By Nam-ho Park
If my approach to a sustainable lifestyle can be summed up in a word, that word is “simplicity”. Not coincidentally, simplicity is also a core pillar of my approach to design.
As a designer of digital products, a university instructor and a single father of two teenagers, it would be easy to let my desire for a sustainable lifestyle take a back seat to convenience in the busyness of daily life.
But I’m committed to being a conscious steward of the environment and passing that mindset on to my daughter and son. We minimize the use of plastics and single-use products, recycle and always try to purchase things that will last awhile.
In addition, my appreciation for simplicity also helps us live a sustainable lifestyle. We live in a small place by design. Not only are we minimizing our footprint, but we also don’t have a lot of space to fill with stuff. I am a firm believer that you will fill up the space you have – a bigger home just means more stuff and we already consume and produce too much.
I like things in my home to be simple, elegant, functional and durable so we don’t have to keep replacing items. I generally don’t like things that are too ornamental or overly fussy.
When it comes to cooking for my family, I try to keep things nutritious and simple (notice a theme here?) Most of the Korean food I prepare consists of rice, a protein and a vegetable, typically in a single dish.
What Zungleboo has created fits very well with my lifestyle and the way I serve my food. The plates and bowls accentuate my food and make it the focal point of the meal. But they also check all of the other boxes for me. They aren’t fussy – they are minimalistic and practical. They are made from sustainable ingredients yet sturdy enough to microwave and put in the dishwasher. They are built to last and the colors and style align with my design aesthetic.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am longtime friends with Zungleboo founders Wonhee and Bonjoon and I deeply admire them for creating this company that truly reflects their values. It just so happens that what they created also aligns with the way I want to live my life. Sustainably, with an eye to design and yes…simply.
