…take a look at yourself and make a change. (Michael Jackson, ‘Man in the Mirror)
The western world can be a confusing place to grow up in. We are fed a daily message of “This is all about you” which affects every aspect of our lives, from career to money to relationships to where and how we choose to live.
As we find opportunities to stop and look around and really reflect on what is happening all around us, both on a local and global scale, it is a relatively quick jump to realising that we have been lied to.
Polar ice caps melting; the effects of pollution on the environment; another animal on the verge of extinction; and all it takes is a drive to the airport in Cape Town where I live to quickly be reminded that not everyone lives the same (the growing townships at the side of the highway screaming at me: “You have it better!”)
KISS OVERWHELMEDNESS GOODBYE
It is easy to feel like any difference you might be able to make is insignificant. So why do anything at all? Well, if everyone continues to feel like that, then sure, not much is going to change. Which is why it has to start with someone – and perhaps that someone is you.
My wife and I started wrestling with some of these issues about five years ago. Not thinking that we could change the overall situation in any major way, we decided that if we could make small changes in our lives, and then invite our friends and family to do the same, that slowly, things on a global scale could be affected.
MEAT-FREE MONDAYS
A number of years ago we tried to take part in meat-free Mondays, which meant that one day a week we chose not to eat meat as a way of reducing our meat intake and being mindful of how much we consume. Last year we decided to step it up a notch and moved to every second week being meat-free. What that effectively did was cut our meat consumption in half. It did mean a little bit more planning and intentionality, but six months later it has become a part of who we are and how we live life.
We lived in the States for three years where recycling was the norm, and so when we returned to South Africa, we knew that we had to continue. Here it is not as commonplace and in Cape Town we have to bag our recycling and drop it off once a week at a place that sorts it and deals with it – so again a little more effort and intentionality, but in another small way we are once again making a growing-in-significance difference. Friends of ours use companies like Kool Waste and Oasis to deal with their recycling. Now to get others to do the same.
AT LEAST DO SOMETHING
One of the problems we face at the moment as we try to be more green and look after our world for the generations that will follow, is that it can feel a bit like a privileged thing to be able to do. Choosing to use ‘green’ cleaning products and to buy free range or ethically sourced goods tends to be more expensive at the moment. So maybe you can’t do all of the things you would like to do all at once.
But at least start by doing something. Recycling feels like an easy one. You could choose a few food products you use regularly (like eggs and meat, perhaps) and start to buy free range or switch one or two cleaning products to more “green” varieties. Then, be on the lookout for when you can institute the next change.
Start conversations with your friends. The more people who start using these products, the cheaper and more accessible they will eventually be, and the difference made to the world will be bigger.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
We would love to hear from you. What differences are you already making that will help ensure that the planet is more likely to last longer for those who will follow? Or what change are you willing to take on for this next year? Please leave your stories in the comments section below. This is something that, together, we can make huge changes in. The world needs you!