How Your Daily Life Can Change The World
Do you go to the grocery store? The bank? Pay your bills online? Take public transportation? If so, you're living your life in a way that's changing the world.
This blog post will show you how every day tasks and activities are making the world a better place. You'll learn how small changes can turn into big impacts and bigger changes. As well as what you can do today to help the world become a more sustainable place.
What's the world's biggest problems?
Over the past few years, it's been obvious that a lot of our earth's resources are being used faster than they're being renewed. This means that we're using some of the most important things on this planet faster than they can be renewed. We don't have many options to deal with this problem.
The three biggest problems are: getting enough food, making sure everyone has access to good energy and water, and protecting the environment for future generations.
What are the causes of these problems?
Many things that aren't contributing to these problems directly, but are linked to them: human population growth, deforestation, poaching and over-fishing for seafood. These are all directly linked to these three big problems.
There are also many things that we can do to make a difference. The main actions you can take as a single person or as part of a group of people is reducing your own personal footprint on the world (using less resources) and corporate footprint (using less resources from companies you do business with). The third option is becoming a good steward of our planet. You can learn more about these options in "Why Sustainability Matters" part 2.
How is your daily life affecting the world?
If you are doing anything you can do to help the world, your everyday activities are already making a difference. In this blog post I'll show you how small changes can turn into big impacts and bigger changes in the world.
What is sustainability?
Sustainability is about how best to use resources so that they can be renewed. It's about being sustainable. It's also about being fair, safe and healthy for humans and nature. Not using more than we need just for our own needs, for things that are not related to human well-being, or not treating people or nature poorly without good reason (like abusing resources).
Another definition of sustainability is "all the processes and products that exist today – together, over a very long period of time – that are capable of sustaining human life in a healthy, safe, productive and prosperous state." This means that all living things and the air must be healthy and safe. But also that humans have the opportunity to have high quality lives, in which they can improve their lives in many ways. For example, having enough food and water.
What daily activities are making a difference?
In this blog post I'll show you some everyday tasks that usually don't seem like they're making any impact at all (or if they do it's not obvious). And I'll show you how small changes can turn into bigger impacts and bigger changes in the world.
1. Going to the grocery store or other store
This is one of the most important tasks you do every day. How can you do this task that's changing the world?
You don't have to change anything about going to a grocery store. Why not? Because you can make small changes so that it doesn't take a lot out of your energy and time. Plus, there are good steps you can take now so that it's easier and more enjoyable in future. Here are details on how to make small changes at the grocery store. With these changes, it becomes easier to buy less food and reduce your household waste.
This task is also important because it cuts down on how much food is wasted. We waste at least 1/3 of all food produced in the world. And in the US we waste about 50% of the food that's grown or produced. This means we throw out a lot at the grocery store and that most people eat too many calories. When you buy less and reduce your household waste, you can change this problem from its root by reducing personal food waste.
2. Paying bills with plastic
This is another one of the most important tasks you do every day. How can you do this task that's changing the world?
Even if you use paper checks and write your own letters, plastic is still filling up our landfills, rivers and oceans. Why use plastic and not something else? Because plastic is cheap. Think about that for a minute: it's cheaper to spend a little more time writing checks and order envelopes (more durable) than use plastic (fragile). And with paper checks, you have the option to write in less details so you don't waste any of your energy or money. You can even use old stamps to send them.
This daily task is also an important source of oil products. One type of plastic, polystyrene, is often made from petroleum and other oil products. It's one of the most common types of solid waste found in the environment (along with other oil-based solid trash like plastic bags). Over time this type of plastic breaks down into smaller pieces that are increasingly hard to clean up. Small changes you can make include not using any plastic at all, or reusing it many times instead of throwing it away afterwards.
3. Sending bills online
This is another one of the most important tasks you do every day. How can you do this task that's changing the world?
When you send bills online instead of having to go to the mailbox, you're saving paper, gas, and time. It's also usually safer than sending a piece of paper in the mail. When you send them online, your bills are digitally secure so they can't be lost or stolen. Your time is saved by not having to drive there and pick up a check or envelope. And when driving to your mailbox isn't feasible, it cuts down on greenhouse gas emissions due to car pollution (caused by tailpipe emissions).
And regarding security, this means that anyone at any time in the world can read them. You're saving money by reducing postage costs.
Conclusion
These three daily tasks are linked in many ways. Even though we often don't notice, every day we make several small changes that can add up to something big down the line (like the savings mentioned above).
Do you want to do something that's changing the world? Here is a list of actions you can take as a single person or as part of a group of people:
Reducing your own personal footprint on the world (less resources used)
Being a good steward of our planet. You can learn more about this option in "Why Sustainability Matters" part 2.
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