What's realistic for you?

There are a lot of suggestions for how to reduce your individual impact on the earth and live more sustainably.   However, some of these lists can be discouraging, because each person has a different set of circumstances in their life.    What works for your aunt or your co-worker may not work for you.  There are many practical reasons why many of us cannot or will not implement every sustainability suggestion we encounter.  For instance, this morning I read a list of things that people can do to live more sustainably.  At the top of the list was to live car-free.  I live in a small town near a metropolitan area.  The nearest public transportation is 10 miles away and serves only areas I seldom visit.  So, I try to combine trips when I use my car, shop close to home when I can, and focus on other sustainability actions that will work for me.   Another example: if you live in an apartment, you cannot add insulation to your home, but you can adjust your thermostat to use less energy.  Instead of feeling guilty about the things you aren’t doing, give yourself credit for what you are doing and keep your eyes open for more sustainability actions that work for you.  Every little bit adds up.  Thank you for what you do!