So here's my follow up from yesterdays blog. I don't want to tell you the common sense ways in which you can help change the climate, because let's be honest those have been spoken about by every forum and people barely do them still. I noticed that out of the neighbors I can see during garbage day 3 of the 7 recycle. That's a statistic that is alarming to me. It's not hard to recycle but for some people if it requires any different action they won't do it.
It's a hard subject to write about without feeling defeated. However, I believe that one of my many purposes on this earth is to remind people of how capable they are to be a part of a change for our planet along with a change towards more kindness, love, and compassion. So with that being said, I'll just share some things here that may not be part of common knowledge, and hope that every person reads this adopts just one of these practices. This may be my last blog about climate change for now because I have some other pressing things to blog about this coming week; but I will come back to it as often as I need to.
So here are 10 easy and some out of the box ideas:
1. As I wrote about earlier I used to believe self care came in the form of buying myself something (or drinking that bottle of wine), but it's truly not in consumption. For those practicing the act of shopping self care, I'm sure you can relate to how quickly the good feeling fades. Sooner or later that dress or shirt or shoes, will no longer be new and sparkly and you'll just need another new thing to make you feel that. Here's what it boils down to: self care isn't in consuming, it's in truly tending to your needs. Some examples: self massage with oils, allowing yourself time to just sit and watch the birds (garden, squirrels, ocean, etc you fill in the blank here), allow time for reading, playing an instrument, playing in the garden, going for a walk alone, laying in the sun, paint, draw, write, etc. There are so many ways in which you can show yourself love without consumption of yet another thing.
2. Pick up the litter you see. We all see it, and we all cringe by it; whether we play a part in the actual role of it or not. Taking a grocery bag with you and picking up litter you see as you are out and about your day, can make a huge impact. I don't leave the house often as you all know but I had this thought after having an hour outing going to a spot on the Chattahoochee, Steve and I used to go to. I had wished I brought an empty bag with me just to pick up people's garbage they left behind. ALSO: let me add this, if you're one of those that still thinks it's okay to just throw your garbage out, maybe let's stop that as well. It's 2016, you're not that lazy. Take it to a garbage can. It's not hard.
3. Boycott companies that are causing large harm to our planet. If we stop giving money to the Nestle, Shell, McCdonald's of the world, we can have a serious impact. If you are curious of the many different companies causing our planet harm, all you have to do is a google search. You will get pages and pages of companies. I urge you to do the research and see if maybe you're supporting a company that is harming our planet.
4. This one, isn't that out of the box, but it's seriously important. No longer eating foods from factory farms. If you aren't familiar with factory farming and companies that support the such, then you maybe aren't familiar with the insane mistreatment of animals, as well as the methane emissions that occur from large factory farms. Not to mention the diseases they carry, the antibiotics they are pumped with, and the pollution they are doing to our water systems. Look you are what you eat, if you're eating an animal that's been abused that energy is being absorbed with all those antibiotics they are pumped with.
5. Don't shop factory clothing. Mass produced clothing is one of the major pollutants of our planet. Think places like: Target, Walmart, & I'm sorry chains like H&M, and the like. I am not saying to be as extreme as not buying anything new, but if you research you will see humanely organic made clothing that not only lasts longer, but also has a more unique fashion sense than some mass produced t shirt everyone else owns. This is a new one to me, and after I actually saw the damage being done, I no longer want to be a part of the problem.
6. Buy used. I wrote on this in my last blog about consumerism, but it bears repeating. Everything you need already exists in the world. Also, vintage items have so much charm.
7. This one is huge, and I've been just as guilty of it. DONATE don't throw away. It's so easy just to walk to the dumpster and throw out perfectly good things, because you don't have the time to make it to a donation place. It's just wasteful. Also, as I've been looking to lesson my load, the more I discover places that will actually come to my house to pick up donation items.
8. Again, not out of the box, and maybe it falls into the category of so common like recycling yet people don't do it, but it's super easy. Turn of the effing light when you leave the room. I have had to be mindful of it, and maybe still forget 1 out of 20 times now, but thankfully now it's almost a habit. If you truly start to pay attention to your actions you will see, leaving that light on just for the convenience of, "so it will be lit when I come back to the room, 3 hours later"; isn't justifiable.
9. No more use of chemicals. In all areas, from pesticides, to bug sprays, to shampoo, to face wash, to cleaning products. Products that contain chemicals that are toxic to not just our environment but ourselves as well are being dumped daily into our water system. From the shampoo that you think you're only experiencing the chemical effects to going down the drain, to our cleaners we use. We thankfully live in a day where organic products do work just as well. People often come to me with the money excuse here, and yes organic is more expensive. However, I use less of the organic items than chemical, so it really equals out to me. In fact, I started making my own very simple cleaning products, bug spray, shampoo, etc. Oh and coconut oil, is also my replacement for everything from moisturizer to conditioner to butter to cooking oils to lube to....coconut oil is life. :)
10. Care. Simply caring, is a huge part of this. Maybe this should be number 1. Show up and care about our planet, your life, other people's lives.
Of course if these aren't in your realm of possibility you can do: no more bottled water (travel mugs), avoid plastic, bring your own shopping bags, washing and reusing containers, turn your AC's up 1 degree, if it's yellow let it mellow ;), more carpooling, more walking for those who can, they make paper straws you know, ......... ok....I'm done because Steve's up now....you get the point.
:)
If you care then share. Share this blog, share ways in which I maybe didn't mention in comments, share your ways of creating a change, etc.
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