Climate Action Challenge: Green gratitude
We’re pretty lucky to live in a place as awesome as Canada. Despite the many challenges and differences of opinion we have, we manage to get along pretty well together as a society. Most of us have everything we need. And yet, many of us are stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed. There’s a theory about this. That when you have too many options, it creates stress (consider how long it can take to choose something to watch. That becomes a show in itself).
When you have too much stuff, it builds anxiety out of a fear of losing it all. So, this month, we’re going to pare down. Cleanse. Purge. Eliminate excess. And then we’re going to look at ways we can avoid weighing ourselves down (figuratively and literally) with extra things we simply don’t need.
We’re going to look at wasteful habits, not just for things, but for time, for squandering opportunities. Places we do things automatically out of habit, without even thinking about the implications. We’re going to save energy. Our own, as well as the planet’s. And we’re going to feel lighter and more in control in the process.
Oct. 7: Go screenless for one evening: no TV, no computer, no devices, no checking email or texts. Turn on your “do not disturb.” Connect with your friends and family instead. If you’re just too tired to have a meaningful family fun night, have a reading night. You don’t have to talk, but you can still be together in the same room, with a good book. You may even realize how draining it can be to just watch TV, or surf the net. With your devices turned off, you’ll be doing the planet a favour, and building relationships with people you care about. As nights get colder and darker, practise the Danish custom of Hygge, which just means finding something special, cozy or comforting about a moment, whether alone, or with others. Think candles, fireplaces, warm blankets, cozy socks. You’ll probably find you are ready for bed earlier, and you sleep better without all that blue light interrupting your circadian rhythm.
If you find this challenge almost impossible, consider how much of your life energy is wasted on screens. How much frustration you get from reading those screens. How much disruption you experience from beeps and dings, which hijack you in the middle of what you’re doing. How much of your personal “down time” is spent working, when you’re not at work. Then take a breath, and turn the thing off. We’ve only had smart phones for about 10 years. You survived without it before. You can do it for one night.
Thanksgiving week: Try and create zero food waste this week. Make stew or soup, or freeze leftovers. Buy less. Don’t make more than you know you’ll need to reasonably feed people. Being thankful for the bounty of food we’re blessed with is why the tradition began. When putting away all those leftovers, consider that so much of what we grow and buy ends up in the landfill. Billions of dollars and billions of kilograms of food are wasted annually, while many Canadian families are food insecure. That means all the energy used to produce, process and ship that food is wasted too. It’s not enough that we recycle or compost. We have to stop producing so much waste in the first place.
Oct. 21: Switch your money to a fossil free bank over the next several months. Look into switching (Good); begin by opening an account at a fossil free institution (Better); Go all in and start the switch (Best), Send a letter to your old fossil fuel-invested bank to tell them why you left (Above and Beyond). Why? Because banks haven’t gotten the message yet that we mean business on climate action. Most of the Canadian banks and investment companies are still betting big on fossil fuel. It’s us who fund the banks. So it’s up to us to make sure they’re living up to our expectations. Take a good look at who you’re invested with, and what they’re investing your money in. Then, if you don’t like what you see, switch to a greener alternative. Talk to your investment advisor, or your pension fund manager, to make sure your investments reflect your own values. Here’s how to start.
Oct. 28: Get familiar with sites that sell, or give away new and used items. Freecycle.org, Facebook marketplace, Kijji. If you’re looking for something new, try there first. One person’s junk is another’s treasure. If you have stuff to get rid of, list it, before you toss it. Look for donation sites as well. But bigger than that, avoid purchasing more than you need in the first place.
Thanksgiving isn’t just a holiday. It’s a mindset. Being grateful, connecting with family and friends, acknowledging how lucky you are, helping those who aren’t as lucky. Those are all common threads of what it means to live sustainably.
52 Weeks of Climate Action was created by Sherri Jackson and Laurel Hood. Visit the blog or sign up at www.52weeksofclimateaction.com.
