Keep what's important to you

I’ve been pondering how to balance choosing to live more sustainably and still enjoy activities that are important to me.  The problem of how to fix climate change, habitat loss, and pollution is way too big for one person to fix alone and at times seems like a futile effort.  While what each of us does as an individual to reduce our impact on the planet is important, it’s also important to enjoy life and the people around you.  I do not implement all of the recommendations I bring to this blog, because what works for one person does not work for another, for a variety of reasons.  However, if you have a variety of options to pick from, you can choose to implement sustainability actions that work for you while keeping the activities that make life meaningful to you.   Remember that small actions do add up and enjoy your life.  Here are a few additional thoughts. 

• Humans are meant to live in community.  Building and maintaining community and friendships is important.
• When evaluating which sustainability activities to implement, the first place to start is with activities that you do because “you’ve always done them” but are no longer meaningful to you.  If you no longer enjoy a hobby, pass the tools along to someone else and spend your time on things that bring you joy.
• Look for sustainability actions that work for you.  Effective public transportation is generally not available in large areas of the US, so getting rid of your car is not feasible.  However, you can combine errands and keep your car in good condition to reduce the energy you use when you drive.  A vegan diet is not for everyone, but you can reduce your intake of beef, pork, and lamb and incorporate a few meatless dishes in your weekly menu.  Current medical guidance indicates that eating more plant-based meals can positively affect your health in addition to helping the planet, but each person has different requirements.   
• Look for ways to increase sustainability of the activities you keep in your life.  If you love to travel or travel a lot for work, keep that in your life, but look for ways to do it just a little more sustainably.  Or look for other things in your life you can change to partially offset the impact of the travel.  If you love to cook, experiment with new recipes that incorporate care for the planet.  Ask if you can help implement sustainability measures at your office or school. 

I’ve seen some truly draconian recommendations for how everyone should live to save the planet.  These kinds of restrictions are not feasible for most people and just lead to guilt.  If you pick the sustainability actions that work for you, you are more likely to actually implement them.   My philosophy has always been that if large numbers of people reduce their impact by a little bit, it will add up and make a difference.  Give yourself credit for the things you do and then take one more tiny baby step.