This blog is about my journey taking small, single steps towards change in my lifestyle and views, so that I can somehow contribute my tiny part to saving the planet. The idea that anyone can stop the deteriorating state of the planet seems almost laughable, How can little changes I make to recycling and eating less meat mean anything to the bigger picture? Then last night i suddenly got it. I realised that my apathetic state means I am actually part of the problem, that my apathy is the problem, and that I must do SOMETHING, to start being part of the solution.
Watching the films were not the life-changing shock to the system, It was instead the moment the film ended. I sighed, got up to make a cup of tea and started getting on with normal life. I realised that within a few steps to the kitchen I was already becoming apathetic to what i'd just seen and heard. The realisation was that my 'head-in-the-sand' approach is being repeated by people all over the planet, and that collectively our attitude could actually be the thing between us killing and saving the planet.
I'm a regular, meat-eating, box-set binging, brand-consuming, earth-polluting girl with a busy life and a million other things in my head. I watch a film like Racing Extinction or Earthlings and i'm appalled at what I see. My reaction however, is to wallow in self-shame for a few days, worry a bit about choices I make over products I buy and food I eat, and then in a few weeks I'm back to my old habits. The reason my efforts aren't sustained is because making a difference just seems overwhelming, and because I don't see any direct results that reassure me that my efforts are paying off.
I had a chat with a good friend of mine last weekend who has recently turned full hippy. Now a vegan, she quit her job and is considering doing an apprenticeship working on a farm so she can live off the land. Her ultimate dream is to live 'off grid'. She's generally horrified by the way the world is these days and is making her own changes to improve the planet. But whilst I admire her attitude and vivaciousness, I said to her honestly that her new ways seemed a bit extreme. That the truth is, I'm not going to stop eating meat. And that even though i'm ashamed to say, some days, I put plastic in the normal bin. I also still eat eggs, even though I know that egg companies kill all male chicks ( I wrote to Happy Eggs to find out for sure).
The world needs people like my friend, who take the extreme route. She's inspiring, and she sets boundaries for me to aspire to. But extremist views and alternative lifestyle choices can also makes people uncomfortable, reconfirming apathy in the masses. This apathy needs to be broken, slowly but surely. I don't want to live off grid and whittle spoons. But I also don't want to pollute the planet. So i'm going to find my own way of making a difference to the world in a way that everyone can relate to. I'm going to be fully honest about the good and the bad that I do to the world, and tell the story of change right here.
Where to start? Well, firstly i'll focus on the good things. I always carry my own carrier bag. I recycle. I grow a few herbs and easy vegetables in the garden. I work from home so I hardly use the car. We tend to use the bikes quite a lot for mini trips and nights out to local pubs. I don't flush the toilet in the middle of the night. We make a concerted effort not to waste food. Okay, so far that's not bad. But here's the not so good stuff.
I don't use energy saving lightbulbs - I hate the buzz. I do sometimes put recyclable materials in the normal bin when I don't have the time or energy to wash it out. I use the tumble dryer ALL the time. I'm generally a bit obsessed with clothes washing. I let the tap run when i'm brushing my teeth. I know my facewash doesnt have 'microbeads' in it but i haven't checked out any other products I use. I also haven't really got a clue if I eat palm oil products, how much electricity i use, what happens to any products I put in the bin or down the drain, or frankly, what else I might be doing that is quite terrible. Put simply, I'm ignorant. I want knowledge.
Yesterday was Day 0. My single step was watching Racing Extinction. That film was an eye opener and if you get a chance to watch it, do. What I gained from that film was a bit more knowledge.
Today is Day 1. My single step today is starting this blog, which makes me accountable, and places a public stake in the ground so that I (or anyone else) can use it to smack me over the head if I start waning into apathy again. Remember, APATHY is the problem here, so anything that is a positive move in the right direction is good.
Tomorrow is Day 2. I have some ideas of what I'm going to do, but i'll share that with you tomorrow.
Wish me luck!
Lydia
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