It can feel daunting to find ways to love our planet. Hell, it can be confusing and frustrating. You recycle and then learn that a lot of that lovingly sorted paper and plastic ends up with the trash anyway. You buy biodegradable trash bags and then learn that they go into a sealed vault at the landfill where it’s very difficult for them to ever break down. You eat a diet with little meat and then learn of environmental conundrums with the production of your beloved avocados or almonds. You try to drive less, or carpool, or even walk (gasp!), but then have to travel long distances in airplanes for work.
At minimum, it’s easy to question whether our well-intentioned choices ever really make a difference. At worst, we can be made to feel guilty and hypocritical for not practicing what we preach at all times and in all situations.
I experience all of these things, feel all of these things.
And yet, I still think it’s worth it to make the effort. Clean air and clean water are vital. We literally can’t live without them. So, let’s continue to look for ways to love our planet, whether through small actions or with big changes, focusing on what is within our control. It doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing. *It doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing.* You can cut back on meat without going vegan. You can reduce your paper use without ditching your printer. You can compost your kitchen scraps without bringing a worm farm into your home.
I think of it more like a dimmer switch than an “on-off” proposition. Make one sustainable choice, and when that becomes habit, turn the dial just a little. What’s the next step I can take? Maybe a little less consuming, maybe a little less waste, maybe a little less plastic. And maybe just a little more getting outside to look at the flowers, walk the trails, breathe the air.
It’s a beautiful world we’ve got. Happy Earth Day 🌏
