Baby steps. I think we have become accustomed to think that everything we do to make change has to be huge or on a grand scale. I think we have forgotten that small, methodical, consistent action creates huge impact, especially when used by many people, a whole neighborhood, or country.
If you wanted to lose weight, you would unintentionally sabotage yourself if you started to change a bunch of things at once. So imagine if you started eating raw and vegetarian, severely cut back on carbs, cut out all the junk food you eat, started running 5 times a week and lifting weights several times a week (when you exercise maybe twice a month now), and get up earlier in the morning to make room in your schedule for all this extra activity. After a week you’d be exhausted and tell yourself you can’t do it. And you would be right. Trying to change too many things at once is a way to sabotage your efforts.
With that in mind, here are some easy and simple steps you can take to create positive environmental impact, one step at a time, which can lead to big change.
Some quick, easy and impactful changes you can start now:
1. Bring reusable bags with you to the grocery store instead of using plastic bags
- Less plastic produced, discarded, and ending up in the ocean where marine animals ingest it and die
- Less chemicals on the ground which leach into the water supply (and into your drinking water) and into the bays and oceans in which the fish we eat, live.
- Less plastic (which can end up in the ocean - breaking up into smaller pieces on its journey there- where turtles and fish eat it and die); less paper used and fewer trees cut down
- Facts about the downside of using plastic water bottles; and most don’t get recycled.
6. Buy and use stainless steel straws (they can be cleaned easily)
7. Switch your energy provider to an earth-friendly provider (it may be cheaper and have great impact)
- Earth friendly providers can decrease greenhouse gas emissions
9. Buy products made of recycled materials
- Search for recycled alternatives to the things you buy; also use the green business bureau
- How trash affects the marine environment
So here's to you, you Earth Champion, and the change you are creating. Every baby step done repeatedly leads to big impact.
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“Why should we tolerate a diet of weak poisons, a home in insipid surroundings, a circle of acquaintances who are not quite our enemies, the noise of motors with just enough relief to prevent insanity? Who would want to live in a world which is just not quite fatal?”*
—Rachel Carson (1907-1964), *Silent Spring, 1962 |
We'd love to hear what you do to contribute to recycling or making the earth cleaner and healthier! Please share your steps and strategies for creating a cleaner earth.