How to be a sustainable dark academic:
Buy clothes from charity shops or second hand online. I know that this is technically part of the aesthetic already, but it's still worth mentioning.
Glass is really difficult to recycle, so use your old wine bottles for candle holders, vases, water bottles, or anything else you can think of.
Try not to wear polyester, or to buy it. I know that it's cheap and easy to get a hold of, but it really isn't that good for the environment, especially if you wash it often, because plastic micropartickes come away from the clothing and are washed away in the water.
Big plus: candles are good for the aesthetic. It might be a bit of a stretch, but limiting your electricity use through using sunlight in the day and candles when it gets dark? Very dark academia.
Trains and buses are criminally underrated modes of transport. And they fit the aesthetic too, because I mean, have you ever seen a Regency poet driving a Prius? I think not.
You could also walk, I guess, if you're a peasant. Or travel in a carriage, which is far more stylish.
Basically, whenever possible, limit your use of single-person vehicles. And things like Über or Taxis too, if you can take a train or a bus instead.
Take a reusable coffee cup with you. If you always have one with you, you won't have to buy coffee in one of those takeaway cups that can't be recycled when you go bookshopping.
Speaking of books, again, try to buy second hand. I regret to say it, but the printing industry isn't exactly the pinnacle of sustainability. There's also always the plus of finding a really nicely bound vintage book if you buy second hand.
I feel like most people in the dark academia community already have this in the bag, but fountain pens. Even just a small thing like throwing away empty biros can really add up. Using a cartridge pen with an ink well or something similar could reduce that wasted plastic, even if just by a very small amount. It fits the aesthetic, too. Every little thing counts.
When it comes to furniture, this aesthetic has it in the bag. Buying second hand and vintage is far better for the environment than buying newer furniture.
Mend your clothes! Again, I think that this really fits the aesthetic of blazers witb elbow patches, but honestly, if you have one vintage wool blazer that you mend over and over for years to come, it's far better for the environment than buying a new polyester blazer from H&M every time you get a hole in the sleeve.
I feel like as far as aesthetics go, DA us one of the best in terms of sustainability, because of the focus on vintage and antique items.
Also, it is A-okay if you don't stick to doing everything sustainably all day every day. It just isn't realistic to be the perfect person, and as long as you make the choice consciously, it's all okay!
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