Many people know that ecological transition is necessary and inevitable, but fewer are those who take action. It’s not easy to learn new habits in a world of abundance which has always satisfied our every desire. So what can be done to protect the environment at each level?
Taking care of the planet is not just an empty idea, it can fortunately become very concrete. But the big question that arises when we understand that in view of the climate emergency, it was necessary fundamentally change our lifestyles and adopting new habits is:
” Do you necessarily have to choose between living for yourself and living for the environment? “
We often oppose the two and, in general, we see the one who wants to act for the environment as a “green activist”, someone who we don’t necessarily want to be like:
- He (or she) feeds exclusively on raw carrots, lentils and sometimes even a few hazelnuts,
- He (or she) does not work or works from home to have time to do the complicated things that no one else can do,
- He (or she) is rather a killjoy and we don’t really want to spend holidays in his company.
At the outset, we see that living in harmony with the environment does not make anyone dream! But can we reconcile the two, I mean the environmental protection on the one hand, and a fulfilling life on the other hand ?
We often have the impression that we should restore the era of horse riding and candle lighting to stop polluting, go back to the time when ALL energies were renewable, in short, to go back to the 18th century.
It is true that with windmills, hand plows and sailing boats, we would no longer have carbon emissions problems but … we could also find some small inconveniences as a 50% infant mortality rate. This is not necessarily the desired goal either.
2 steps to relieve the environment
Concretely, here are now the two step to adopt a lifestyle in harmony with the environment, while remaining firmly anchored in the 21st century.
The first step is to understand the nature of the problem because if you make sense of what you are doing, you find the motivation to continue. For my part, I was interested in global warming.
Why ? Because it is, in my opinion, the origin of the consequences that will be the most disastrous for humanity. Polar bears do not concern me directly, but if what makes polar bears disappear is also what will cause problems for humans. There, I feel directly concerned.
So how do you get information on the essential questions related to climate issues ?
First, it was a revolution for me, the conference ” Heaven my climate! »By Jean-Marc Jancovici. It’s an hour-long talk, based on indisputable scientific data, that explains the issues with simplicity, pedagogy, and humor (despite the agonizing nature of the topic). Prodigious!
The second track is ” the climate fresco“, A collaborative and creative game that allows, thanks to collective intelligence (we play in groups) to understand the major climate issues.
If you are interested, I run workshops 3 hours, in virtual or face-to-face, to learn how to play La Fresque. What to spend an instructive evening with friends, or to carry out a team-building in company.
When you are well informed, you will realize that actions deeply rooted in the collective unconscious of the type “not washing is good for the planet” in fact have a big (negative) impact on climate issues.
The second step is the take action. So what can be done to protect the environment?
How to get started concretely?
The good news is that you will be able to act at your level by finding the actions that are right for you. To select them, you have to go there on the one hand step by step, and on the other hand, to retain actions that motivate you and correspond well to your way of life.
So you won’t need to eat carrots at every meal! You can choose to reduce what produces the most greenhouse gases, for example Beef.
Is it so terrible and backslid to reduce your beef consumption ? You could reserve the beef for festive meals, for example. Such a rarity will allow you to appreciate your rumpsteak all the better!
You’ll find that the Thursday night thawed ground steak or the canteen steak with pepper sauce are probably not huge sources ofpositive emotions that contribute to your happiness. Chicken breast would do just as well! And its impact on greenhouse gases has nothing to do with that of beef.
It can be a first step in your journey: if you want to reduce overall your meat consumption, it’s even better and will have a lot more impact than just reducing your beef intake.
What I mean is anyone can place the cursor where it wants. The important thing is to start moving it in the right direction, choosing the most impactful action possible.
If you are having trouble finding the right stocks for you, I invite you to subscribe to my YouTube channel where I try to give clear explanations on global warming and to propose simple solutions, achievable by everyone. Yes, yes, even those who don’t have time, who are overwhelmed with work and who have children.
Often, you will find that these practical solutions save money, take care of your health and simplify your life. This is what I try to explain in my articles and videos.
For not to have to choose between living for the environment and living for yourself, you must first document yourself and understand the issues. This is the first essential step and I will be happy to help you. Then you select actions that allow you to live in accordance with your values and your desire to change.