Stage 1 - Live without making garbage
Stage 2- Emitting no carbon
Stage 3- Least environmental impact with food choices
Stages After- Little environmental impact- consumer purchase, household (heat, electricity, water use)
Stuff I Need
At this time I cannot think of anything I would need to buy for the week, I have plentiful food in the pantry and fresh veggies in the fridge, along with frozen food.
Creating Positive Impact to Create an Equilibrium~
Today, I begin my journey towards creating my own change, while prior to this endeavor I viewed myself as a environmentally aware person, and conscious of the greater world and the injustices that are placed upon it in modern society. I have never truly taken the time to examine my own part and own relation to the matter. I saw my equilibrium as doing my part to pick up garbage when I by-passed it on my walks to school, or using a water bottle- however, these small acts, while not insignificant, are not to the caliber that Colin Beavan proposes, and I am interested to see myself engage with his system.
I have to say that I have already met struggles within my first morning of "No Impact", similar to Colin I did not even consider all the simple things that I use throughout the day without any consideration-- I realized just how selfish I am, and my own division between my values and the actions that I perform.
I love to draw, and this may one of the hardest parts of this experiment, while using paper to create a journal, or draw a picture may not necessarily be that awful-- but I throw away and trash things I do not like and feel no remorse ripping out a sheet of paper from my journal and start with a shiny new white sheet of tree. I redeem my own personal value by thinking~ Well, I am recycling, right? So, that makes it okay, right? But, honestly, it does not...
Labeling "green" & "greenwashing"- My shortcomings include my utter ignorance when it comes to the products I purchase. Many times I simply deem products reasonable due to their labeling- I know in my heart that the "green" label may not be truthful, but somehow I validate my purchases by it's price, packaging, and how "effective" it is.
In high school, my senior project was on the cosmetics industry- I dove into the injustice not only to the world, and animals, but to ourselves and the negative impacts it has on our bodies. I examined the harmful chemicals, and radical use of words like "natural", and "organic", however even after my potent examination and year long project; I still ventured to the store to collect my favorite products despite the negative impacts I knew they had.
"The man who knows enough is enough will always have enough"
One moment in my life that stands out is when I was confronted by what it is to have little and be content-- Ate age two, my mother, sister and I traveled across South East Asia-- My mom owned a furniture import business called the "Jade Monkey", and often took us with on her adventures. At any rate, my sister Claire, age four, and I were not allowed toys on the trip- due to limited luggage room, and one adult to carry everything. After weeks of traveling, we arrived into a small village outside of Bali. It was common on these ventures for us kids to find neighboring Indonesian children and play- us with limited language skills in Bahasa (the native language) we used mostly gestures to communicate. We played with a group of children all day, my sister had made an especially good friend with a little girl who had two dolls-- When it was time to go the little girl asked my mom where my sisters toys were, my mom exclaimed that she didn't have any on the trip, but had toys at home-- The little girl gave my sister one of her dolls, and asked her to keep it. To this day, that doll sits in my house in Chicago- a reminder to always be happy what you have, and to give when you are able. Enough, is knowing what you have is more than you need.
Not Asceticism
While going through my day, I am attempting to not see my "no impact" as self discipline for indulgence, but discipline for self fulfillment. Colin places focus on not viewing this project as a method to "renouncing human pleasures" or to say that human desires and longings are bad, but to create new habits that will contribute happiness to our life. In turn, creating a system where we can have lasting effects of happiness, and raise our level of happiness by having "higher purpose".
This past week I went to Trader Joes to get food- I being the unaware specimen I am purchased myself pre-cut mango in a plastic container. Why? Because I was too lazy to buy a full mango and cut it myself. I, in my selfish behavior, created more waste, and did so without a care in the world. Now looking back upon this decision I feel ashamed of my purchase and lazy behavior, because it was something I could have easily changed. Looking at past behavior is almost more difficult for me than changing my future behavior- because I now see the role I was playing.
I am grateful for: towels, fresh air, flowers, pens, paper.