I went to school with Sam Williams for almost a decade, and the strongest memory I have of him is when we were in Germany, walking along the river, watching the otters swim lazily into the sunset. We were trying to avoid drinking with all of the other kids, and he casually says, "You know, we could try to save the world all we want, but there are large cargo ships that use up our annual carbon footprint in one trip?"
"Yea." I murmured even though it was my first time hearing that. I was just 17 and had many bright ideas about becoming a textile engineer who would make that sustainable fiber that would save the world, but something about Sam's words stayed with me for years. They would resurface whenever I would feel disheartened by a highway full of trash or a recycling bin filled with styrofoam. It felt like nothing I did would make a difference in the bigger picture. Animals were still going extinct, and forests were still being cut down even though I tried my hardest to carpool and use public transportation.
For five long years, I let Sam Williams' words haunt me any time I had to drink bottled water to avoid starvation or fell victim to Victoria's Secret 10/$32 sale. Was I just a terrible person whenever I wasn't living sustainably? Was there even a point in me taking green steps when global corporations use smaller nations as their landfills? But to quote Shakespeare,
"Through this madness, there be method in it."
I know I'm not the only one who feels overwhelmed by the way the large companies fail to act to save the environment. We can't even think of a world where clothing companies simply stop making clothes and just sell what they have. We need every single fruit and vegetable year-round and can't think of a day where the majority of our food comes from our state or even our own country. So what's the point in trying to make things a little better? I'll tell you.
Fewer Trips to the Dumpster
When I was little, I was afraid to take out the garbage at night because I didn't know what was out there. I once saw one of my neighbors pull a gun out on someone in broad daylight while I was taking out the trash, and I couldn't run in the house fast enough. Now that I live in an apartment, I have a further walk to the dumpster, which is often overflowing and the home to rats and cats galore, but the thing about it is that I hardly have to make that trip anymore. I don't use disposable plates and utensils, and I compost most of my food waste on my balcony, so the only thing I throw away is product packaging. Because I usually put my produce in my own bags and avoid single-serve containers, my garbage can takes a long time to fill up.
Fewer Trips to the Recycling Bin as well!
I know that it seems like I would want to go to the recycling bin more often since I don't like to throw things away, but that is a journey for me as well. My apartment complex doesn't recycle any more thanks to the terrible habits of my neighbors, so I have to take my recycling to my job, but because I reuse a lot of packaging for Tupperware or art, I don't have a full recycling bin every day. My BRITA water filter cuts down on my need for plastic bottles, so I don't have to worry about buying a case of water and recycling the case as well as the packaging.
Folks Love the Gifts that I give!
I love to give gifts, but I refuse to give just to give because I don't have unlimited income. However, I have money to give what I want because I have saved so much by shopping consciously. I reuse nice shopping bags as gift bags, and I use this is an opportunity to introduce my friends and family to sustainable products. I may gift my candle loving friend a beeswax or soy candle, so they can enjoy candles that have long burns and won't pollute the air. Instead of buying lotion bundles from Bath and Body Works, I find Black women who sell whipped shea butter and sugar scrubs, which really helps my friends with sensitive skin. I even know women who sell loose-leaf teas, so my friends won't have to worry about discarding every individual tea bag. Although some of the smaller businesses I support still use plastic packaging, I'm buying products that don't have harmful chemicals and my dollars are helping sustain families and not corporations.
Everything lasts longer!
And by everything, I mean Everything! Imagine not needing an oil change because you've hardly driven your car. Now think about other things that are mileage based such as tires, brakes, and tune-ups. Although oil changes and even tire changes are also time based, you can stretch out the life of your tires by not driving as much. During pollen seasons, my cars tend to have a layer of pollen because of how little I drove them. I even made it into a game for myself to see how long I could go without driving. Even when I had to go places, I grouped my trips together and planned out my errands, so I wouldn't waste gas driving back and forth across town. I am currently on week 3 since I filled up my tank with still a little over half a tank left because I run errands after work and stay home on my off days.
More things that have laster longer has been fresh produce from local farms. When I had a farm share, I was enjoying strawberries for the entire week without worrying about them going to waste. I have also been able to keep thrifted clothes vibrant and well-fitted for years because I wash my clothes in cold water and avoid fabric softeners and dryer sheets. My clothes thank me and so does my energy bill because I don't waste energy heating up the water when the bacteria is actually killed in the dryer even on low heat. I hang dry my bras and other delicate garments which keeps the colors bold.
I've Built Relationships with Businesses
I loved my farm share in Athens because I got a chance to meet the farmers at the Farmers' Market on Saturdays. One of my favorite body care sellers once gave me a tour of her factory and garden where she grew loofahs and other herbs for her amazing concoctions. (Check her out at www.chalises.com) Something about having that connection with the product and the maker really makes my purchases feel special. I can see who I'm impacting when I spend my money.
When I look back on all of the ways I've made an impact by living more sustainably, I feel happier. Our small actions aren't what will save the world, but even the ripples in the water may eventually turn into waves. We must not beat ourselves up because we aren't making the change our planet needs. However, we vote with our actions and dollars. Companies are paying attention to trends where consumers are spending less on plastic bottles and more on water filters. Our clothes are starting to be made from recycled plastic bottles harvested from the ocean because we voiced our concern for ocean plastic and fast fashion, and even those materials have their own issues with them. It's still up to us to keep working towards a sustainable future.
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