Every April 22nd, the news fills with stories about Earth Day and why it’s important to protect and restore our environment. That’s great, but one day a year is nothing, we all need to live Earth Lives.
I know I’m a bit of an anomaly because caring about the environment is my driving force, but I have hope because I’m seeing so many others caring too. What follows is my own journey to being a better environmental advocate and while some of the things I’ve been able to do/afford are a result of living a privileged life – stable upbringing, college education, white skin and a well-paying job – everyone can live an Earth Life because it’s a philosophy more than anything.
Of course I recognize that just being alive means consuming resources and my living in a house in a rich country automatically means I consume more than most. What follows are just some of the ways that I live with the intent to cause as little damage as possible. There is no order to this list, but I’m numbering them and stopping at 10 just to make the references simple. This post tells the story of what matters to me. If it can spark your interest in living an Earth Life too, so much the better.
I’ll wager we can all do more to promote environmental conservation and live even happier lives. Climate change and environmental protection are problems bigger than one person’s actions. But don’t let that stop you from trying. These 10 things are easy and impactful. If you’re curious and want to hear more, send me a message, I’d love to connect!
1. Be Vegan / Plant-Based
By far, what you do three times a day (plus snacks), makes the biggest impact. Stop eating animals and the products they produce. We have no nutritional need for meat, eggs, dairy, etc. More than 3/4ths of US farmland is dedicated to animal agriculture. We would need far less land to produce food that humans can directly consume. Also consider the pollution caused by feedlots and other Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), the methane produced by cows and other ruminants, the amount of land being cleared in the Amazon (and elsewhere) for more acres to raise cows or the crops that feed them, the incredible devastation happening in our oceans. I could go on… Livestock outweigh wild mammals and birds by a factor of 10. Let that sink in.
Information about the environmental impact of animal agriculture is widely available. Don’t ignore it because you like the taste of hamburgers and can’t change the paradigm of what to make for dinner. Here are just a few ways to get you started on your research: Cowspiracy and Seaspiracy are two documentaries by the same producer which are both eye opening and well documented with source material. The UN issued a report called Livestock’s Long Shadow. An article in the world leading medical journal The Lancet recommends a plant-based diet for both health and sustainability. There are so many more you’ll find if you look.
Changing what you’ve always done is hard, but resources exist to help. I recommend PCRM.org because I believe in a healthy whole food diet, but if you are used to the standard American diet, have a look at Veganuary.com for ideas on making a switch. You decide how healthy you want to be, but the main thing is to stop supporting animal ag.
2. If You Have Land, Cover It With Native Plants
The American lawn is worse than an ecological dead zone, it is a killing field when all the typical chemicals are added. Then to add insult to injury, non-native plants which do very little to support life have become the norm in the landscape trade.
Add up all our lots or properties and they equal more than 600 million acres. We’ve displaced a lot of wilderness and we owe it to all the animals who call our area home to do everything possible to support them.
Start by eliminating or minimizing your lawn. It’s completely possible to do this in a neat and organized way. Replace all those foreign plants with ones that support life and provide food (for yourself and for insects, birds and other animals). Wildflowers are beautiful and beneficial. Join a native plant gardening group like WildOnes.org to get inspiration. Plant more trees, especially oaks. I’m a huge fan of Doug Tallamy’s books Nature’s Best Hope and The Nature of Oaks. They are inspirational, educational, short and filled with pictures.
We have to stop thinking of nature as existing separately in parks and in places that we travel to see. We are part of nature and if we own property, we can either help or harm.
So far we’ve converted our front yard to 100% native plants, including a buffalo grass lawn. The back yard is still being converted, but just not mowing has made a big difference.
3. Conserve And Use Renewable Energy
We’ve installed a solar array that offsets more than 90% of our electrical use and will soon be installing more panels to get to 100%. However, the moment I mention that we have solar, the next question I’ll be asked is what is the payback period. I totally understand the question and the answer for us is 7 years.
But honestly, the choice to install solar wasn’t about payback or economics, it was because conservation and environmentally beneficial actions make us happy. For the money we spent on the panels, we could have bought a boat. No one would have asked us about the payback (presuming it was a fishing boat and we were saving money by eating the fishes we killed). If we bought an RV, no one would ask about the payback on hotel savings. If we donated to a charity, who would ask probing questions about tax savings? My point is that we had the means to install solar, so we did.
If you don’t have a sunny spot for panels, or the money to afford the initial investment, you can still choose to get your power from a renewable source via choices offered by your electrical supplier. There are also some interesting leasing options to consider.
Perhaps even more important is choosing to conserve and minimize the use of fossil fuels. Choose your light bulbs, appliances, and other devices with an eye on their power use. Use a SunOven on hot days. Open windows instead of air conditioning. Switch to geo-thermal for heating/cooling. Add insulation for efficiency. And what has been my biggest challenge — lower the thermostat in the winter. (It’s now set at 67 and I wear sweaters.)
4. If You Drive, Drive An Electric Car
We drive a fully electric car that is charged from our solar panels. But even if it were charged from the power grid it would be an eco-friendly choice. The power it uses is far more efficient than an internal combustion engine and it produces no emissions. Like any new technology you’ll find people decrying the production of the batteries, or the use of coal power from the grid. Those theories have been debunked. You’ll also find people with range anxiety, but ask yourself how often you drive more than 250 miles a day. Probably rarely, and if on a road trip, you’ll have access to a robust and growing recharging network.
Maintenance is minimal with an electric car. No oil changes and fewer parts are a definite cost savings. Tires and windshield fluid have been the biggies.
With automakers committing to more and more electric vehicles you’ll soon see more choices and price points. If you want some perks for buying a Tesla, use this link. At some point, cars with engines will seem antique and quaint.
Of course, not needing a car would be even better.
5. Live Without Plastic
The plastic industry has done a great job with fake recycling programs. They put a little symbol on most everything and hope that we’ll feel good about buying it and then tossing it in a recycling bin. Truth is much of that plastic is thrown away, incinerated or ends up as pollution.
As consumers, our actions are minor compared to what industry uses and discards but we can control what we do. Avoiding plastic is hard because it is ubiquitous, but there are many little changes that can make a difference. First look at the plastic junk we buy. In many cases there are sustainable alternatives. I can’t possibly make a list of all substitutions, but some of my biggest pet peeves – shopping bags, drink bottles, and single use plastics, are so obvious.
Sometimes when I go grocery shopping and don’t see anyone doing the simplest act of using reusable bags I want to give up hope for our future. Why don’t people care enough to even do that?
Here are a few companies that specialize in plastic substitutes: I love my shampoo and conditioner bars from Zero Waste Cartel, my toothpaste bits from Bite, my reusable utensils and produce bags from Wild Minimalist, and solid dishsoap from The Earthling Co. I make a conscious decision with everything I buy and it’s still impossible to avoid plastic. Do your best and advocate for more options.
Plastic wasn’t around much before the 1950s and people had wonderful lives. Let’s get back to that.
6. Skip The Clothes Dryer
I’ll admit to having a clothes dryer, but it’s been more than a year since it’s been used. In the winter the air inside the house is quite dry and clothes will air dry easily overnight. In the summer, there’s nothing better than using an outdoor clothes line. I’ve had people say “but I like my towels soft.” And really, if soft towels are more important than a livable future, we deserve to be doomed.
7. Don't Shop
Not possible entirely of course, but there are ways to minimize consumption. For clothes, you probably don’t need more, but if you do, check out ThredUp, Poshmark or local thrift stores. You’ll be amazed by the great things you’ll find.
In 2019 I made a new year’s resolution to not buy new clothes, and I made it through that year and have just kept going. I’m not saying I’ll never buy something new, but the fast fashion industry is so wasteful. Let’s keep the circular economy circulating.
There are many other online exchanges for other purchases – Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, Craig’s List, Ebay to name just a few.
8. Be An Activist And Volunteer
Being an activist doesn’t mean you have to hold signs at a protest, but of course that’s an option. Being an activist means speaking up in an effective way. Be proud of what you stand for and let others know. Whether you write to politicians, post on social media, initiate conversations with friends, join environmentally focused groups, it all helps to sway opinions And one must-do: vote on behalf of the environment.
9. Don't Reproduce
The planet doesn’t need more humans. We have far exceeded the carrying capacity.
10. Find Friends Who Share Your Values And Drop Those Who Don’t
It is a true joy to find others who have your same ethos. As a social species we are wired to belong with a group. But if your current tribe doesn’t value the environment, find those who do. You don’t have to cut others out of your life, but prioritize the people who share your values.
“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
— Maya Angelo
There is no one definitive list of how to be a good human, we all will have a carbon footprint and there are many many ways we can all do better. I’m sharing some of things I’ve done, but I know I still have a bigger footprint than many others in the world. I just try to consider the consequences of my actions in everything I do. As Maya Angelo once famously said: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
HAPPY EARTH DAY! Wow! This is a fantastic article and list that points us in the direction of changing the world by one small change at a time. I’m so glad I ignored #9, otherwise we wouldn’t have you! This is quite thought provoking and it makes me proud to know that you care so deeply and are eloquent in stating ideas of how we all can make a difference. Thank you.
Aww, thanks mom!
Hi Ann. I was impressed by all the ideas. I Believe they’re all true. Except for number nine.
❤️You’re my dad so you have to say that…
Thank you for the ideas. Some are easy to implement – I just needed a reminder to be more conscious. Plastics are the worst. I wish we could buy things not wrapped up in huge plastic containers.
We all do need to act now. Mother Earth needs our help and compassion. ❤️
You are so right! And thank you for caring. 🙂