At tentree, we believe that every big change starts with a series of tiny acts, and that the most impactful change starts with you. Each of those environmental acts add up. We want to make environmentalism as accessible as possible by offering small ways to make a big, collective, positive impact. Things like offering sustainable apparel that plants trees for every item, celebrating the small acts of environmentalism we each do in our day-to-day lives, and creating a judgement-free space for aspiring environmentalists.
Saving the planet is hard. It’s not always easy to figure out where we fit into the environmental movement. Sometimes, we feel shamed into feeling that living sustainably is an “all or nothing choice.” You either are or you aren’t. But ‘environmentalist’ isn’t a badge that’s taken away if you drive a short distance instead of walking one time, or forget your reusable grocery bags once. When we fall short, we shouldn’t leave the fight!
Here’s the reality: most of us aren’t hardcore environmentalist. We believe our planet deserves better, but we’re also complex, fallible people with busy lives.
You bike to work…when it’s not raining. You put your recycling in the bin…when there’s a bin around. You have a fancy reusable water bottle…but you still sometimes buy plastic ones. You bring your own grocery bags to the store…when you remember them.
But that’s okay, because even if you don’t get it right all the time, you get it right some of the time, and that is something to celebrate. We made this mess one little thing at a time, and that’s exactly how we’re going to fix it. And the little things, like buying an item that plants ten trees, adds up.
Especially when millions of other people do it too.
Big change starts small. Here are some ways you can get started on your environmental-ish journey.
Start thinking green
When it comes to going green, there’s a lot of low-hanging fruit that can be picked. There are lots of little things you can do to get started on your green journey, from taking a shorter shower to planting a tree in your yard. Get started with our going green primer. Read more: 11 easy ways to go green.
Your ultimate guide to plastic free living
Plastic was first invented in 1907, and since then, it has invaded almost every aspect of our lives. Plastic is cheap and durable, but it’s also harmful to the environment and sometimes deadly to wildlife when disposed of improperly. Options for recycling plastic are readily available, but plastic can only be recycled so many times before the material is too broken down to be made into a new product.
But there’s good news: we can each take action to reduce and eliminate the amount of plastic, particularly single-use plastic, in our lives.
Read more: Your ultimate guide to plastic free living.
Going zero waste
When we think about zero waste living, a quote comes to mind.
We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly. – Anne-Marie Bonneau
Sometimes when trying to learn how to be more environmentally conscious, we feel pressured to get it right 100% of the time. But small, individual acts undertaken by millions of imperfect people has a huge impact.
Going zero waste, or getting as close to it as possible, has become a hot topic for people concerned with just how much the environment is suffering at the hands of the demands of the consumer. Getting to a zero waste lifestyle doesn’t have to be extreme, and the people who have the most success with it take it one step at a time.
Read more: 5 easy ways to get closer to zero waste
Green your transportation
In the United States, transportation accounts for the single largest source of carbon emissions each year. Fortunately, many cities have developed low-carbon transit infrastructure to help you get from point A to point B emitting few or no carbon emissions. One of the greenest ways to travel is by bicycle.
Biking to work in particular has both health and environmental benefits. Read more: Why you should bike to work.
Be energy efficient
Low-carbon energy, like solar and wind, is definitely catching on around the world. But much of our electricity is still generated by carbon-emitting sources like natural gas and coal. Reducing your energy footprint can have a hugely positive impact on the planet. If you use less energy, fewer greenhouse gases are emitted and there is less pressure to extract coal and natural gas from the ground.
