Gandhi said in a gentle way you can shake the world and I feel it is so true, so I have listed 5 small things you can do that can change our society, and our environment. There are so many other things we can do to make a positive impact, to help our environment, and Iv even managed not to mention becoming vegan!!! 🤗
1) Stop using Palo Santo.
I know this will come as a big blow to a lot of people, you would rather I told you to go vegan!
Palo Santo is the wood from a sacred south American tree. The wood is used as incense to cleanse a space and make it sacred. It is used in Dublin mainly by yoga teachers and healers (including myself) to attract good energy into a room. Wouldn't there be a better energy if we had a healthier planet??
The Palo Santo tree is now endangered due to demand from us! Lets look for alternatives that don't need to be taken from endangered forests or flown half way across the world. Why not grow your own sage or lavender and dry it out to burn it?
.
2) Eat local and seasonal.
This is also much better for your digestive system as for food is fresher. However this one is proving incredibly difficult for me to get the hang of. Supermarkets sell potatoes from Israel, and raspberry's from Morocco its quite difficult to find Irish fruit and veg in a supermarket. (produced in Ireland, does not mean Irish grown)
I have began to shop more at local markets, St. Anne's in Clontarf has a very good one on a Saturday. There is also the allotments in Malahide which you can buy veg from or maybe even grow your own!
Check out this chart to see what fruit and veg are in season.
.
3) Fix it, don’t throw it.
Repairing or fixing something is more environmentally friendly than simply throwing things away, although the latter may seem easier and cheaper sometimes. When a household item stops working it can be as simple as changing the fuse. Youtube has all you need to know if something can easily be repaired. If it cant be fixed why not get creative and upcycle it into something else.
.
4) Plant wild flowers.
Native wild flowers are very important for our eco system, they help the bees to survive and thrive because they are the world’s most important pollinator of food crops. It is estimated that one third of the food that we consume each day relies on pollination mainly by bees, but also by other insects and birds. These important beings can survive best with native wildflowers not manicured gardens with exotic plants! This is a great podcast by Blindboy explaining why wildflowers are so important and how we can do more.
.
5) Shop second hand.
First of all let me say that most things bought in a second hand shop are brand new or almost new! If you have a pre conception that second hand shops are full of smelly old cloths think again! These shops are filled with cloths that were bought because we live in a world where consumerism has got out of hand. People buy cloths and never even ware them, then every few months they need to change their wardrobe because its not 'in fashion" anymore. In the past 2 years I have bought about 80% of my cloths in second hand shops, iv got designer lables for €5, brand new coats and shoes. Here is a list of Irelands top 10 second had shops.
The fashion industry has an appalling records when it comes to the environment.
Here are some of the facts.
* Second to oil, the clothing and textile industry is the largest polluter in the world.
*A few communities have textile recycling programs, about 85% of this waste goes to landfills where it occupies about 5% of landfill space and the amount is growing. Up to 95% of the textiles that are land filled each year could be recycled.
* Over 70% of the world’s population use second hand clothes.
* Consumers in the United Kingdom have an estimated $46.7 billion worth of unworn clothes in their closets.
I just hope this blog makes you stop for a moment and assess what small changes you can make in your life.
Let me know if you incorporate any of these or if you have your own.