Changes Begin in YOUR World

Sustainability. Thirteen letters so complicated that it’s much easier to ignore than to comprehend. It’s just so… BIG. Where do I start? How can I make a difference when I am 1/7,000,000,000th of the problem? ARGH!

When I calm down, I try to wrap my head around it. A revered Buddhist teacher and author pops into my head. With his soft, soothing voice, he says to me: “The universe is a big place. So redefine your universe and make it smaller, more manageable.” (I am paraphrasing, of course.)

Now, THAT I can do!

For most of my grown-up years, I have been trying to apply that thinking. Now, it affects how I buy, from whom I buy and where. Here are a few things I am doing to embed sustainability into my life. During CBD’s Meaningful Month, I challenge you to do the same.

1. Recycle. Reuse. That’s a no-brainer, especially in the city with our gigantic blue bins. But what if you don’t have access? Recycling can turn into reusing very quickly. Old t-shirts can be turned into quilts. Old furniture can be given new life with a paint job.

2. Consume fewer consumables. I was trying to explain to my partner why I needed a new tablet. She was very dubious, but was later convinced. In a month alone, I have read books and magazines that would have normally used paper. I MISS paper, don’t get me wrong, but I do like the idea of saving. Same goes for making lists at the market: I use the program Evernote to take notes and check off what I’ve purchased. Technology saves.

3. Reduce your energy. Anything from lighting to temperature can make a huge difference in energy consumption. In Chicago, we are blessed with “night lights” (AKA street lights), which constantly pour into our homes. So when we are in the home, why not use it? If you can see, avoid flipping a switch.

4. Buy and grow local. In my neighborhood, we have a wonderful farmers’ market. I try to go at least twice a month to stock up on vegetables that are in season. To supplement our cooking addiction, my partner has also started a simple herb garden.

5. Think transit. Again, in the city we are very fortunate to have an extensive transit system. I rely on train, bus or bike to get around the city but—if I need a car and our single family car is being used—I opt for ZipCar. As a self-confessed car fanatic, the idea of driving anything from a Toyota Prius to an Audi A3 is WAY more fun than driving what I could afford to own.

The moral of the story is this—You don’t have to do EVERYTHING, but you can do SOMETHING. Even the smallest thing makes a difference. Just change your perspective. You don’t have to change The Whole Big-Earth-And-Planet-And-Cosmos-Entirely World™… just start with your world.

Tags: Being Green, CBD's Meaningful Month, Change the World, Changes Begin in YOUR World, Chicago, Don Harder, Evernote, meaningful marketing, Meaningful Month, recycle, Reuse, Sustainability, World Change, Zipcar

1 Comment to Changes Begin in YOUR World

Leave a comment