This week was World Environment day, there are many days like this in our year, and truly there needs to be, our earth needs protecting, the governments I feel who have the power do not use it. As individuals, we have little power but together we can help.
I read somewhere it is better millions of us recycle, reuse, avoid plastic, eat less meat and use local produce, imperfectly, rather than just a few doing it perfectly.
Overshoot is another important day, last year it was August 1st, this year it's predicted to be 31st July, so what's another day, that's not the question.
Why do we need the resources of 2.7% earths to sustain us each year.
Last year the UK overshoot day was May 8th.
2019 UK overshoot day May 17th, pleasing improvement.
It is so natural for us to carry shopping bags, and cotton produce bags when we purchase food, this one small thing has stopped the production of millions of single use plastic bags.
I do believe if we all do something, we can make a difference, people power did more quicker regarding the use of plastic drinking straws, so even if you feel your contribution is not enough, just remember the statement I quoted above, which is here again.
It is better millions of us recycle, reuse, avoid plastic, eat less meat and use local produce, imperfectly, rather than just a few doing it perfectly.
I did a post last year here, I am really pleased to know we have made improvements on our list.
I think that most of us are beginning to realise the damage we're doing to the earth and are taking steps to improve in some way but there's a long way to go yet.
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I think you are further along the sustainable-ish route than me - I try! Interesting that the UK overshoot day has improved by over a week. That is presumably a lot of us doing a little bit more, either because legislation has pushed us that way or because information has nudged us that way.
ReplyDeleteIt's not about who is further along the path, it's about us all doing what we feel we can, even the smallest of steps are worth taking.
DeleteI think it falls to all people doing small things that together can make a difference, it's too easy to blame the government when a little education would work better. I've been seeing a lot of things lately about the amount of rubbish in our oceans and the damage it can cause, more things like this popping up would make people stop and think. I think where the government could step in is doing something about the supermarkets using so much packaging, that does really annoy me, and why do magazines have to be in a plastic bag too! I think most people have got used to taking their own bags when they go shopping, i'm sure there are many things that we either wouldn't miss or would get used to. I have to be honest, i'd never heard of Overshoot Day so thanks for sharing this on your blog.
ReplyDeleteWe recycle everything possible. I am happy to say that our black bin rubbish, collected every 2 weeks, is minimal. Most times we do not cover the bottom of the bin. Some of our neighbours fill theirs to overflowing and then ask to put more in our bin. I was in Tesco yesterday and 2 women had cornered the produce manager and were asking him to ezplain why fresh produce was less expensive in prepacked plastic bags than the loose stuff. I hung around and enjoyed watching him squirm, he had no answer that made sense as the prepacked stuff does cost more to produce. If we all do our bit and the Worlds Government did theirs we would not be in such dire straits.
ReplyDeleteWe found the same at our local Co-op, hubby emailed the Head office asking why. I would have loved to see the conversation.
ReplyDeleteI am surprised the day for the USA is not January 2nd, honestly. We used to better at our house, a lot better. I do still take my own bags wherever I shop, feed every single house scrap to the chickens so no food waste, use rags instead of paper towels and some other things. Probably producing as much food as I can here does cut down on the industrial food waste a lot. We used to cloth diaper but no longer as it just wasn't keeping baby butts dry.
ReplyDeleteBut we no longer recycle. There is not pick up where we live; papers/cardboard get taken to one side of town and plastics to another. And glass is not able to be recycled here anymore because there is no longer a market for it (China, as I understand).
The more I think about this the more depressing it is.
No more recycling collections is a sad step backwards, we are lucky our local council is really good at recycling.
DeleteIt's good to keep having these conversations with suggestions and ideas as to 'how to' change, or do things differently. I think people are more challenged to change, if given ideas that can be incorporated easily. Cathy x
ReplyDeleteI remember my son coming home from primary school, he would have been about 7 years old and told his dad that he needed to be using unleaded fuel and recycling lot of things, so we have been doing the best we can for over 27 years. It still amazes me how many are at the supermarket checkout and ask for a bag.
ReplyDelete