How You Can Save The World
I often wonder how our relationship with garbage would change if we didn’t have a public works service that collected our trash and hauled it away for us. I think about my mom, who doesn’t have trash pickup at her place, and her parents, who led a family of 8, that didn’t have trash pickup either. Would our relationship with consumption change if we lived with the garbage we create?
One of the beautiful things to come from the pandemic is the ignition behind our causes and why they matter. I’m grateful I’ve landed in spaces where discussions about how we can be better stewards of the Earth are taking place. With the understanding that we are one and operate as a collective, it is no surprise Mother Gaia is speaking to us in more direct ways.
I don’t doubt that the pandemic is a result of our blatant disregard for our relationships, and the relationship with Earth might be the most pivotal one.
In a recent class at the Earth & Spirit Center, I learned that at the rate we’re losing topsoil, we’ll be out in 60 years. In the US, we lose on average 4 tons of topsoil per acre per year. In some areas of the world, they’re losing as much as 12 tons per acre per year. Take a breath for a moment and appreciate the severity of this data.
An article headlined our Sunday paper recently about bridging the gap between faith and nature. The belief systems the majority of our U.S. population have on our contribution to this shocked me. Of course, we’re not going to make a difference if we refuse to accept our part in the destruction.
Heather White of One Green Thing recently spoke at the Alltech Symposium, where she said ‘Individual action shifts the culture.’ She suggests we not rely on the individual contribution math to convince us because our influence is impactful but not captured in that data. She suggests individual household changes can contribute to a 25% reduction in emissions.
Here are some ways in which to reduce your carbon footprint:
Eat less meat
“Every day that you forgo meat and dairy, you can reduce your carbon footprint by 8 pounds — that’s 2,920 pounds a year.” -Renee Cho This information gained widespread awareness in the early 2000s with Michael Pollan’s Omnivore's Dilemma. He suggests that we eat less, mostly vegetables.
We can do better by not eating out so much as well. Every time we can buy bulk, grow our food, and shop locally, we become more connected to our food source, reduce emissions through transportation, and consume more nutritious food for our overall well-being. It may take time to transition toward, but it will have a lifelong lasting positive effect.
Investments (ESG, SRI, Impact Investing)
Being a small business owner, I recognize how important it is to vote with your dollar. You can do this every day with your purchasing power. We’ve made a point to partner with organizations that help promote the value we bring to the community. Louisville Independent Business Alliance created a website for shoppers to purchase from multiple small businesses at once and offer an array of networking and promotional opportunities for us. Canopy is a small business certifying agency providing training and certifications for companies that are making additional efforts to focus on sustainability, DE&I, leadership, governance, and employees.
Making the switch to intentional purchasing decisions has a massive impact on the local economy but does require a change in daily habits. Making your investments count might be an easier way to have the system work for you without the consistent awareness required.
Between 2018 and 2020, assets allocated to sustainable, responsible, and impact investing grew more than 42%, rising from $12 trillion in 2018 to $17.1 trillion in 2020, according to the U.S. Forum for Sustainable and Responsible Investments.
Transportation
We live in a community where the primary mode of transportation is the motor vehicle. Some of these changes require better access to public transportation or food, while some mean changing habits. When possible, combine errands, walk, or ride a bike. There are fantastic ride-share programs that allow for a period of decompression or even additional work time if preferred. At least the rising gas prices have us seriously considering better ways to get around.
One-car homes are a trending concept that requires a bit of organization, but this aligns with consuming less. This could mean less gas through better planning, less time from maintenance requirements, or just the physical makeup of a car itself. That’s a lot of metal!
There’s also bus transportation that many of us are just not accustomed to using, but is incredibly efficient and inexpensive. This also allows for time to tune in or out and a chance for connection in traveling with others.
Get Involved
Whether we like it or not, much of our community connection is determined by politics. Being informed and involved in your local community is the best way to share information with people making decisions about these topics. Anything from a shared garden plot to attending council meetings will allow you to be more connected to the world around you.
With election season upon us, you can start learning about the upcoming candidates now and start conversations with your friends and family about what you’re passionate about. We can rebuild our capacity to have conversations that express our convictions. We have a greater ability to make an impact using our numbers, within our local jurisdictions, than worrying so much about what is taking place on a federal level. It starts here, with us.
You’re needed. We have a world to save.
