #newyearsameme #winterhiking #winterinfinland #myhelsinki #2023goals #burnout #womenhiking
What a year ❤️ . . . #season2022 #2022recap What a year ❤️ 

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#season2022 #2022recap #2022bride #yearinreview #year2022 #rewind #brides2022 #honeymoon #lifeisgood
Happy birthday Finland 🇫🇮💙 This beautiful Happy birthday Finland 🇫🇮💙 This beautiful place I get to call home. 

I’ve really been enjoying the beauty of our country on another level for the past few years, and I am so excited to explore more by hiking, foresting, sailing.
I want to see it all 💙 

#självständighetsdag #itsenäisyyspäivä #finlandnature #suomiretki #visitfinland 
#saaristo #skärgården
✨Here are 5 ways to consume less ✨ We’re en ✨Here are 5 ways to consume less ✨

We’re entering the season of overconsumption, with Black Friday, Cyber Monday and then all of the holiday sales just around the corner. (Actually, I already saw companies starting their black friday sales on November 1st…)

Nevertheless: it’s easy to get sucked into the cleaver marketing tactics and the kick of consumption. I do, too! 

We overconsume, however. We already hit #overshootday on July 28th, meaning we had by then used up more resources than the Earth can regenerate this year. 

You are in control of your own consumption habits, and it’s up to YOU to change them 🤗💪🏼 Maybe these tips can help you out!
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#earthovershootday #blackfriday #greenmonday #ecofriendly #mindfulconsumption #ecoliving #slowfashionmovement #buylesschoosewell
Teijo/Tykö national park 🌲 I finally had tim Teijo/Tykö national park 🌲 

I finally had time to visit another Finnish national park, Teijo (or Tykö in Swedish), and it was beautiful! Strongly recommend this one to anyone who’s in Southern Finland. 

The landscape was a mix of ocean, lake and forest views, and I definitely need to come back with a tent because some of the tent spots looked unbelievable 🤤

#visitingfinland #100syytämatkaillasuomessa #finland4seasons #finlandnature #localtravel #slowtravel #exploreyourbackyard #teijonkansallispuisto #tykönationalpark #dayhike #ecotravel #leavenotrace
Travel diaries from Bretagne, France 🇫🇷 He Travel diaries from Bretagne, France 🇫🇷 

Here’s a tiny little travel vlog from our time in Bretagne during our honeymoon back in September. I cannot recommend it enough for a European destination. 
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#slowtravel #roadtrip #roadtripeurope #lowwasteliving #visitfrance #visitbretagne #visitbrittany #bretagnetourisme #ecotravel #honeymoondestination #september2022
October is simultaneously one of my favourite mont October is simultaneously one of my favourite months and one of my least favourite months. 

I love watching the leaves turn and the migratory birds fly, the fresh autumn air, the golden light, the cozy evenings. But then I can’t stand knowing that we’re heading into months of darkness. Finland is so, so dark in winter. But that’s part of the charm of autumn I guess; the highs and lows. The beauty of seasons changing. 
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#autumnvibes #fallleaves #ruska #ruska2022 #discoverfinland #suomenluonto #autumntrees #visitfinland #100syytämatkaillasuomessa #discoverlocal #localtravel #slowtravel
Is Paris a destination for ecotourism? 🧐 I woul Is Paris a destination for ecotourism? 🧐 I wouldn’t perhaps have said that a few weeks ago, but I was so impressed with the city when we visited for our honeymoon! 

Paris has been putting a lot of effort into becoming more sustainable, and you can definitely tell. From the beautiful green areas that are all around the city (don’t miss out on La Coulée Verte for a green walk!), to the low-emission transportation options, to the myriad of vegan and vegetarian cafés and restaurants, this is a great city for #ecotourism 🤗 

The city also has the largest rooftop garden in Europe, which I definitely want to visit in the future. 

Have you seen any sustainable solutions in cities lately? 🌱
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#ecotravel #sustainableliving #parisfrance #sustainablecities #lacouleeverte #jardindeluxembourg #citybees #ecoliving #slowtravel
Autumn is 💛🍁🌬🌧 . . . #bretagne #breta Autumn is 💛🍁🌬🌧

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#bretagne #bretagnetourisme #camaretsurmer #brittanyfrance #atlanticcoast #atlantique #ecotravel #ecoblogger #autumnvibes #rainyweather
Bretagne, France 🇫🇷 Such a breathtaking plac Bretagne, France 🇫🇷 Such a breathtaking place on our Earth. 

Bretagne was the destination we chose for our honeymoon, and I could not have been happier with that choice. We wanted to stay in Europe but still explore a new place, and it did not disappoint. 

The dramatic nature, the ebb and flow of the ocean, the food, the wine, the culture, it’s all so lovely. And I got to practice my french! We spent 8 days in the area, but I could easily have stayed a month. Now, I kind of dream of renting a house by the Atlantic for a longer time period in the future 🌚 

If you ever go to France, I 100% recommend visiting Bretagne. We traveled by car and it was a perfect way to explore the area ✨ 

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#slowtravel #slowtravelling #roadtrip #brittany #bretagne #lowwastetravel #travellocal #visitbretagne #visitfrance #honeymoondestination #lunedemiel
Fridays are great for afterwork, right?🌲🪵🍄

#foragingforfood #forestmushrooms #svampplockning #hortoilu #sienestys #foraging #forestbathing #afterwork #slowliving #shinrinyoku
A year ago 🍁🏕🏔 Looking back at the phot A year ago 🍁🏕🏔 

Looking back at the photos from last year’s autumn hike in Hetta-Pallas really makes me eager to go again. It was pure magic. And there are so many beautiful hikes in this country that I haven’t done yet! Halti, Kevo, Oulanka and many many more. What’s your favourite hike?

I don’t have time to head up north this year, but maybe I can sneak in a hike closer to Helsinki some weekend 👀 

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#autumnhike #hikingculture #syysretki #ulkonaperillä #exploreyourworld #exploreyourbackyard #localtravel #finland4seasons #ruska #hettapallas #ecotravel #ecotraveller
Let’s talk sustainable flowers ♻️💐 I lo Let’s talk sustainable flowers ♻️💐 

I love fresh cut flowers, but unfortunately, they can be very bad for the environment. Luckily, there are ways to avoid most of the negative impact! 🤗

For our wedding, we chose @studio_fro for all our flower needs, and I cannot recommend Jenni and co enough! ❤️ Every single, beautiful flower used was locally sourced in Finland and in season, they used the tiniest amount of single-use plastic (see picture nr 2) and they understood our vision to a T! We wanted it to feel like a meadow when you entered the room, and it did 😍

Choosing sustainable flowers has a big impact. The traditional flower industry relies on year-round production of fresh flowers with a short shelflife, often flown in from thousand of kilometers away. If grown in greenhouses, the climate impact is larger yet, and in Europe, this is often how flowers are grown. Pesticide use is much higher with flowers than with other crops, since the regulations are looser. This severely affects local biodiversity where the flowers are grown. And we can’t forget about the substantial water needs connected to the industry. 

The carbon impact for locally grown, seasonal flowers is significantly lower, and for me, it was a very important to know that our wedding flowers didn’t harm the environment. 

Have you ever considered the environmental impact of cut flowers?

#ecowedding #greenwedding #sustainablewedding #mindfulconsumption #slowflowers #ecofriendlyliving #ecoblogger #weddingflowerinspiration #zerowastewedding
Here’s to forever ❤️💍 Video by sister-in Here’s to forever ❤️💍

Video by sister-in-law @camilla_akerberg 
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#weddingday #weddingseason #häät2022 #bröllop2022 #weddingvideo #ecowedding #sustainablewedding #zerowastewedding
Heading out to sea again this weekend 💙🌊 . Heading out to sea again this weekend 💙🌊 

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#sailinginstagram #classicsailing #saaristo #oceanlife #tinyhomes #boatlifestyle #skärgården #pidäsaaristosiistinä #finlandssvensk #localtravel #ecotraveller
Örö, Finland 💙 . . . #localtravel #ecotravel Örö, Finland 💙

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#localtravel #ecotravel #ecoliving #sailinginstagram #oceansunset #saaristoelämää #skärgården #visitörö #finnishparks
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