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I’m not very good at predicting which of my posts will attract the most readers. What is a “ton” of carbon dioxide? was a surprise hit. A photo essay on slime molds was a disappointing failure. But one type of post is reliably popular — a rant about a problem I had with some eco-friendly thing. Those posts are fun to write, and I guess they are fun to read too.
Most recently I wrote about my anxiety with a rental EV. But the list of problems I’ve had trying out eco-friendly things is endless. I’ve had to live for most of a day without heat while the power was off, throw out meals made with the wrong kind of lentils, toss out native plants that didn’t grow well, and return LED bulbs that didn’t work. I’ve biked to the grocery store only to find that I forgot to bring money. I’ve poured liquidy compost out of the bin when the bag dissolved. As my readers would say…
“What a nightmare!”
I have messed up buying used items that I can’t return. I’ve tried and failed to repair things only to then have to buy them new. I’ve purchased a bare head of lettuce (to avoid the plastic box) and found it full of bugs. And — this is still bothering me — I once put up a bird box only to have it fall down, with a nest in it, when I was away.
“What a nightmare!”
On top of that I’ve made some choices, like foregoing beef and lamb and doing less flying overseas for vacation. What will I eat? Where will I go?
“What a nightmare!”
But is it?
The way I see it is, these hiccups are just part of developing new habits to live a lower-impact life. Sure, they can be pretty annoying, but they are also something to celebrate. Each of these failures teaches me something and makes me more capable. It is important to me to help my daughter see and learn new ways of doing things. Newer generations will have it easier if they are less consumptive and extractive. I want to help her to make that transition and I want to do my part. So I fail, I learn, I try again. And I don’t mind at all.
A few days ago I was talking with a teenager who is excited about the many technical solutions that people are developing to help us deal with climate change. But those solutions may take many years to develop, have gaps and rough edges, and cost a pretty penny. If we change our behavior, on the other hand, it costs little, happens quickly, and can be very effective. So I asked him why he’s not more excited about changing our culture to be more sustainable. He responded “Yes, that has to happen. But it is going to take a long time.” Well, isn’t this a good time to start? He thought about it, and said that maybe it’s not easy enough yet. It needs to be easier.
Sure, easy is better than hard. But how easy does it really need to be? We are seeing wildfires, flooding, severe winds, drought, extreme heat, and unprecedented biodiversity crises in every corner of the world. Isn’t it worth some modest effort to begin to build more sustainable lives, to help our kids develop new practices, and to ease the burden on future generations?
Today is Earth Day. It’s a good day to think about this. What can each of us do that is not hard but will make a meaningful difference in reducing our emissions and/or helping others to adapt to the warming climate? Calculate your carbon footprint. You will find that the big items are car travel, plane travel, home heating, beef and dairy consumption, food waste, and buying new things. What makes sense for you to tackle first? Try something out, see if it sticks, and then try something else. I bet you will be surprised at how quickly you incorporate and come to prefer the changes.
Consider also ways to protect our open spaces, enhance ecosystems, and promote biodiversity. Stay informed. Talk with others. Vote.
I’m not saying the change will be effortless. But it won’t be especially effortful either. And I expect that you will enjoy the result and want to try more. The world is changing — it’s time for us to change too. If you have tried and stumbled, please share your story in this blog. Readers will appreciate it!
Happy Earth Day to everyone! Check out these celebrations happening today, Sunday, April 21:
- In Palo Alto from 1–4pm at the Rinconada Library. Among other things you will find lots of information about native gardening, and you can check out the first-in-the-nation electric garbage truck.
- In Atherton from 11am–3pm in Holbrook Palmer Park. Among other things you can find a sheep vs robot lawn mowing contest, a thrifting station, and an exhibit of climate-themed art.
Current Climate Data
Global impacts (March 2024), US impacts (March 2024), CO2 metric, Climate dashboard
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