Choices

Let's face it - life is overwhelming. In the age of the internet and modern technology, we are being bombarded with more information than ever. A lot of it is contradictory, some of it is just bad, but there's good stuff out there too. This is certainly true for the quickly emerging world of sustainability. Should I choose bamboo floors because they're a rapidly renewable resource, or something else that's harvested and manufactured locally? How worried should I be about global warming? Which one of the fifteen new "green" cleaning products on the shelf is best? Believe it or not, there is no perfect answer to these questions or the countless others that fill our heads each day. More and more people want to live sustainably, but without a clear solution it's easy to understand why we tend to choose to do nothing rather than make positive changes. This is a big problem. In my opinion, the only way humans can get back to a healthy relationship with the planet (and themselves) is through behavior change. But before change can occur, we have to become more aware of the issues so we can make the best decisions for ourselves.

Taking on one more thing in your already busy schedule may seem intimidating, but don't let it be. It's only as hard as you make it seem. You can start by thinking about what's important to you and doing some research - any amount of self-education will help you make informed choices! Then, set a goal and move towards it. Don't feel like you have to do it all at once either. For example, waste reduction is really important to me. I'm an avid recycler and I've become accustomed to bringing my reusable bags to stores. Now I'm ready to do more. I've started buying some food items in bulk to reduce packaging waste, and I'm about to implement a composting system at home. It may take a little bit of time before these steps become routine, but I don't expect them to take away from my quality of life. In fact, it will improve it! Buying in bulk saves money, and composting will give me good soil for my garden. Seems like a win-win for me - but not until I make the change.

What choices will you make to bring you closer to your goals?