How to make environmentalism your own

The message of environmentalism is one that is, at best, controversial in the United States. You will find times it can be very tough for making a decision on exactly how environmentally friendly you want to be. The options seem almost endless at times. If you really want to be "environmentally friendly" the first thing to do is stop beating yourself up. Choose one thing, and make small changes.

The problem with environmentalism

Environmentalism as a modern movement has been around since about the 1970s and 1980s. That is when the call to "save the planet" started getting very loud. Many beginning saying recycling was needed while others protested by chaining themselves to trees. Earth Day began to be celebrated. Somewhere within the last four decades, though, the message has gone from "reduce, reuse, recycle" to a laundry list nobody can keep track of.

Why it won't work to change everything

It can be really hard to "be environmentally friendly." This is because it's really hard to change everything. With so numerous things to do - sort garbage, use reusable bags, drive less, use cloth diapers, cut smog and a million other things -- it just feels like too much. Much like creating and sticking to a budget, you will find so numerous moving parts it is easier to just not do anything. This decision paralysis is what stands within the way of the changes that need to be made.

Simply do one thing to begin with

With so many things to do and so much to change, it feels easier to just not do anything. The thing is, though, even the smallest changes, on a large scale, can have a huge impact. Rather than trying to change anything to make an impact, change one thing at this time. It takes only two weeks to develop a habit, but only give yourself a new, small task once every two months. The simplest thing for you to change is what you should start with. Use a reusable coffee mug for your latte one morning. Do something different than your auto once a week. Try public transportation maybe. Choose organic fruits and vegetables rather than regular. Use your kitchen window to plant basil. The changes can sometimes cost a lot. They are also really big sometimes. Living in harmony with your environment is what the small changes enables you to do. Each and every year, you are able to make a few small changes. In the end, you'll turn out to be the change rather than watching the change pass by.