It’s the little things…
Sometimes, if someone says the words ‘Climate Crisis’ to me I break out in a cold sweat, heart palpitations, my mind shuts down as I can’t comprehend the enormity of the situation. Anyone else?
Yes, this still happens from time to time, but after a lot of thinking, a lot of praying, and a lot of lamenting I have come to the conclusion that if I can do my bit for the environment where and when I can, then that is ok.
And…breath out!
It’s very releasing to know that even the little things make a big difference! There is definitely a place for the big things as well, but in our day-to-day lives how can we do something to help the current crisis?
Here are a few things that I have tried that are easy and even quite exciting!
Olio
Olio is an app that works alongside local communities, shops and supermarkets to save good quality food going to landfills. The idea is you list unwanted food items (maybe you aren’t so keen on that new cereal you thought you’d try or maybe you had a baking spree and will never get through the mountains of cake you’ve produced!), someone in your local area can see what you have put up, request the item and they come and collect it. Easy! You can also volunteer to be a food waste hero, where you collect food from well-known shops and supermarkets. The food is often coming up to its best before date and can not be put on the shelves, but still perfectly edible! In my time as a food waste hero, I collected many loaves of bread, pastries, fruit, and veg and was so surprised at the amount that could have been thrown out. Using Olio is a lot
of fun, you get (free!) food, know that you have saved that item from landfill/being wasted, and you get to meet some lovely neighbors as you go and pick up your food.
Writing letters
As I’m doing my weekly shop, I often wonder where the products I’m buying have come from or why that one pepper is unnecessarily wrapped in plastic. Instead of wondering, I thought I would ask!
Writing letters/emails to supermarkets or restaurants is very easy and gives you quick answers and can often bring about a big change! The emails don’t have to be eloquently worded with a big backed-up argument. I usually go along the lines of ‘Dear……As a customer who is concerned about the current climate crisis I was wondering…..’
I’ve had some lovely and informative email exchanges with supermarkets!
You can also write to your local MP about issues in your area that you are concerned about or things you are doing within your church/group/school that you think they would like to know about. We recently took part in Christian Aid’s campaign and made recycled paper boats to send to COP26. One of these boats made its way to our local MP, along with a letter explaining what we were doing, why, and asking what he was going to do locally about the climate crisis. If you are feeling brave you can even ask to go and have a chat with them!
Think local
There are many groups and charities out there that are already doing some amazing stuff to help the environment. Have a quick google of your local area to see what you can find.
We have a local Zero Carbon group in our town that runs regular events. They run community events, book clubs, town-wide school initiatives, and volunteering events, all of which are aimed to inform and help our town become more eco-friendly.
There is an incredible local charity near us that is rewilding some open space. They also run volunteering events to plant trees, build ponds and help with the upkeep of the spaces they have created. We love to get our kids involved in a bit of tree planting too, something for the whole family!
Getting involved in something that is already established is a great place to start in your eco journey!
Why don’t you try giving one of these things a go? They may seem small and won’t make an awful lot of difference, but if we all write a letter asking why that pepper is wrapped in plastic, then maybe someone will start to take notice. Little things can make a big difference!
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