1.3 billion people watch Youtube across the world, with 80% of 18-49 year olds watching it every month. What started out as a small scale video sharing website is now a commercial explosion, having a huge impact on our everyday lives. A lot of what we follow on YouTube reinforces unhealthy attitudes about body image, our expectations of ourselves, and of consumerism. It’s pretty difficult to find a prominent Youtuber who sets a good example for their audience, but it’s safe to say that I’ve found one. And I won’t be letting her go.
Enter Niomi Smart. Despite being managed by the same team as those youtubers who promote fast fashion and uncontrollable consumerism, her ethos could not be more different. Her channel, whilst still being a beauty and lifestyle channel, is focused around sustainability and personal wellbeing. For example, she has a series of ‘what I eat in a day’ videos which showcase her plant based recipes which are all made from scratch. They’re all easy to follow and 100% healthy. Whilst some of the ingredients can be a bit pricey, they’re easy enough to substitute for cheaper alternatives. Something else that really makes her stand out is her approach to popular YouTube events like Vlogtober and Vlogmas. Most Youtubers use it as a time to do advert collaborations with brands to make some extra money, or to show off their fairy-tale like lifestyle to their audience. Niomi however seems to use it as an opportunity to show how you can live sustainably and happily from day to day.
It really is refreshing to see someone break away from the typical conventions of a Youtube star and use their influence to support really great causes. Niomi has just embarked upon her latest project called Smart Swap, which promotes sustainable shopping and dissuades fast fashion. It’s all about recycling your clothes rather than throwing them away when you no longer have a use for them. You can watch her video about it here .
Even though environmental consciousness is something that is definitely on the rise, there is still stigma attached to being eco-friendly. Vegans still receive a lot of backlash for their lifestyle and more often than not are presented in negative ways in the media. Niomi Smart has managed to strike the right balance between promoting sustainability and not alienating those who do not lead the same lifestyle as her, which is extremely hard to do. She subtly endorses an environmentally friendly lifestyle and makes it seem cool too.
One of the most important things about Niomi’s channel is that she very rarely posts ‘haul’ videos that promote excessive consumption and support the fast fashion industry. This is at the crux of the problem regarding the envorinmental impact of the fashion industry, and whilst more Youtubers should be acting to reduce their impact, Niomi is already there. She sets an amazing example to her audience, and has certainly inspired me to be more mindful of how I can live my life more sustainably.
The only issue with Niomi and her channel is that a lot of the time she uses very expensive products, notably the ingredients she uses in her recipes. However, I feel that this is a minor setback to an otherwise flawless media platform. She promotes health and happiness in both body and mind, and is a rose amongst thousands of thorns in the Youtube industry.
Niomi’s Instagram: @niomismart Niomi’s Twitter: @niomismart Niomi’s YouTube: Niomi Smart