How To Become More Eco-minded & Not Cry

Sometimes caring about the planet, or anything outside of yourself, feels like the worst.

Sometimes it feels like it would be a lot easier to be selfish and blissfully ignorant and love a life full of bad things.

It’s all a little overwhelming. Fishless oceans by 2048? Temperature rises? More microplastics in the ocean than stars in the sky? How does a person work to be nicer to the earth without feeling like it’s all hopeless?

Start with small swaps.

Y: Keep cups and mugs

N: Take away coffee cups

Y: Reusing take away containers for storing leftovers

N: Chucking out things that can be reused

Y: Metal straws

N: Plastic straws

Y: Drying your clothes on a line under the sun

N: Machine drying while the sun is outside doing its thing

Y: BYO cutlery

N: Disposable cutlery

Y: Drink bottles

N: Single use water bottles

Y: Veggies, beans, tofu

N: Meat

Y: Plant milk

N: Dairy milk

You might not remember ‘Y’ every time, you might do an ‘N’. That’s okay, if you keep learning and keep caring. In time you’ll forget ‘N’ ever felt easier than ‘Y’. Ahhh, you’ll remember the days.

Once that’s the case, think what else could get better. Like climbing an eco-ladder. Each time you get used to the height you’re at, once it feels normal again, once you’re up for it, you can step up one higher. Remember it’s a really nice ladder and it keeps getting prettier and the view better, the higher you go.

Remember that there are lots of fun things to do while you climb the ladder. You don’t have to stop your whole life to change some ‘N’s to ‘Y’s. Maybe some ‘Y’s seem more important to you than others. Maybe you’ll do those ones first.

Remember you aren’t a bad person for trying. You care and that is good. Remember that knowing you can do better is a good thing, not a bad thing. Growing is great.