7 simple things you can do to be kind to Earth.

It seems like this year really provided us with an opportunity to become kind to Earth through our actions.

During the quarantine phase we saw other species of animals roam the streets and return to parks, the waters cleaned and we were able to breathe better because of fresh air and less pollution.

Soon we clawed our way back to our unhealthy habits although I do see the progress we have made in certain industries and I am not taking it for granted.

We have definitely learnt some of the lessons we longed to learn and are slowly shifting towards a more futuristic reality. I’m rooting for automation and UBI to take off as when the next pandemic comes we will have to handle it better than we did COVID-19.

A lot of nations have been absolutely beaten to the ground by this virus, people died because of crazy conspiracies and not enough ventilators, not to mention what we did to the economy and global mental health. We sure do need better leaders but it’s also on everyone else to lay the foundation for a sustainable future.

Climate change may not seem like a huge threat right now, but in 30 years we will be burning and diseases will spread faster. Creating a sustainable and environmentally-friendly world is not an option anymore, it’s a necessity.

To push you a bit further and encourage you to do more for our planet, I want to share with you 7 simple things you can do to be kind to Earth:

• Start reducing the number of animal products you consume and start shifting towards adopting a whole food plant-based diet. Read about how you can start here.
• Support companies that offer eco-friendly products and services, or support ethical brands that are sold on websites such as Amazon to let Mr Bezos know what we demand more of.
• Grow your own fruits and vegetables if possible. It’s not even necessary that you have a big garden as you can grow tomatoes on your balcony and strawberries on your window shelf.
• Commit to using reusable water bottles and cotton bags for shopping. You only need to spend around 12€ to get a glass water bottle that you can refill throughout your day and a reusable tote bag for your groceries.
• Avoid falling into the trap of always needing new toys. The phone you bought three years ago is still good. Unless your computer is missing essential buttons and the screen is glitching, you are doing well. You don’t need new tech toys every year if the ones you currently own are in great condition.
• When buying new clothes and accessories, always visit thrift stores first. You don’t have to buy everything there but don’t make Zara and H&M your go-to shops when you could easily find a great second-hand sweater. 
• If you want to think big and you have a bit of money saved, invest in an electric car and in solar panels for your home. 

I’m not going to call you out if you are driving a non-electric car, but I also will not point fingers at billionaires for not being perfect even though they could do much better. 

We ALL could, and we can, do much better!

Being broke is not an excuse for buying shitty things all the time that cause pollution and kill the most vulnerable among us. To be kind to Earth means just that: to be kind to Earth. It doesn’t mean perfect or wealthy and powerful, just ethical enough to do YOUR part.

If one billion individuals start buying 50% of their clothes in thrift stores, fast fashion won’t be growing so fast. If even one thousand people start supporting their local farmers and buying plants a few times a week, imagine what would happen to slaughterhouses and dairy farms.

Not only would we save beings who are currently tortured, exploited and murdered, but we would shift the way we think of our food and how it affects the planet we all reside on. 

To learn more about how to be a kind human please make sure you are following me on Instagram and Pinterest.

Tanja