Radical Simplicity
It’s Earth Day and although I was raised to believe everyday is a day to cherish mother nature I know it's not the case for everyone. So what can you do about it? And does your effort really make a difference?
When I was a kid my mum was always after me about rinsing out cans before putting them in the blue bin, separating cardboard and reusing heavy duty ziplock bags by washing them out and hanging them to dry. At age 7, 8, 9, 10 all of this seemed tedious and I didn’t understand why I had to do it. Tirelessly I would respond with “but it's just one ziplock or it’s only one can, it doesn't matter” and like the wise woman she is, my mum would say “well if everyone said that, I would be 6 billion (this is many years ago now) unwashed cans that could have been recycled but are now trash!”
Since then, in my eyes, individual action has always been a part of our climate crisis reversal plan because the reality is if everyone did just 1 thing to produce less waste or lower their carbon footprint than that is 7.84 billion less climate-crisis-inducing actions. 7.84 billion less pieces of trash, car rides to work, fast fashion purchase, even burgers consumed, and those numbers can (and as we have seen this past year with people staying home… thanks rona) do make a difference. Zero waste grocery stores like Bare Market in Toronto East end and UnBoxed Market by Trinity Bellwoods Park are making these small micro efforts all the more possible for every Toronto citizen.
We all think, “as one person what kind of a difference can I really make!” But I believe that collective individual action has the potential to save our asses for it means each person has to only worry about themselves. Which should make us all feel significantly less burdened by the looming weight of saving the planet. But also supply and demand doesn't just work in favour of capitalism, we as the consumers have buying power and therefore control the market supply. If everyone in say Toronto decided tomorrow that they would no longer purchase takeaway coffee unless they could have it served in their own personal reusable mug, I don’t think it would take Tim Hortons, Starbucks or “insert here any corporate cafe” very long to redesign their takeout cup system. They wouldn’t have a choice but to give the consumers what they want. This gives great opportunity for smaller cafes who have adopted a reusable-mug-only system to thrive as warm-beverage consumers shift their wants towards something greener. Check out The REPlace / Poured Coffee along the Danforth for a great variety of drinks and eats. And don't worry if you forget your mug they have a bunch of zero-waste closed loop take-away options to suit everyone's needs!
Now I am in no capacity urging individuals to go without their morning cup of joe, or on that note encouraging people to give up modern day conveniences for a yurt-living, off the grid, granola lifestyle. Even I like a hot shower and the convenience of grocery shopping over growing all my own food. What I am suggesting is that people take a good hard look at their routines and see where small shifts can be made that aren’t inconvenient but when compiled alongside everyone else's small efforts add up to a mass movement towards better environmental practices.
Tons of locally based small businesses, both online and in person are here to help us challenge the status quo with solutions that actually look to the past for solutions that will save our future. Started by a Toronto native Lark is a closed-loop delivery service, similar to the milkman, that will drop off a case or two right to your front door and when you are done they will collect the empties too. Pretty cool right! Plus I have to admit their Ginger-Sour rocks my world when a moscow-mule is the only thing that will cure me after a long day of zoom meetings!
Happy Earth Day everyone and may your zero-waste efforts be both fruitful and a joyous new habit!
