I first became interested in recycling and green living casually, after reading an article about the arctic glaciers melting within 10 years, and that should have been enough to scare me crazy. Needless to say, I didn’t automatically get deep into sustainable living.
Initially, I contributed to the ‘cute eco-acts’ by recycling plastics, subscribing to eco-friendly clothing lines and asking for paper bags at the grocery store.
I’m now the friend complaining about fracking and horticulture and my friends are like “say whaaaaaa!?” LOL.
The more I gather about true sustainability I realize that the small things we do are not enough. Yes, you probably feel like a tree with legs after ditching your plastic bottles in a recycling bin or dropping off worn out electronics at your nearest Best Buy, but there is something laughable about the way we ‘preserve’ our Earth.
We use paper advertisements to tell people to stop cutting down trees. Companies’ say they support sustainability, but encourage customers to buy impractical product upgrades. Why be wasteful in the process of trying to NOT be wasteful!?
Deciding to be green has to be a complete lifestyle overhaul. I first learned this transitioning from vegetarian to Vegan and it exposed me to my own faultiness in my green lifestyle. Either you’re in or out.
There’s a blog “No Trash Project”; it’s the premium example of living sustainably. Colleen Doyle, blogger, has stripped her life of anything that would produce trash, essentially making her carbon footprint zero. I’d like to move to a place where I can manage a No Trash lifestyle, but until then here’s what I encourage to anyone interested in true green living.
1. Avoid products with packaging, and if you can’t stay away as much as possible. Look at it like this, things in packaging are expected to be on the shelf for a while, which means you can find a bunch of preservatives (crap) in your food. Shelf life is more important than your dear organs.
2. Live a minimalist’s life. Get the essentials and make your life easier. I’ve adapted a very small but versatile wardrobe. I buy items that are well-built and timeless. That way it will never ruin or go out of style. Make all of your purchases thoughtful ones; Will this purchase last long? How will I dispose of it if it breaks (unwanted)? Is it an element that can go back into the Earth? EVEN WHEN BUYING GIFTS!
3. Preserve what you already have. Less you demand from the Earth, and then less will be exhausted from her. If a t-shirt no longer works for you, make it a rag. You and a friend are going to the same place, carpool. It’s fairly simple, it just takes planning and much thought.
I’m not recycling-saint, but I’m making efforts every day. I think about how I can reduce my effect on the environment. Be a thoughtful ‘greeny.’
Happy Recycling!