I recently came across an article in Time magazine about "flygskam," a Swedish term translated to "flight shame," the concept (also discussed in the Washington Post, among other sites) being that in these times, traveling via air, instead of by land/train, or not traveling at all, is looked down upon as it is a major contributor to climate change. The article really struck me, because, while I would consider myself very environmentally preoccupied (to the point of struggling with "eco anxiety," (identified in 2011 by the APA as the "dread and helplessness that come with 'watching the slow and seemingly irrevocable impacts of climate change unfold, and worrying about the future for oneself, children, and later generations.'”), I also love to travel. And because I live in a rural area of Northern California, far from family and old friends, don't have access to a rail (like is lacking in our country throughout), and have two young kids, car travel isn't at the top of my list of efficient/enjoyable ways to get around and so we do fly quite a bit.
What are some other ways we as individuals can decrease our carbon footprint? (check out this CNN informational quiz here)
- avoid single-use plastic or other disposable items (like diapers, cups, forks, and straws)
- buy less stuff and upcycle used items
- eat less beef
- buy in bulk
- use less water
- walk, bike, or travel by train, carpool
- have fewer kids
We use cloth diapers in our home, try to potty train early (and plan no no more children).
We compost.
We use washcloths to wipe the kids' hands and faces after meals, cloth napkins, and (washable) bamboo paper towels.
I bring a water bottle with me everywhere and basically refuse to ever get other drinks when out and about that use a plastic/disposable cup or straw.
I have stainless steel straws and cutlery that comes with me in my diaper bag.
I use my own thermal mug any time I get a coffee when out (which is rare).
We rarely eat out when not on the road (and try to bring our own containers for leftovers).
We use reusable produce and shopping bags.
I rescue leftovers like no one I have ever encountered before (hence the blog title) and take great pains to never throw out food.
I take short showers and have moved to washing my hair a few times per week rather than daily (Kelvin and Iver shower together and Pepper gets to bathe in Niall's water when he's done), getting by with dry shampoo.
I buy shampoo in bulk at our local Co-op or use a shampoo bar, and bar soap instead of plastic-packaged bodywash.
I buy hand soap in large containers and use less with using foamer dispensers.
I try to wrap presents (especially family Christmas presents) in reusable cloth bags.
I drive a (plug-in hybrid) electric car, and drive fewer than five miles most days (and fill gas less than once per year).
I rinse out and reuse Ziploc bags until they have no life in them yet, and have some silicone zippered bags that we use in our home freezer.
I buy about 98% of my kids' clothes and shoes used.
I vote (for progressive candidates who care for the environment and for state ballot measures like high-speed SoCal-NorCal trains).
I have backed off in meat consumption, particularly beef, as I don't really find that I miss it (see this article mentioning a trade of beans for beef). I've taken to quinoa, eggs (although never being much of an egg-eater) and nuts for most of my protein, and truthfully could get by with eating what Kelvin terms "rabbit food," (including things like crackers/cheese and fruit/veggies). My youngest, Niall, seems to be pretty meat-averse and, while anemic, he and I could probably be vegetarians together (Kelvin and Iver, however, would be harder to convince. "What is this "queen-oh?!" thing, Iver asks, when he sees quinoa [and he wasn't a fan]). I haven't tried the plant-based/meatless "Impossible" and other burgers, but would like to, sometime soon.
These are all things that are easy for me to do.
But then there is the struggle when things aren't as easy. What do you do when your inclination to help the environment makes something less convenient or more time-intensive, or more costly (in terms of finances), when you are (like I am) someone particularly busy and/or frugal? I am often torn between these priorities. I'm no Greta Thunberg.
When I don't like to cook (and toddlers don't like to sit still in restaurants), calling for take-out saves me some time and sanity (but creates waste, even though we ask for no silverware and no napkins).
We sometimes use those (environmentally awful) fruit/veggie pouches to feed to the kids when on the go or traveling.
We get Blue Apron meal deliveries a couple of weeks out of the month, which saves us (me) a lot of time in meal planning, although the plastic bag/waste really bothers me (recycling the materials is possible, but not very easy).
I drink sparkling water in cans sometimes when on the go, even though I have a Sodastream sparkling water maker in our kitchen and try to drink just plain tap water, rather than juice, alcoholic beverages, soda, or anything else in general.
I hate in-store shopping with a passion (doing it with kids is hard, but even alone I hate it and find it inconvenient and time intensive), and I often buy things online, with the associated shipping/packaging issue.
When we travel or our out for the day, we use disposable diapers.
I sometimes keep the small-volume hotel shampoo/conditioners, because it's annoying to not be able to pack a normal-sized shampoo without checking a bag (and that added cost), although I don't like the idea of tons (or more) of those small bottles being encouraged to be out in circulation (although Kelvin tells me that the hotels may refill them if you use the contents but leave them there).
I hate being cold and am guilty of wanting our home temperature to be closer to 70 degrees than 60 during the day, or using space heaters at work so that I can think better.
As I get older (or more eco-anxious because of what I fear is the trajectory of our planet for my kids and subsequent generations, especially in light of our country's current leaders and overall thoughtlessness, if not outright malicious intent, with regards to preserving our environment), I am finding myself more and more being willing to pay higher prices for something-- whether it be local food, or an item of clothing that is more pricey but higher quality or which supports sustainable causes (like some $125 Rothys, some cute [and machine-washable] shoes made out of recycled water bottles that I recently purchased and were proud to wear). I am lucky to be able to afford doing so, but many people unfortunately don't have that luxury-- and will buy processed (more unhealthy and heavily packaged) food or shop at Walmart for cheaply-made items. Average Americans don't want their jobs shipped overseas or to China-- but they're not willing to pay for American-made items because they cost more...
... but at what cost to our (one, precious) planet and for future generations?
While I literally feel sick to my stomach when I accept a disposable straw when out and about or see them at fairs and large public settings, it doesn't mean I will never drink from one. I just vow to do it far more infrequently (and to try to, as gently as possible, encourage others to do the same).
I told Kelvin that this year (2019), I was fine not traveling anywhere far as an international destination, more for reasons of ease with two young kids than for flygskam, but I think it was a good decision for our family (and the earth. Except that he still wants to jet over to the Dominican Republic for Christmas). While all of the above doesn't mean that I'll stop flying altogether (the U.S. really needs to get its act together regarding public transportation systems, taking some guidance from progressive Europe), because it does bring me considerable joy, I will try to do it less.
While no one can be perfect, I strive to do better-- progress, not perfection, is my goal (and I hope it'll be yours, too). The health/survival of our planet does really depend on it (us).
from "Make Earth Great Again"
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