The Power of Simple Habits

Anyone who has read my writings knows that I think our best hope for saving the natural world lies in changing our consumption patterns. It is our collective eating, getting about, and running our homes which account for 70-80 percent of the loss of most of our natural resources including the loss of forests and clean water. But rather than that responsibility being a weight, I see it as a relief.

For years I wrestled with how to be an effective activist - oscillating between doing global scale research on the carbon cycle to local litter picks, and many scales in between. But when I began doing research for my book, I came to realize that the key lever in how we can preserve the natural world is through our own purchasing. There were a number of lines of reasoning that led me to this conclusion, but foremost was a batch of comprehensive studies that conclude that eco-depletion is occurring because of household consumption patterns. And we can change that. What’s more, our actions have impacts far beyond our own consumption of natural resources. Our purchasing choices influence manufacturers, businesses, policy writers, our communities, and our closest friends. As I’ve said before, our droplet of impact can be either toxic or life-sustaining. Likewise, the ripples that roll outward from our actions can be imbued with poison or with life.

It may seem daunting to adopt eco-conscious living en masse. Perhaps it feels like a burden. Or maybe you see it as expensive, financially and/or time-wise. Maybe it feels like too big a mountain to climb. If any of those hindrances obstruct your path to living within nature’s means, I urge you to start with a simple change. It could be one you’ve been thinking of for a while. It’s also helpful to adopt a habit which will make us feel better - like a regular nature walk or photographing the same tree every day, even committing to eating more fruit, in season, local and organic, of course.

On a personal level, making seemingly small changes to our consumer habits can have profound impacts. Take for instance bringing our own bags to the grocery store rather than relying on the single-use plastic bags provided at the grocery store. When we start our grocery shop with our reusable bags in hand, we remind ourselves that we are stewards of nature and that our choices make a difference. We should feel good that we are making a difference. Go us! Our reusable bag choice may even lead us to identify with being eco-conscious. As we go around the grocery store making our food choices, this subtle shift in self-perception can make a substantial impact on which products we buy.

Beyond ourselves, maybe a friend will see us with our reusable bags and be encouraged to bring their own next time. Or perhaps someone else will note your choice, feel good that you share this value with them, and be fortified in other eco-conscious choices. The grocery store will certainly notice as you and fellow customers use fewer bags and may start to offer more eco-friendly options in their store. And of course, you’re contributing to less plastic being needed by the grocery store. As you may well know a ridiculous amount of single-use plastic ends up as litter, which makes its way to the ocean, even from landlocked states. In fact, so much plastic makes its way to the ocean every year that if trends continue, the ocean will have more plastic in it by 2050, by weight, than fish.

One of the broadest reaching of eco-conscious habits is walking. Going for a walk is good for our mental and physical health, which in turn is good for our pocketbook. Being healthy also reduces the number of medicines and health care we need. Walking can strengthen our communities as we see neighbors and friends and say hi, spot a notice for an event, or simply revel in the beauty of our neighborhood. Walking can be exercise, a hobby, something to do with a friend, a way to shop, or a way to commute. Such a simple thing to do, such a profound impact.

The most powerful of eco-conscious habits, like walking, have positive benefits in a myriad of sectors. And the new habits which give us positive feedback are the most likely to make us want to do more. Other multi-benefit eco-habits include reducing our meat and dairy consumption, menu planning, or working from home. But that’s not to say each of us will want to take on one of these powerhouses. Less far-reaching habitual changes can be even more empowering in terms of our self-image as empowered eco-guardians.

I had an eco-empowerment experience when I gave up buying drinks in plastic bottles. It was difficult for me to commit to not buying bottled water, juices, or soft drinks. I liked the big 16-ounce plastic bottles, especially in summer. And I tried a number of times to stop buying them, but kept slipping back and then buying them daily again. I finally made a break with that habit about 5 years ago and I am now freed from plastic bottle guilt. What’s more, I can’t for the life of me imagine why I thought giving up plastic drink bottles was a burden. Habits are like that. Once we get used to them, and that doesn’t take very long at all, they are the new normal. Our actions show where our hearts lie, and we know this. That’s why I felt guilty about buying plastic bottles.

Perhaps you’d like to join me in trying to establish a new habit this week. Or maybe some of us will commit to a habit habit, a habit of making a new eco-habit regularly. That’d be a lot of consumer change if each person who reads this newsletter did that. I am going to try to do that every month, for the next year. Ut oh, I’ve said it out loud. Let me know if you want to try this with me theprulife@yahoo.com or leave a comment below.

Here are some ideas for trying out a new-eco habit:

• Have daily / weekly / all vegetarian meals.

• Menu plan before your grocery shop to reduce food waste and processed food purchases.

• Learn about sell-by dates for food.

• Sign up for a veg or fruit box from a local farmer.

• Adopt a daily (local, organic, in-season) fruit habit

• Give up plastic drink bottles.

• Start a compost pile.

• Start a leaf pile.

• Take a regular walk.

• Change your electricity supplier to a renewable energy company.

• Learn about reducing your lawn area and lawn pesticide/fertilizer applications.

• Clean and oil some of your tools.

• Fix a broken thing you have.

• Learn about the recycling rules in your community.

• Learn about renting tools for big, upcoming jobs.

• Install a clothesline and dry your clothes there.

• Bake cookies and share them, preferably with me.