Whys and wherefores of a walk towards sustainability : what I wish I had known when entering the green shift.

Change Starts With Us.

So this is it. Reality kicked in, we heard the news, read the reports. It became very clear that something has to happen to make our planet happier. We realized that no matter how humble our actions might be, a single drop will eventually turn into a wave. And we know that change starts with each and everyone of us.

So, empowered to embrace the green movement we decided to make some improvements in our daily lives. But, picturing ourselves walking towards a more sustainable future, some of us might be confronted with a simple reality : we know what we are aiming for, we know why we are doing it, but what is the best way to begin ? How can I start entering the green shift, entering MY green shift ? I mean, should we simply start over ? Discard our stash of plastic straws and order a new set of reusable bamboo ones online for replacement ? Hmmm… Maybe not. Going green is a process rather than an impulse. Stepping into a more sustainable lifestyle requires time as well as taking into account various factors.

Understanding The Journey Of Things.

In Understanding The Journey Of Things, we lay out what lies beneath the items commonly found in our surroundings. We look into why it is important to see things in the big picture rather than just considering the physical component we hold in our hands.

So the plastic straws are now resolutely unwelcome in our kitchen. But unless their bamboo counterparts can be sourced locally and handmade in our area (unlikely for us Nova Scotians, given their exotic nature), simply ordering new straws to replace ours will generate once again a huge additional carbon footprint and expectedly not outweigh the benefits of getting rid of the plastic kind.

Just think about it. Was the bamboo sourced grown sustainably ? Were the raw product wastes properly processed ? How was the raw material transported to the manufacturing facility ? What was the carbon footprint generated throughout the process ? How much energy was used to transform the bamboo into the desired product ? How much waste was generated at the plant ? By what method was it treated ? How was the final product packed ? How eco-friendly were the packing materials and their associated wastes ? By what means were the straws shipped? What was the carbon footprint associated ?

Now, we already have our disposable plastic straws on hand. They are here and do not require additional energy usage or generate more waste to serve their purpose. So a good rule of thumb in those circumstances is to keep using them until they no longer can be. And then recycle them at the local recycling facility.

Other Alternatives.

But if the very thought of using plastic is making us cringe now that we have set our mind on the importance of a greener lifestyle, we can decide, for example, to donate those straws to a second-hand store, if they are worthwhile. A sealed box of fancy-looking straws can make someone else quite happy for a special occasion. And from the buyer standpoint, getting them from a second-hand marketplace would definitely be a much better alternative—ecologically speaking—than purchasing them new from a department store, as we addressed in New or used, my two cents.

We can also decide to repurpose the straws to extend their life. Make them a little more useful or counter their un-ecological nature. We should bear in mind, however, that tweaking everyday items in an attempt of “upcycling” might actually have the reverse effect than the well intended primary idea. The final product may or may not be fit for proper recycling at the end of its useful life and therefore it might worsen the problem rather than alleviate it.

Finally, we can simply send the said straws directly to the recycling bin knowing that, not only they required an unsustainable amount of energy to make it all the way into our walls, but they will need that much more resources to be processed at our local recycling facility, all in vain. So in concrete terms, what does this mean ?

Shifting Our Mindset.

Well Rome was not done in one day and neither should our green shift be. When entering the green shift, any decision we make will have an impact somehow, no matter what we decide. It is up to us to weigh the pros and cons in each situation.

Eventually those plastic straws should be leaving our kitchen cupboards. And this should set an example and influence our further choices when it comes to what we decide to bring home when replacing everyday items. Acquiring a substitute should always follow the same process of considering what resources were involved in bringing it to us. And what impacts it will have once its useful life is over.

Whenever we need to purchase something new, a good place to start is by shopping local and selecting locally made and/or sourced products, as there is a great variety of stores offering a wide selection of sustainable choices in our province. We should look for quality items, that will last a long long time before getting unusable. We should also make a point to look for repairability. Repairing what we already have usually is the most eco-friendly solution as we keep using our own belongings while generating the lesser carbon footprint.

Do your homework, build a solid network of providers and find good suppliers. You may even find local makers that will actually have an exchange program where, when the article gets out of commission, they will take it back and replace it with a new one. Some artisans have the ability to recycle their own products and turn them into new ones. Full circle with no waste generated : a win-win.

Be Mindful.

Keep in mind that changing our habits also holds a deep human component which relies on not judging others if they are not ready to take the plunge. All comes in its own time, and if some changes are not meant to happen, well, they won’t. And that’s fine. Acceptance is primordial when embarking on this journey and not all of us are equal when it comes to processing information and handling changes.

We all have our very own priorities and what matters to us might be irrelevant to others. But the important part is to gain awareness on the challenges affecting the health of our planet and understanding what we can do, even at a small scale, to improve it.

Patience And Acceptance.

Finally, just like any changes we decide to introduce in life, ecological choices have to be realistic. Entering the green shift has to make sense. If we try too hard to force something unnatural (no pun intended) into our well-oiled routine, the integration is aimed to fail. If we plan to ban toilet paper in favor of the washable fabric version—but never were able to handle the cloth diapers when our children were toddlers—well this is likely not going to be working for us in the long term. And it is ok.

Will our planet feel worst because our household is still using disposable makeup rounds ? Remember that all is relative : we are still fighting to stop our leading industries from dumping their toxic wastes into our precious waters from coast to coast to coast, and this has a much greater ecological impact than our humble decision regarding which personal care items we should pick… But will our planet feel better when we introduce a new green habit into our routine ? Absolutely. So give yourself the chance to make a difference and let’s make that first step towards a more sustainable future.