Don't underestimate the value of small things
15 small things you can do this Earth Month beyond recycling
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It’s Earth Month and the time of year that something like a greenwashed commercial sparks off an eco-anxiety spiral of epic proportions for me (and maybe you too?).
Anyone else remember that Kia commercial where that an incredibly handsome man “cleaned the beach” for the sea turtles WITH HIS CAR?
The commercial that sent me into an eco-anxiety spiral.
Here’s how my subsequent thought spiral went: Wait… he’s driving on the beach where the turtles lay their eggs. He’s driving on the turtle eggs! This is greenwashing at it’s finest. Corporations are largely responsible for greenhouse gas emissions! And I’m just a tiny person with anxiety living in my tiny box and it all feels meaningless and like we’re living in a simulation beyond our control and why shouldn’t we all just fly to Fiji every weekend because YOLO! But I’m not made of money I don’t even fly once a year because again I’m poor and just a tiny person and what I do individually doesn’t matter and it’s all corporations’ faults.
Here’s the deal, yes, the commercial was dumb and yes, it was greenwashing and yes, solving society’s structural issues are vital in the fight against climate change. But, remember that quote about 100 corporations being responsible for 71% of global greenhouse gas emissions? Yeah, I’ve quoted it too, but it’s not the full picture. The 100 corporations are responsible for 71% of fossil fuel and cement emissions, but not all emissions worldwide. Just like everything in the eco-world, it’s complicated and just one (large) piece of a very complicated puzzle.
I know, it’s frustrating. I have a master’s degree in library science which is basically a master’s degree in research. And I want to throw up my hands too. It’s natural to want to place the blame on one person, or corporation, or thing. But instead of invoking hopelessness that the problem is so big and varied and wide, I hope this encourages us. It means that we, as individuals, and as a group can do something about it. Tackling climate change isn’t just a fossil fuel problem or an individual problem or a corporate problem. It’s an all of the above problem.
No, we shouldn’t be screaming at individuals and you shouldn’t feel guilty for forgetting your reusable bag, we’re just out here trying to survive. But, governments can do something, corporations can do something and we, as individuals, can do something, even if it’s small. Even if at times it feels meaningless. And if we all believe that we can do something, if we all commit to small and sometimes large changes, if we all don’t give up, that’s how we invoke true, lasting change— together.
Here’s 15 small things you can do for the planet
Eat one meat-less meal a week.
Eating more plant-based is one of the best things you can do as an individual for the environment. I’m trying out this vegan “chicken” nuggets recipe this week.Pick up trash in your neighborhood.
Picking up trash ensures that it doesn’t get swept into local waterways and it shows your neighbors you care about them. If you get the ick from picking up beer bottles worthy of a science experiment, get a trash grabber.Turn your thermostat down in the winter or up in the summer by just one degrees.
You can save up to 3% for each degree the thermostat is raised in the summer and lowered in the winter. Heating and cooling is usually the biggest source of energy consumption in our homes.Fix something in your home— even if it’s just a can opener!
I’m a big proponent of cleaning, fixing and maintaining your stuff instead of throwing it out. By fixing something, you keep it out of the landfill, but you also learn a new skill. These new skills give you confidence and you can pass these skills along to others too.The can opener I recently saved.
Cancel your Amazon Prime subscription.
That extra-fast shipping is bad for the planet and it’ll save you money too. Still want to watch movies? You don’t need to have an Amazon Prime membership to use Prime Video.Use your local library
Your local library is an amazing place to gain knowledge. It’s an amazing place to share books and resources. It’s also one of the only true free spaces left. In addition to being a repository, it additionally exists as a place to share your skills.
Many libraries have knitting groups, gardens, and community classes. See what kind of programming your library offers and attend a class! Your library has to constantly prove it’s worth. And butts in seats are helpful for statistics. (Even just checking out a book helps!)
Then, if you see a need for a cooking demo or a craft demo that you can support with your knowledge, ask a librarian how to get started. Programming is a part of a library’s purpose!Grow an herb on your windowsill.
Growing food has been instrumental in me becoming more of an environmentalist. Once you realize how difficult it can be to grow food, you have more reverence for it, the people who are involved in it’s production and you’re less likely to waste it. You also will be cutting down on your food miles, especially if you grow those herbs from seed.If you know you won’t be able to finish your leftovers, freeze them!
Yeah, yeah we should be eating our leftovers, but as someone who lives in a two-person household sometimes it’s just too many leftovers. Here’s a list of 40 foods that freeze well.
Run your errands together.
By running your errands together, you’ll drive less and it may even save you time. I started doing this during 2020 and it helped me change my mindset about what errands are truly necessary too. Now, I won’t go to the grocery more than once a week. If I don’t have an ingredient, I’ll simply make do until I need to hit up the store again.
Choose unpackaged fruits and veggies.
If given the choice, choose the unpackaged fruit and veggies over the ones wrapped in plastic. I always see these potatoes at the grocery store wrapped in plastic and marketed as “microwaveable” potatoes. Newsflash: All potatoes are microwaveable! Stick a few holes in it with a fork and use the potato button on the microwave. “Microwaveable potatoes” is a marketing gimmick. Don’t fall for it.All sweet potatoes are microwaveable! You don’t need the plastic.
Don’t upgrade your phone.
“Buying one new phone takes as much energy as recharging and operating a smartphone for an entire decade” due to the rare minerals required to create the technology. Stave off buying a new phone for as long as possible and when you do buy, consider buying pre-loved.
Hide your paper towels.
This is a stupid-easy trick that has kept me from using paper towels for every mess and spill instead of just the super gross ones. I know paper towels are sometimes a necessity when you have pets or kids, but I hide my roll in the back of a cabinet for gross occasions and keep out a kitchen towel for regular, degular messes.
Share your knowledge!!!
We need you. We need your knowledge and skills, whatever those are. Please share them with your neighbors, friends and community. Teach your friends to knit. Teach your neighbor to grow blackberries. Teach your kids to upcycle leftovers into a new meal. Even if you just convince your parents to use a reusable K-cup instead of the single use ones, your knowledge helped the planet.Let companies know your stance.
Write to your favorite companies, let them know you like their product and you’d love to keep supporting them, but you can’t in good conscious continue to support them from an environmental standpoint. Need a script for this? My friend Stephanie of Sustainable Minimalists has a good one.Vote and let politicians know your stance too.
I know democracy right now seems… not very democratic? But it’s the system we’ve got right now and we have to let our voices be heard by voting and by calling our representatives regularly. The 5 Calls app makes calling easy to do.Don’t lose hope, my friends. We need you and your actions, no matter how small.