177_A Green Foot Forward: Overcoming the Roadblocks to Sustainable Living Part III

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast

Episode 177 

A Green Foot Forward: Overcoming the Roadblocks to Sustainable Living Part III

Episode link:

https://www.offgridlivingnews.com/podcasts/adventures-in-sustainable-living/episodes/2148574613

33 minutes

Website:

adventuresinsustainableliving.com

Studies and surveys show that the vast majority of people do care about the environment and what happens to our planet. Yet many of those same people struggle when it comes to making greener choices in their lives. 

One thing is certain. The future of humanity has not yet been decided. But I truly believe we are past the point of easy. We need to change the way we think and live. One other thing is also certain. We can see amazing results by putting one green foot in front of the other and pressing forward with the changes we can implement both individually and collectively. 

In this episode I am going to continue that discussion. So join me for E177 Overcoming the Roadblocks to Sustainable Living Part III. 

Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E177 Overcoming the Barriers to Sustainable Living Part III.

Sustainability question of the week

What is sustainable transportation and why is it important? 

Good News Story of the Week 

UK Restaurant is Letting People Pay-as-They-Can While Rescuing Tons of Food 

There is a restaurant in in Gloucestershire, England called Long Tables that allows customer to eat and pay-as-they go. This is in response to a 25% increase in the cost of food and the fact that 10 million Brits, Scots, and N. Irish are malnourished. 

This level of undernourishment further underscores the fact that 6.4 million pounds of food goes to waste every year in Great Britain. 

According to the general manager Will North, the restaurant operates on the premise of “What if everyone in our community had access to great food and people to eat it with?” 

The restaurant employs 22 part and full-time staff. The weekly menu varies according to what the managers are able to rescue from their suppliers. According to North, their suppliers prioritize the planet over everything else. Consequently, they serve great delicious meals. 

This week’s round of applause goes to Long Tables restaurant in the UK for feeding people for free. I do have a direct link to that article in the transcript. It can be found at goodnewsnetwork.org

Now let’s move on to this weeks episode. 

This is now part three of overcoming the barriers to sustainable living. I decided to focus a few episodes on this topic because the vast majority of people really do care about the planet but I also know that a lot of people are struggling with making some greener choices.

In the two previous episodes I discussed 5 different barriers and gave specific ways to overcome them. In this episode I am going to continue to break down those barriers by giving you actionable steps to live more sustainably or by planting some ideas in your head to simply change the way you think.

In this episode I am going to discuss three specific barriers: 

-Many people doubt the effectiveness of sustainable actions. Can we really make a difference.

-Many people are confused on what to do. 

-A lot of people think in order to be sustainable they have to be vegetarian or vegan.

Whether that’s cutting down on meat, using less plastic, or driving electric vehicles, we can all find ways to adapt our everyday lifestyles.

Can one person make a difference?

The first barrier to tackle is whether or not we can make a difference. Many, many people doubt the effectiveness of sustainable actions simply because they feel as if they cannot make a difference. Now, there are a several reasons for that so let’s dive right in. 

Part of the reason most people feel as if their singular action cannot make a difference is simply rooted in self doubt. Much of that trait in most people is a result of our modern culture. Many of us have grown up in a culture of competition,  perfectionism and rampant social media where we constantly see people on display that we deem to be far better than ourselves. Our competitive natures convinces us we are not attractive enough, tall enough, athletic enough, funny enough or rich enough. Consequently, we constantly question our self worth and importance as a human being. 

Furthermore, when we are young and talk of great aspirations to be famous, a great leader, an astronaut, or an artist, we get struck down and are told we ought to stick to a career that is reliable and easy. Someone else’s self doubt get projected onto us and we carry that for much of our lives. 

Additionally, when we are faced with a crisis as large and monumental as climate change and ecological breakdown it is easy for us to think we can’t make a difference. Such a crisis obvious requires global action backed up by large scale systemic action. As a result, is it a surprise that we commonly hear the argument “I am only one person, it’s not enough to make a difference.”

But what we fail to recognize is that what truly creates large scale changes in society is one person finally decided that they were enough. One person decided to stand up, voice their opinion, and challenge societal norms. And what may have appeared to be only ripples in a small pond turned into tsunami that sprang even more people into action. Take for example Greta Thunberg. As you may also know, the waste-free lifestyle is becoming more normal. We are also seeing an increase in millions of people marching and demanding change. There are also movements such as Fridays for Future and School Strike 4 Climate. 

And if you truly think that one person cannot make a difference, allow me to give you some concrete examples: 

-Reducing your meat and dairy consumption by even 25% for one year will reduce your carbon footprint by nearly 18%. It will result in saving 100,000 gallons or  380,000 liters of water. It would save 2,800 square feet of forest and 3,700 pounds or 1,650 kilograms of grain. And that could easily be accomplished by going meat free two days per week. 

-You may not think much about tossing a plastic water bottle in the trash. But that happens 60 million time per day. So stop doing it. 

-The average person throws away nearly 400 plastic bags per year. If you stopped using them there would be that much less that ends up in the landfill. 

-Eliminating your food waste would not only save you approximately $2,700 per year, but it would prevent a tremendous amount of compostable material from going to the landfill. On a global basis, we waste enough food to feed every hungry person in the world three times over. 

And these are just a few examples. Now there is no doubt that it is difficult to understand and appreciate just how large of an influence each of us can have. But we cannot allow our self doubt to get in the way. I have been podcasting on this subject for 2 1/2 years now and truly I am finally understanding how much of difference I am making. You just have to stand up and keep doing what you’re doing. It will make a difference. Sooner or later you will create some ripples that will turn into waves. 

Confusion about what to do

Now the second barrier I want to cover is confusion about what to do. And if you are confused about how to have a greener life you are not alone. A recent survey showed that 27% of people did not know what to do to start living a more sustainable life. So you are not alone. 

I guess for me it is easy to some degree. I have nearly 300 digital books on my iPad on things such as hydroponics, backyard gardening, home canning, raising small livestock, solar design and installation, basic survival skills, and much more. I am reading and researching sustainable living on a regular basis. It is literally a part-time job for me. But if you are confused about what to do, I can tell you the single most important thing you can do. The first step to having a more sustainable lifestyle is to take one step. That’s right. The first step is to take one step. 

There are literally hundreds of things you can start with. All you have to do is pick one. But I would suggest that whatever you decide to start with, then stick with that one habit until it becomes a normal part of your everyday life. Then move on to something else. Allow me to give you some tips: 

-Make it a habit to eliminate the use of plastic bags. The world throws away 5 trillion plastic bags a year. In the US, we throw away an average of 370 plastic bags per person per year. 

-Eliminate all single use plastic products. You could use a safety razor instead of a disposable one. Buy a reusable coffee cup instead of a disposable cup that cannot be recycled. Buy a stainless steel drinking cup and carry it with you all the time. Most businesses will give you a discount on refills if you bring your own cup. I have even had places give me free coffee for simply bring my own mug. 

-Eliminate your food waste. In the US 30% to 40% of our food goes to waste. In the UK, 6.4 million pounds of food gets thrown away every year. The average person in the US throws away approximately $2,700 a year worth of food. 

-Eliminate disposable paper products. Purchase cloth cleaning towels. Cut up old clothes into scraps for cleaning. Buy Swedish dish cloths. It is truly easier than you think. We have not purchase paper towels for nearly two years. 

-Make a commitment to follow the 5 principles of zero waste: 

1)Reduce what you are using and what you use. 

2)Refuse to purchase items with a lot of packaging

3) Reuse things: repurpose old items, shop at second hand stores, stop purchasing disposable items

4) Start composting because roughly 80% of what we throw away can be composted

5) Recycle everything you can

And, if you want even further information on where to start, go back and listen to E5 Twelve Steps to a Zero Waste Lifestyle, E31 Twelve Practical Ways to Cook Sustainably, E62 Pick One, E66 to 68 on reducing your carbon footprint, E77 to 79 on recycling. All of these episodes are loaded with details on how to live more sustainably. 

If you are truly confused on where and how to start, you have some homework to do. It you start feeling overwhelmed, then remember the first step is to take one step. Put one green foot forward at a time. If you focus on changing one thing per month you will be surprised at your progress one year from now. 

Becoming vegetarian or vegan

What I mean by this is that many people think in order to lead a sustainable life they have to become vegetarian or vegan. But, nothing could be further from the truth. 

To be fair, of all the things we humans do on this planet, it is widely known that our agricultural practices by far have the greatest environmental impact. And of all the agricultural practices, the production of meat, especially beef, has the greatest impact. 

Routinely I come across articles saying that if everyone in the world became vegetarian or vegan we could reduce our carbon footprint by nearly 75%. And knowing the impact that meat production has on our planet, I have no doubt that is true. 

However, being vegetarian or vegan is not suitable for everyone. Certainly I have met people that were vegan for health reasons. But likewise, some people may eat meat for health reasons. Eating meat may also be a cultural norm. Or it may be part of a person’s religious beliefs. 

Ironically enough, a vegetarian diet does come with certain health risks. The primary concerns of doctors and dietitians is that a plant-based diet lacks some key nutrients such as protein, vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and Omega-3 fatty acids. Some studies have shown that vegetarians are more prone to strokes, depression and decreased brain function. Some of these things can be avoided by consuming protein powders and taking supplements. But the question still remains is that truly enough? 

The bottom line, being vegetarian or vegan is not suitable for everyone and that includes me. But that being said, consider this. 

It is widely known that the average person consumes twice as much protein on a daily basis relative to what they need. Much of that over consumption is related to eating meat. The average person could easily reduce their meat consumption by 50% and still be in line with known dietary recommendations. There are several ways to reduce your meat consumption and have a positive impact. 

-If you choose to eat meat, reduce your red meat consumption every chance you get.

-Have two days a week that are meatless. Besides, meatless meals cost a lot less. 

-Eat more chicken and pork which has much less of an environmental impact relative to beef

-Eat more vegetables and grains that are high in protein. Things such as legumes, especially lentils, quinoa, chickpeas, brown rice, edamame, broccoli, potatoes and sweet potatoes. 

-If you want to eat red meat, stick to smaller portions and add in other protein sources such as beans, lentils, whole grains and vegetables. 

At the end of the day, you do not have to be vegetarian or vegan to have a sustainable life. There are obviously plenty of ways to reduce the impact of your meat consumption. It is simply a matter of changing some habits and making some different choices. 

Summary

Now what I have tried to do in the last few episodes is to discuss some of the most common barriers to sustainable living. What I have discussed has been the following:

-Preference for an existing lifestyle

-Time

-Convenience factor

-Cost effectiveness

-Lack of government support

-The doubt over the effectiveness of sustainable actions

-Confusion over what to do

-Concerns over being vegetarian or vegan

Now I hope that you can see by now that all of these barriers are not difficult to overcome. But, it may come down to changing some of our habits and even some of our values if we expect to build a sustainable future.  I think the difficult  part of that equation for some people is that our values are often affected by our culture and even our economy. And that causes many of us to place a greater or lesser importance on certain things. 

A perfect example is the fairly recent submarine accident that caught the attention of the entire world. It resulted in the death of a few very wealthy individuals. But about that same time there was also a devastating train accident in India that killed over 300 people and injured nearly a thousand. That accident barely registered in the global narrative. 

Now I do realize it is not productive to compare one disaster to another. But it does highlight the fact that many of us have a world-view that is tainted by a high-income perspective. And that perspective values lives differently in different parts of the world. And that perspective causes us to value many other things in our lives very differently. It also affects our views of sustainability and what we may or may not be willing to change or give up if needed.

Approximately 16% of the world’s population lives in high income countries. Nearly 49% of the household wealth globally is in the hand of 1.2 percent of the population. Mean while the poorest 50% of the world only controls 2% of global wealth. The financial disparity in our world is truly staggering. But, it points out the fact that not everyone in the world has the opportunity to live with their values. 

Truly no one enjoys being forced to compromise or give up their values and certainly people will fight to keep their privilege. But for many of us that live in a high wealth country, it is a privilege to live within your values. And that privilege alone taints our views of the world.

As for me, it is certainly a privilege for me to live a life of voluntary simplicity. But while I live on a mountain top in the middle of the forest and may pat myself on the back for doing so more than half the world lives on less than $7 USD per day. Meanwhile most of us have no clue that 5% of the worlds population is using 30% of the global resources. 

Now I point out all of this only to say that there is a small percentage of the global population that has the ability to literally change the future of this planet. 

One thing is certain. The future of humanity has not yet been decided. But I truly believe we are past the point of easy. We need to change the way we think and live. One other thing is also certain. We can see amazing results by putting one green foot in front of the other and pressing forward with the changes we can implement both individually and collectively.

Now I want to wrap up this episode with three things. First is the sustainability question of the week. 

Sustainability question of the week

What is sustainable transportation and why is it important? 

Sustainable transportation refers to energy efficient, affordable transportation that is low to zero emissions. This includes the use of alternative fuels, electric vehicles, other alternative fueled vehicles, walking, riding a bicycle, carpooling, using public transportation. 

It is important because our modes of transportation are the fastest growing source of energy related carbon emissions. Depending on where you live, modes of transportation contribute between 12% and 70% of urban air pollution. Using sustainable transportation is one of the biggest ways we can make a difference when it comes to climate change. 

Secondly, I want to say that after three episodes of focusing on over coming the road blocks to a sustainable life, next week’s episode is going to focus on the habits of highly sustainable people, and how to form these habits and make them a part of your life. Next weeks episode is called Sustainable Habits for a Sustainable Habitat. 

And thirdly,  I want to leave you with a quote from Tony Robbins who is a well known life-coach and philanthropist. Mr Robbins says, 

“what we can or cannot do, what we consider possible or impossible, is rarely a function of our true capability. It is more likely a function of our beliefs about who we are”. 

And yes folks, one person can make a difference. 

Until next week, this is your host Patrick signing off. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future.