So, with a new year often comes New Years Resolutions, right? Well, this year, I ask you to make one of your resolutions about something that is bigger than yourself, something more important than your career, something more life changing than your weight. I ask you to make a resolution dedicated to the future of life. Your life, the life of your future progeny, and the life that is far too often forgotten in cities and suburbia--wildlife! I ask you to make a resolution to live more sustainably : )
I know I’m preaching to the choir for the most part, but I do know that some of you don’t think you can make an impact on an individual level or don’t care to attempt to make an impact. I’ve heard many of your arguments as to why…
"It's not possible to change society and our modes and rates of natural resource/material consumption. It’s too big and powerful a system and we can’t go near it with a 50-MILE pole, even if we wanted to."
Now, I totally understand why you feel this way. Having volunteered as a canvasser for environmental non-profits throughout my college career I know how difficult it can be to change policy and fight the system. I fought for legislation to expand California Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s) and ban the plastic bag and it sometimes seemed impossible that we’d get through all the red tape, be able to lobby as strongly as our opposition, and get citizens interested enough in the issue to participate. But you know what? With the hard work and dedication of a few, the entire state of California is going to benefit from the expanded MPA’s that we successfully lobbied for. Although the state has yet to adopt a ban on plastic bags, citywide bans are spreading and San Francisco and Los Angeles are leading the way. What started out as the work of a few hundred dedicated volunteers is changing how millions of Californians are going to live their lives! So, yes, the system is set in it’s ways, but it CAN be changed. It was built for change!
I know I’m preaching to the choir for the most part, but I do know that some of you don’t think you can make an impact on an individual level or don’t care to attempt to make an impact. I’ve heard many of your arguments as to why…
"It's not possible to change society and our modes and rates of natural resource/material consumption. It’s too big and powerful a system and we can’t go near it with a 50-MILE pole, even if we wanted to."
Now, I totally understand why you feel this way. Having volunteered as a canvasser for environmental non-profits throughout my college career I know how difficult it can be to change policy and fight the system. I fought for legislation to expand California Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s) and ban the plastic bag and it sometimes seemed impossible that we’d get through all the red tape, be able to lobby as strongly as our opposition, and get citizens interested enough in the issue to participate. But you know what? With the hard work and dedication of a few, the entire state of California is going to benefit from the expanded MPA’s that we successfully lobbied for. Although the state has yet to adopt a ban on plastic bags, citywide bans are spreading and San Francisco and Los Angeles are leading the way. What started out as the work of a few hundred dedicated volunteers is changing how millions of Californians are going to live their lives! So, yes, the system is set in it’s ways, but it CAN be changed. It was built for change!
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| Pic from Sarah Irving, Australia |
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| Washington Post, DC |
But maybe you don’t really want things to change? Part of the reason we live in this disposable-product-filled world with endless options when it comes to something as simple as a hair tie is because we want to! It makes living easier. Convenience has become an expected part of everyday life whether we’re using disposable diapers, driving to a store that’s just down the street, or throwing our food scraps and recyclables in the trash. Why should we be bothered to do more? We’re busy with work, stressed and tired when we get home…why should we have to separate our glass from our cardboard? Why can’t we just drink wine and watch Colbert?
Because doing so would mean we've accepted the dire state of the world and have chosen to live a life of complacency. The world will continue to degrade around us, while we continue to drink our wine and watch Colbert, likely oblivious to what we are losing until Colbert sardonically brings it to our attention.
Because doing so would mean we've accepted the dire state of the world and have chosen to live a life of complacency. The world will continue to degrade around us, while we continue to drink our wine and watch Colbert, likely oblivious to what we are losing until Colbert sardonically brings it to our attention.
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| Brought to you by Wholesystems.org |
“But even if I live more sustainably, what is that really going to do in the big scheme of things? Too much has been destroyed! We’re already F-ed!”
"If I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I'd still plant my apple tree." - MLK. What Martin Luther King is saying here, is that even if the world were to end tomorrow, that it shouldn’t (and usually doesn’t, I might add) stop us from doing what is right and good for the world. If you knew you were going to die tomorrow you wouldn’t rob a bank or kill someone today, right? You’d take your family to the beach, have a giant dinner with friends, you’d stay out under the stars in your lovers arms, spoil your dog rotten with leftovers and love and you’d fill yourself with what you deem wonderful in this world and do your best to share those wonders with others. Living more sustainably will help protect those wonders. Wouldn’t you rather do what good you could in the time you’re here to protect what you already value? I fear if you don’t, you’ll only be kicking yourself later. Or your grandchildren will kick you. With many tiny energized feet. So, plant your apple tree, and save yourself a beating.
"If I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I'd still plant my apple tree." - MLK. What Martin Luther King is saying here, is that even if the world were to end tomorrow, that it shouldn’t (and usually doesn’t, I might add) stop us from doing what is right and good for the world. If you knew you were going to die tomorrow you wouldn’t rob a bank or kill someone today, right? You’d take your family to the beach, have a giant dinner with friends, you’d stay out under the stars in your lovers arms, spoil your dog rotten with leftovers and love and you’d fill yourself with what you deem wonderful in this world and do your best to share those wonders with others. Living more sustainably will help protect those wonders. Wouldn’t you rather do what good you could in the time you’re here to protect what you already value? I fear if you don’t, you’ll only be kicking yourself later. Or your grandchildren will kick you. With many tiny energized feet. So, plant your apple tree, and save yourself a beating.
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| A landfill, just far enough outside of LA you can't smell it |
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| Cans cubed |
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| Look into your own recycling center's limitations/restrictions. Some are better than others! |
But even then, you might say, “ok, ok, you’re right, it’s the right thing to do, BUT how can ONE person’s actions make a difference in this world of 7 BILLION people?”
More important than your number is your influence on others. Leading by example is a powerful tool that many people don’t fully realize or tap into.
If you go grocery shopping with your own tote bags, anyone in that store that can see your tote bags may be inspired to get some themselves. Think of all the times you’ve ever gone grocery shopping…multiply that by all the other people shopping and that’s a lot of people you could potentially be influencing! It might seem like something very small, and potentially meaningless, but based off of my life experiences, your actions, no matter how small, always send a statement to the people around you, even if they don’t take note of it consciously…and even more mysterious, they usually respond to your positive influence!
Additionally, a simple fact about humans is that we pick up on external cues and follow trends because we’re…well, somewhat sheep-like. So, you saying “no” to a plastic bag, for example will contribute to this growing trend. And for the record you wouldn't be the only one saying “I don’t need a plastic bag.” More and more people are choosing a greener path. You are not alone on the road of sustainable living!
You can even volunteer information about how you are living more sustainably in conversation to coworkers, friends, and family members. And if you really want to influence others you'll volunteer and get yourself out there collecting petition signatures for new legislation!! Eh?? Eh?? : )
An additional reason that your individual actions are so important that I can’t drive home enough is, if you don’t do it, who will? The same mentality behind: “If not now, when?” This is what drives me to pick up trash when I walk down the street or the beach wherever I am. Because I know, if I don’t do it, no one else will. It will just get swept down the gutter, into the ocean, and end up in the gut of some sea creature. But if I do pick it up, that’s one less piece of trash in the ocean AND other people walking by me will see me take action. Some will no doubt roll their eyes and think “psh, pretentious hippie” but I bet they’re noticing all the bits of trash on the ground as they continue on their way down the street. What was once invisible to the apathetic or distracted eye, becomes visible! The action of one person is very powerful because it ignites action in others; it triggers a long-forgotten awareness and disperses complacency.
More important than your number is your influence on others. Leading by example is a powerful tool that many people don’t fully realize or tap into.
If you go grocery shopping with your own tote bags, anyone in that store that can see your tote bags may be inspired to get some themselves. Think of all the times you’ve ever gone grocery shopping…multiply that by all the other people shopping and that’s a lot of people you could potentially be influencing! It might seem like something very small, and potentially meaningless, but based off of my life experiences, your actions, no matter how small, always send a statement to the people around you, even if they don’t take note of it consciously…and even more mysterious, they usually respond to your positive influence!
Additionally, a simple fact about humans is that we pick up on external cues and follow trends because we’re…well, somewhat sheep-like. So, you saying “no” to a plastic bag, for example will contribute to this growing trend. And for the record you wouldn't be the only one saying “I don’t need a plastic bag.” More and more people are choosing a greener path. You are not alone on the road of sustainable living!
You can even volunteer information about how you are living more sustainably in conversation to coworkers, friends, and family members. And if you really want to influence others you'll volunteer and get yourself out there collecting petition signatures for new legislation!! Eh?? Eh?? : )
An additional reason that your individual actions are so important that I can’t drive home enough is, if you don’t do it, who will? The same mentality behind: “If not now, when?” This is what drives me to pick up trash when I walk down the street or the beach wherever I am. Because I know, if I don’t do it, no one else will. It will just get swept down the gutter, into the ocean, and end up in the gut of some sea creature. But if I do pick it up, that’s one less piece of trash in the ocean AND other people walking by me will see me take action. Some will no doubt roll their eyes and think “psh, pretentious hippie” but I bet they’re noticing all the bits of trash on the ground as they continue on their way down the street. What was once invisible to the apathetic or distracted eye, becomes visible! The action of one person is very powerful because it ignites action in others; it triggers a long-forgotten awareness and disperses complacency.
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| One small example of the extent of deforestation happening in the Amazon |
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| This is what we're losing! Not to mention clean air and water that this forest provides, potential medicine the plants provide (did you know over 60% of all pharmaceutical drugs originated from a plant molecule?!), and an immense amount of biodiversity! |
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| It's time we get our hands dirty! |
The bottom line is that we all care about our world. And we all want to do what is right (unless you’re a sociopath and don’t know the difference).
So, some simple guidelines to living more sustainably (to my friends who are very much educated in this field, if I miss anything, or you have something else to suggest, please tell me!):
1) Be a conscientious shopper
So, some simple guidelines to living more sustainably (to my friends who are very much educated in this field, if I miss anything, or you have something else to suggest, please tell me!):
1) Be a conscientious shopper
a. Buy locally – from what you put on your face to what you put IN your face! heh
b. Buy organic products – again, from on your face, to in your face! Check out your local farmer’s market and co-op or join a CSA (http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ ) Don’t support agricultural systems that have caused ecological devastation in epic proportions (for a quick 5-minute recap, watch this TED talk by this awesome 11-yr old!!!!!!!! http://www.ted.com/talks/birke_baehr_what_s_wrong_with_our_food_system.html For more detailed info, read The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Fast Food Nation, or watch Food, Inc.)
c. Buy products that don’t have excessive packaging
d. Avoid single-use/disposable products!!!
2) Drink PUBLIC Water – This may seem random, but clean and safe drinking water is a public right and should never have been privatized to begin with. Imagine how clean your tap water would be if that was all we had to drink? So, take this right into your own hands! Get yourself a water filter and a canteen! The more people we have drinking public water, the more important the management and protection of that water becomes. Did you know that less than 2% of our fresh water is currently protected in the U.S.? For more info on the decline of fresh water and the privatization of water watch the documentaries “Tapped Out” or “Blue Gold: World Water Wars”)
3) Look into getting high-efficiency showerheads and toilets. If you’re really daring check out compostable toilets! Energy efficient light bulbs are good too, but of course there is now concern about the mercury present in discarded bulbs! Time for a new design!
4) Start a rainwater collection area and use the water for your garden or indoor plants :) Or, combine them! http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/student-designs-rainwater-harvesting-vertical-garden.html
5) If you don’t have a garden, consider starting one! You can even have one in your city apartment! Check it out: http://www.ted.com/talks/britta_riley_a_garden_in_my_apartment.html
6) Compost your food scraps : ) even if you don’t have a garden, there’s probably a community garden close by that will happily take your compost off your hands (that’s what I do when I’m in Yosemite! I live in a tent and I still compost and recycle!)
7) REFUSE, Reuse, Reduce, Recycle : ) After saying NO to a plastic bag, re-use the ones you still have piled in your closet! If you know how to crochet, you can crochet your pile of plastic bags together and make your very own reusable tote bag! Look into whether or not you can get cash back for your recyclables in your state! You might have a monetary incentive you didn't even know about! And to all of you who like to partayyy ;) this cash-back deal comes in handy whenever you throw a party! All your recyclables can then fund your next shindig. Sexy, right?
8) Unplug appliances when not in use -- cell phone or laptop chargers, microwaves, and ovens still suck up energy, even when you're not using them! Not only will this reduce your carbon footprint, it will reduce your electricity bill! (To Calculate Your Carbon Footprint go here: http://www.carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx )
9) If you’re a homeowner, look into installing solar panels. State incentive plans can help cover the costs of installment! Research your options!
10) Carpool to work, walk/bike to run your smaller errands.
11) Educate yourself – this is the most important! You can’t care about something or make the right decision about something if you don’t know about it! With smart phones and the Internet taking control of our lives, we have an incredible amount of information available at our fingertips! Use it!
Jane Goodall has inspired so many people, myself included, to take action. She is full of so much hope you can’t help but be moved by her words. I too am full of hope, and I, like Jane, have been ridiculed for my seeming naivety (even by some of you!). But neither Jane nor I see our hope as naïve dreams of inexperienced neophytes, because we are neither (well, maybe me just a little bit)! We are soldiers in this battle, so to speak, and we have had the incredible opportunity to work with so many others who have and are devoting their lives to conservation and sustainability, either in the field of scientific research and advancement or environmental politics. Seeing how many people do in fact care, and how many are indeed taking action can only fill you with hope! But, the reality is that, like you said, we have 7 billion people on this planet, so even though these people are working their butts off in the thousands, their work alone is not enough. And this is why I’m asking you to take arms (hug your trees!), take action and enter the playing field.
Jane mentions something interesting in her book…that we only dare to admit that we love our world, because “Unfortunately in our materialistic world, where all that counts is the bottom line, human values of love and compassion are too often suppressed.”
Well, F-that! Spread the Love :)
3) Look into getting high-efficiency showerheads and toilets. If you’re really daring check out compostable toilets! Energy efficient light bulbs are good too, but of course there is now concern about the mercury present in discarded bulbs! Time for a new design!
4) Start a rainwater collection area and use the water for your garden or indoor plants :) Or, combine them! http://www.treehugger.com/
5) If you don’t have a garden, consider starting one! You can even have one in your city apartment! Check it out: http://www.ted.com/talks/
6) Compost your food scraps : ) even if you don’t have a garden, there’s probably a community garden close by that will happily take your compost off your hands (that’s what I do when I’m in Yosemite! I live in a tent and I still compost and recycle!)
7) REFUSE, Reuse, Reduce, Recycle : ) After saying NO to a plastic bag, re-use the ones you still have piled in your closet! If you know how to crochet, you can crochet your pile of plastic bags together and make your very own reusable tote bag! Look into whether or not you can get cash back for your recyclables in your state! You might have a monetary incentive you didn't even know about! And to all of you who like to partayyy ;) this cash-back deal comes in handy whenever you throw a party! All your recyclables can then fund your next shindig. Sexy, right?
8) Unplug appliances when not in use -- cell phone or laptop chargers, microwaves, and ovens still suck up energy, even when you're not using them! Not only will this reduce your carbon footprint, it will reduce your electricity bill! (To Calculate Your Carbon Footprint go here: http://www.carbonfootprint.
9) If you’re a homeowner, look into installing solar panels. State incentive plans can help cover the costs of installment! Research your options!
10) Carpool to work, walk/bike to run your smaller errands.
11) Educate yourself – this is the most important! You can’t care about something or make the right decision about something if you don’t know about it! With smart phones and the Internet taking control of our lives, we have an incredible amount of information available at our fingertips! Use it!
Jane Goodall has inspired so many people, myself included, to take action. She is full of so much hope you can’t help but be moved by her words. I too am full of hope, and I, like Jane, have been ridiculed for my seeming naivety (even by some of you!). But neither Jane nor I see our hope as naïve dreams of inexperienced neophytes, because we are neither (well, maybe me just a little bit)! We are soldiers in this battle, so to speak, and we have had the incredible opportunity to work with so many others who have and are devoting their lives to conservation and sustainability, either in the field of scientific research and advancement or environmental politics. Seeing how many people do in fact care, and how many are indeed taking action can only fill you with hope! But, the reality is that, like you said, we have 7 billion people on this planet, so even though these people are working their butts off in the thousands, their work alone is not enough. And this is why I’m asking you to take arms (hug your trees!), take action and enter the playing field.
Jane mentions something interesting in her book…that we only dare to admit that we love our world, because “Unfortunately in our materialistic world, where all that counts is the bottom line, human values of love and compassion are too often suppressed.”
Well, F-that! Spread the Love :)
