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thehopefuljournalist:
The moment I started trying to reduce my waste and to do the best I can for the environment, I obviously had to talk about it too. I had to explain to my friends why I wasn’t buying anything at the cafe when they were taking to-go cups. Why I was carrying a reusable grocery bag wherever I went. And that has already started to have an impact. My best friend is thinking about doing her final art project about nature and the environment, and has come with me to a beach clean-up. My mom is now buying books and clothes from second hand stores, and today she told me that she wanted coffee, and then said that she won’t buy any, because she doesn’t have a reusable cup. Another friend came with me to the protest on the 27th. Two other friends have offered me and others glass cups on their parties, because they remembered I don’t drink from single-use plastic cups.
Everything you do has an impact. You are an example, whether you like it or not, it’s your choice what kind of an example you are.
lavibele:
A small impact is also an impact
Yes, we definitely need to hold big companies and governments accountable for their impact on the environment, but as individuals that isn’t easy. But we can make a difference by making it clear that YOU CARE. And this can be by doing big things, such as emailing companies and asking them questions about their ethics, about the source of the material, if their products are plastic free, what chemicals are used in the production process (and asking if they can actually prove it), but you can also do very small things, such as starting a vegetable garden and giving excess away to family and neighbors, make them exited to try it too. I personally like telling people how I now eat less meat and more vegetables and it was the best decision I have ever made (I don’t force it upon people, of course). I also found these cute reusable produce bags and I have been giving them to my family and everyone loves them. Or even smaller: listen to what other people are doing for the environment and tell those stories to other people. Be inspired and pass on the inspiration.
Just as all water drops create the ocean together, people can also come together and create something beautiful!
All we personally can do is to do what we can do. Maybe as individuals we can’t affect the choices of governments, CEOs of multimillion dollar companies or militaries. Maybe what we do seems like it’s so small it can’t change anything at all. But it’s still better to do something than it is to do nothing.
If an individual’s behaviour changed nothing then companies wouldn’t bother advertising to us. If they can persuade one person out of 100 to buy their thing, they can sustain a whole business. Likewise if we can persuade one person out of 100 to give up single use plastic, companies who make single use plastics will take a hit. They will think about getting into new lines of work. If the buying public spends its money on renewable energy and sustainably sourced goods, the economy will get into those things. We can see it happening right now.
It’s not on any one individual to change the world on their own, but if all of us make small changes that will add up to a lot.
And it’s better for your mental health to know that you’re doing something rather than sitting back and wallowing in despair.
thehopefuljournalist:
The moment I started trying to reduce my waste and to do the best I can for the environment, I obviously had to talk about it too. I had to explain to my friends why I wasn’t buying anything at the cafe when they were taking to-go cups. Why I was carrying a reusable grocery bag wherever I went. And that has already started to have an impact. My best friend is thinking about doing her final art project about nature and the environment, and has come with me to a beach clean-up. My mom is now buying books and clothes from second hand stores, and today she told me that she wanted coffee, and then said that she won’t buy any, because she doesn’t have a reusable cup. Another friend came with me to the protest on the 27th. Two other friends have offered me and others glass cups on their parties, because they remembered I don’t drink from single-use plastic cups.
Everything you do has an impact. You are an example, whether you like it or not, it’s your choice what kind of an example you are.
lavibele:
A small impact is also an impact
Yes, we definitely need to hold big companies and governments accountable for their impact on the environment, but as individuals that isn’t easy. But we can make a difference by making it clear that YOU CARE. And this can be by doing big things, such as emailing companies and asking them questions about their ethics, about the source of the material, if their products are plastic free, what chemicals are used in the production process (and asking if they can actually prove it), but you can also do very small things, such as starting a vegetable garden and giving excess away to family and neighbors, make them exited to try it too. I personally like telling people how I now eat less meat and more vegetables and it was the best decision I have ever made (I don’t force it upon people, of course). I also found these cute reusable produce bags and I have been giving them to my family and everyone loves them. Or even smaller: listen to what other people are doing for the environment and tell those stories to other people. Be inspired and pass on the inspiration.
Just as all water drops create the ocean together, people can also come together and create something beautiful!
All we personally can do is to do what we can do. Maybe as individuals we can’t affect the choices of governments, CEOs of multimillion dollar companies or militaries. Maybe what we do seems like it’s so small it can’t change anything at all. But it’s still better to do something than it is to do nothing.
If an individual’s behaviour changed nothing then companies wouldn’t bother advertising to us. If they can persuade one person out of 100 to buy their thing, they can sustain a whole business. Likewise if we can persuade one person out of 100 to give up single use plastic, companies who make single use plastics will take a hit. They will think about getting into new lines of work. If the buying public spends its money on renewable energy and sustainably sourced goods, the economy will get into those things. We can see it happening right now.
It’s not on any one individual to change the world on their own, but if all of us make small changes that will add up to a lot.
And it’s better for your mental health to know that you’re doing something rather than sitting back and wallowing in despair.