So you are depressed about the politicians in your country and their environmental credentials? I’m not just talking about the US now… things aren’t any better in Australia, the UK or much of Europe. Well, in that case take control. YOU can make a difference and here’s how:
Don’t want fracking and all the associated pollution and greenhouse gas emissions? Then make sure your energy supplier doesn’t support this. In the UK the Big 6 all support fracking, but there are plenty of smaller, green suppliers who don’t, so give your business to them.
Worried about greenhouse gas emissions from transportation? Optimise the use of your car – never drive for a single purpose, always try achieve several goals on each journey. And, if you can, walk, cycle or use public transport instead. Buy local – locally produced goods have not been transported long distances, plus you are keeping your money in your community.
Our milk is produced using wind to power the milking parlour and refrigeration
Concerned that our governments aren’t providing enough support for renewable energy? Support it yourself – switch energy suppliers, buy a solar charger, install solar panels/a wind turbine, investigate community energy projects, buy from companies who use renewables.
Want to see a reduction in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? Plant a tree (or ten), sow some seeds, get an allotment, dig up your lawn and plant vegetables, share your surplus plants and produce, take some cuttings.
Don’t think that it is expensive to take action – use your money wisely, value the resources you have and make the most of them and never, ever believe anyone who tells you that you can’t make a difference through your actions and choices.
The Snail of Happiness 
coppicelearner
/ November 12, 2016Very wise Jan. I am with you all the way on this. They may seem like small changes and I understand people asking ‘But what difference will that make?’ And the answer is that if I think of just me changing then true, it is not a lot. But if loads of us do it it mounts up. And if enough of us do it the system will be forced to change to meet its own market demands.
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 12, 2016We should never underestimate the power of money – especially when we all use it wisely.
LikeLike
Nikki
/ November 12, 2016Love your upbeat tone! Just imagine – if we all planted a tree a year…how amazing our landscape could be! Thank you for reminding us we can all take control, in all sorts of important ways. Nikki x
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 12, 2016Planting things is very empowering… a single seed can grow into a big tree (or a lettuce, which is also good).
LikeLike
Emma Cooper
/ November 12, 2016I think people really underestimate the power they have in their wallets, and the size of the changes we could make if we swapped suppliers for the things we need. Well said!
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 12, 2016Yes, I’m certain that money is often much more powerful than the ballot paper!
LikeLike
insearchofitall
/ November 12, 2016We don’t get a choice on who supplies our water or our other utilities. I make sure to use as little as possible of all of it. Car hasn’t been out of the driveway since last Monday when I took a niece and great niece to the airport. Yes, it feels like all the countries are into profit over protection of the planet and it’s people. My heart is heavy this week. But there is no where to go where it’s any better anymore. We have all been trying to do our bit to make the world kinder and safer. I know it will all be ok in the end…somehow. I’m not allowed to compost here so I dig holes in the ground and bury my green waste and no one can tell. I’ll feed my earth anyway I can. There has to be other ways to turn this around. Oklahoma is getting earthquakes. They are not normal in that area, It’s all the oil drilling that has gone on for generations that is causing it. My daughter moved closer to work, paying double the rent so she could have a shorter commute on public transportation. She drives her car once a week to see me and does her laundry here at the same time. It has to get better. It has to.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 12, 2016I love your guerrilla composting approach… we do what we can.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Rowena McGregor
/ November 13, 2016yes – guerrilla composting love it ❤
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 13, 2016there is certainly a place for it in the world!
LikeLike
Born To Organize
/ November 16, 2016You go, Marlene! Some of these HOA’s get ridiculous with the rules. I buried a pumpkin today…or what is left of it. It’s feeding the worms now. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
insearchofitall
/ November 16, 2016:))
LikeLiked by 1 person
MrsCraft
/ November 12, 2016100% agree. We have to balance up being environmentally friendly with what we can afford, but we always try our best.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 12, 2016Interestingly our green energy company compares very favourably with the alternatives in terms of price, plus they are great when it comes to customer service.
LikeLiked by 1 person
MrsCraft
/ November 12, 2016That’s really lucky. We recently changed and struggled to get a competitive green energy company. We will look again next year though.
LikeLike
thecontentedcrafter
/ November 12, 2016An excellent post Jan – I think you have got it absolutely right – the power lies with us when we vote with our cash. This whole debacle is a call to wake up in my opinion! I think Michael Tellinger may have it right with his Ubuntu movement………..
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 12, 2016I was struck by Anne Lawson’s point in her ‘Trump’ post that this is not the time for navel-gazing. She’s right – we can mope, we can fret, but we also need action.
LikeLiked by 2 people
katechiconi
/ November 12, 2016… and for those countries where voting is not compulsory: Vote! A great post, and a rallying cry those sunk in depression and despondency would do well to heed.
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 12, 2016I’m always struck by how many people don’t vote. I always do, although there have been many times when I would have liked a ‘none of the above’ option!
LikeLike
katechiconi
/ November 13, 2016Luckily we have a voting system that allows a certain flexibility and an assumption that minorities will cooperate to get things done. We also elect our upper house instead of having it inflicted on us by ancestry!
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 13, 2016Oh the lords… how I detest that institution…
LikeLike
katechiconi
/ November 13, 2016I suppose if it truly were a meritocracy it would be different, but it makes more sense to me to have an elected senate.
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 13, 2016absolutely
LikeLike
arlingwoman
/ November 13, 2016I think the approach you advocate is the only way to take back power and eventually make change. Good for you for articulating it so well in this blog–explicitly and by example.
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 13, 2016I worry that people feel so powerless – I wish we could persuade more people to realise that they can make a difference… and, indeed, that they do (good or bad) every day
LikeLiked by 1 person
anne54
/ November 13, 2016Great ideas, because, while we have all been rightly concerned over divisions and cracks lately, concerns about the environment have been ongoing. I think they are part of the underlying problem ~ that people are depressed by global warming, species extinction and all the rest. It seems so overwhelming, but our small actions can make a difference.
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 13, 2016I’m hoping the more we spread the word, the more people who currently feel disenfranchised and marginalised will realise that they do have power.
LikeLike
Rowena McGregor
/ November 13, 2016Love your post – and the conversation you have started here! I changed banks a few years ago to a much smaller one that does not support fossil fuels etc. It was a bit of a pain, but worth it. And I plant trees and other native plants once a month with my habitat group (a great option for folk without access to the room a tree requires). I reckon I must have planted hundreds by now. That’s a feel-good thought 🙂
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 13, 2016Ooh, I like the idea of a habitat group 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bethany-Jade
/ November 13, 2016Thats some very good advice – i guess if we choose to give our business to green businesses perhaps the non green ones will notice a trend and follow suit – i already get my electricity from an eco friendly supplier and i dont drive with the environment being one of the reasons. Unfortunately i dont have a garden or an allotment at the mo but as soon as i do, there will be plenty of plantlife and sanctuarys for little animals.
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 13, 2016Even growing herbs on the windowsill is gardening, so perhaps you have space for a little plant or two indoors.
I’m certain that if we all ‘voted’ with our money, big business would soon sit up and take note.
LikeLiked by 1 person
shapeofthingstoni
/ November 14, 2016All good things, but I believe it’s also essential to think bigger and beyond ourselves, and also to acknowledge the limitations of individual action. Where possible, act collectively to facilitate change and bring others with you. Community and camaraderie are critical.
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 14, 2016So important to have both – change from big organisations/government but also empowering individuals and ensuring that we don’t get mired in despondency because we feel useless
LikeLiked by 1 person
quercuscommunity
/ November 14, 2016I need a new plan now we are leaving the farm – I will use this as a prompt. 😉
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 15, 2016Oh, I hadn’t assimilated that bit of news (regular reading just hasn’t been happening recently and I keep missing things). Do you have plans?
LikeLiked by 1 person
quercuscommunity
/ November 15, 2016I will be reporting on progress soon. Watch this space. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
painterwrite
/ November 15, 2016Thanks for that first paragraph…it’s good to know the US aren’t the only baddies in the environmental world (although I have a feeling we are going to get much much worse than everyone else in the next few years). In my home we do as much as possible – barely drive, barely produce any garbage (my husband is a compost nazi!), keep our water and power use very low. Still, it’s going to be a hard road to get companies to do the right thing when the EPA is basically being dismantled and we are stuck with a leader who doesn’t understand basic science. Sigh….
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 15, 2016I fret a great deal about leaders who do not understand science… and who seem to be proud of the fact.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Born To Organize
/ November 16, 2016I agree! Thanks for your positive post.
LikeLike
Alex
/ November 16, 2016Reblogged this on mabbsonsea.
LikeLike
Wildlife Destination
/ November 18, 2016Cherish your perky tone! Simply envision – on the off chance that we as a whole planted a tree a year… how stunning our scene could be! Much obliged to you for reminding us we can all take control, in a wide range of critical ways.
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 18, 2016It’s been very hard to remain perky this year, but I’m doing my best!
LikeLike
sciencetasticblog
/ November 22, 2016Well said! If we all chip in and do our bit, the world can change. If I could manage it, I would probably do all the things in this post, but I think I’ll stick with just one or two.
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 22, 2016One or two is good… just think if everyone did one or two…
LikeLiked by 1 person
sciencetasticblog
/ November 23, 2016Yes, that would be amazing – we’d barely have any problems at all!
LikeLike
crawcraftsbeasties
/ November 24, 2016I always enjoy the upbeat tone of your blog, Jan! And it’s good to know that there are simple things we can all do to bring about the bigger changes we want to see. I for one will be burying myself under blankets instead of putting on the heating this winter, and adding more plants to my balcony garden come spring!
LikeLike
The Snail of Happiness
/ November 24, 2016Blankets and plants… sounds like our house too!
LikeLiked by 1 person