“Climate Change,” “Global Warming,” “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” “Fossil Fuels,” “Desertification.” We have all heard at least some of these, and, if you are like many good people out there, you want to do something. However, the sheer magnitude of these issues are overwhelming, and just figuring out where we can make a difference is even worse.
However, a few small steps become major change if everybody takes even just one each. Here are a few ideas. Here in Vermont most stores are really good about asking if shoppers brought their own reusable bags — and they usually offer cheap, reusable bags right at the checkout. If everyone invested just $10 to buy 10 of these reusable bags for their own use, we could virtually eliminate plastic bag usage in Vermont and, hopefully, the nation and the world.
It takes almost no effort at all to bring your own bags with you, and they — unlike flimsy single-use plastic bags — won’t rip as you are walking to your car or your house, thus depositing your new purchases in the snow and mud. Now, truth be told, those bags are ugly. However, if you go to any of countless websites, you can invest in custom bags that have your own artwork, photos, or other graphics on them. You can show your individuality at the same time as saving the planet. Imagine that. You can even buy reusable mesh bags for produce so you won’t have to use those horrible, flimsy, single-use, plastic produce bags. They are less than $1/each on Amazon.
With that idea in the bag, let’s turn to straws. Yes, those straws, and that “annoying” fight. You can now buy your own silicone or stainless steel straws to take with you. You don’t need a flimsy, single-use, plastic straw if you have your own, nice, reusable one to whip out. I have stainless ones, and, yes, they are odd at first, but they are dishwasher safe and can be used and reused indefinitely. They don’t cost much at all, and the silicone ones come in any number of fashionable colors. Get on this — it does matter.
Finally, looking just a bit bigger. Let’s look at solar. Driving around the state, I noticed that a lot of folks have started adding solar to their houses.
Bravo!
Converting to solar and getting our homes away from fossil fuels is a wonderful step forward. Now, for those who have solar (including me), let’s give back a bit to help others, too. Vermont only lets us carry our unused solar credits for one year before they expire. If you have credits that are set to expire, consider donating them to your local public school, to a local low-income family, or something to that effect. Don’t just let them expire, pay them forward to ensure that your solar shines as far as possible.
Even a few small steps can be a huge movement in the right direction if enough people take them. Vermont has over 600,000 residents, which can equal quite a large, grassroots, hometown movement in the right direction. Take these steps, and encourage your friends, family, and neighbors to do the same. You never know, maybe you will be the one who starts the movement that saves the world for generations to come.
Matt Williams
New Haven