01/14

Small Steps, Big Impacts

There are many different reasons why people become involved.
For me, it was having baby Brooksie and becoming more aware of our surroundings. It can feel really overwhelming at first, and I remember I didn’t even know where to start in the beginning. But the more I read and more research I did I realized that there really are a lot of ways to help make a difference.

I would definitely say that the first step is simply to educate yourself. There are a lot of websites with information on things to be aware of, similar to the information I spoke about in my two previous blogs. HealthyChild also has a link on their site about ways to get involved! Once you feel informed, dedicate 1 day a week and pick a room in your house to work on. I’ve been on a major cleaning kick recently, and I spent 1 day in each room getting rid of things I knew I didn’t need anymore. You wouldn’t believe how much I recycled!

• Start with your kitchen. Maybe look at your cleaning products and decide if you feel they’re okay for the environment.
• Look at your grocery bags. Are they 100% recyclable?
• Go through your fridge and cupboards and read your labels. Do they follow the rules we spoke about?
• Activism doesn’t need to end in your house. Get other people involved. Whether you’re a member of the PTA, in a book club, in school, etc., spread the word! Tell your friends what you’ve been doing and how it’s made you feel.

Social media is a great way to be vocal about your efforts. So, so, so many of us share every aspect of our lives with the world on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Maybe one day instead of posting your “outfit of the day” or that AH-mazing breakfast you made, post a picture of yourself doing something to make a difference. Trust me, it will inspire people. Just remember, these types of actions cause chain reactions. Change relies on the domino effect. You may feel at first that what you’re doing isn’t going to have an impact, but that exact mindset is why it’s taken us so long to get to where we are. It’s easy for us to assume someone else will do it. Someone else will make the difference, someone else will cause a change. So why shouldn’t that person be you?

With that said, this concludes my little trilogy about being environmental, for now. I really hope I’ve impacted at least one person with some of this information. I encourage everyone, especially new parents, to get involved in any way you can. It may feel like you’re making small steps, but we all need to start somewhere, because when it really comes down to it, every little bit counts.

Don’t forget to check out my other blogs about making environmental change – Safe House, Safe Baby and You Are What You Eat.