Well, today is Blog Action Day and thousands of blogs are writing about climate change! When I get a chance, I’ll go check out what they’ve all written, but for myself, it’s all about what I can do as an individual. Certainly it’s not much on the grand scheme, but individual actions add up and I’m hoping that down the line I can start an eco-consulting firm to address this very issue and get people to change their behavior in positive ways. With enough people making enough effort, we can make a powerful impact. That’s my dream for the future.
As for now, I decided to explore the ways I’ve greened my life and what I can do to continue along that path. I’ve made a lot of small changes to my life over the years to get to this point and I plan on continuing steadily for the rest of my life. So some ways that I’ve already greened my life are…
- Oooh, I wouldn’t mind some cute ones like these! photo credit: blog.elfster.com
~ using reusable tote bags and saving all plastic bags I do get for other purposes
~ composting (I’d like to start a worm compost one day)
~ recycling (too bad so many things aren’t recyclable!)
~ unplugging everything when not in use
~ changing out light bulbs (some of the smaller ones are still traditional bulbs… are they going to make smaller energy-efficient bulbs?)
~ eating little red meat (I don’t eat much meat in general, especially beef)
~ printing only when absolutely necessary (which is hardly ever)
~ using a green service provider to power my website
- photo credit: Dan44 on flickr
In the next couple of months, I plan on implementing some new ways of improving my own sustainability. Some options may have to wait until I’ve settled a little more and know where I’ll be living for the next couple of years (namely, planting my own fruits and vegetables to eat). Each change is a step towards progress and by the time I’m 30, I hope I can proudly claim a sustainable lifestyle.
~ plant fruits/vegetables to eat
~ buy more locally
~ change shower heads
~ filter water – no more bottles! – and continue using reusable bottles
- Just me and my trusty board.
~ get a hybrid car (and try to drive less)
~ walk/bike/skate more (it’s good for your health, after all!)
~ phase out commercialized cleaning solutions for more old school ones (like using baking soda and vinegar, or those squash-looking loofahs)
~ buy an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly laptop
I’m sure there’s a lot more I can do, but this is a start! I’ll keep working on my list over the years as solutions are developed and I discover more ways that I can change my ways to leave a smaller carbon footprint in this world. I’ve begun to educate and influence those around me as well, and I intend on doing that in a greater scale further into my career! Someday I’d like to see everyone in my city living this way and a good portion of the country as well. I don’t know if I’ll live to see the world change like that, but that would certainly be amazing.
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