Waste Not, Want Not

At any given moment, how many people in this world are littering? How many people are buying something with unnecessary (probably plastic) packaging? What's the number of people buying something they don't actually need? Or using an item of convenience that will shortly end up in a landfill and possibly never biodegrade? How many are doing more harm than good this very second because of one unconscious decision? Thousands? Hundreds of thousands? Millions? Consumption and waste is a choice; you can choose to NOT be a wasteful person.

If everyone in the US picked up 10 pieces of litter today,
there would be 3 billion less pieces damaging our environment!

It's time humans use our evolved intelligence to check ourselves and our priorities when it comes to our lifestyles. It's past time we ask ourselves, what's really important in this world? What's really necessary in my life? We all possess the ability to make impactful, yet small, daily choices based on what's most sustainable for our future - and if we consider the other millions or billions of people making the same types of decisions every day - it's essential we train ourselves to exercise this power of conscientious choice a.s.a.p. If we keep choosing out of pure convenience, what cost will it have on our future? The corporations creating the products make profitable gains while the health of our planet and our species declines. Yes, the informed, more conscientious choices may require more effort at first, but when the future of our planet or species is at stake (whether it's now or in the distant future) I hope you feel the effort's worth it. There is always something more we can do to reduce our waste.

Enjoy what you already have. Encourage simplicity. Want less. Need less. Waste less. Pick up trash. Recycle as much as possible. Always choose reusable over disposable. Reduce plastic use in any and every way. Eat real, whole foods. Buy in bulk in glass containers. Support local farmer's markets and stores that buy from local farms. DIY. Grow your own food. Create your own things from scratch. Make products yourself. Inform yourself. Educate others. Choose wisely. Don't support cheap, unnecessary, single-use convenience (you're better off without it and so is the earth). Do what you can to lessen your impact and inspire others with your example. EXERT CONSCIENTIOUS OPTIONS - MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Go ECO-MAD!!

A quick, educational, inspiring video about a woman producing seriously minimal waste: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYDQcBQUDpw

She also has a blog (Trash is For Tossers) and a TED talk:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF72px2R3Hg

Once you begin searching, there's a movement of people across the globe trying to live their lives in zero-waste fashion. Not only are they succeeding at producing nearly zero waste in today's world, but they're also setting examples, educating others, trying to change laws and minds of those in government office, and they are building a foundation for a healthier future. 

**Put It Into Practice**

Credible websites, independent news articles, objective documentaries, non-fiction books, and peer-reviewed journals, are some ways to get information, like where our 'stuff' comes from (don't forget the importance of fact-checking using multiple sources). Any extra effort is worth it because that knowledge gives us power. The more true facts we know about our products and the companies that make them, or our food and what's in it/where it comes from, the better we can understand the effects of its production and waste on our health, the earth's health, and the well-being of all those involved. The point this blog is (mainly) emphasizing is that every choice we make adds up so we must educate ourselves about our options and be conscientiously aware when making decisions of all kinds. If we are to ensure a quality future for ourselves and for generations to come, we must each assess our individual impact throughout our lifetime and truly understand the implications of sharing this earth with a constantly growing population of over 7 billion.

List of reusable alternatives: http://www.trashisfortossers.com/2013/08/zero-waste-alternatives-ultimate-list.html

Informative ways to reduce carbon footprint (lessen energy waste and pollution): https://www.carbonfund.org/reduce