3 mistakes I made in my sustainability journey

The following post is the written version of the featured video.

Let me assure you; I make mistakes every single day. But it's the mistakes that allow us to fall and get back up on our feet to learn and learn again, and I've learned quite a bit from my mistakes in the past five years of my sustainability journey. While I love to share my learnings, I don't often share my mistakes, and I hope this honest reflection will help you avoid some of the things I've faced.

This final video of my sustainability series is sponsored by GoClimate - find more details at the bottom of this post.

Mistake one: having high expectations for myself and others

After witnessing the disconnect between our consumption and waste first hand, my world flipped upside down. This aha! moment comes to many of us at the start of our sustainability journey, whether from reading a book, watching a documentary, or just from a personal experience. I'm sure many of you can relate to the experience of processing many questions and thoughts, trying to sort out this new reality. Unfortunately, the shock can lead to unhealthy expectations.

I remember feeling utmost urgency to change my lifestyle and to spread awareness. Those motivations can be good, but urgency and pressure aren't sustainable for yourself and those around you if they’re the only motivations. As someone who likes to get things done, I wanted to make all the changes overnight, and I had set pretty high expectations for myself and I wanted to change everything in an instant. But that wasn't going to happen, nor was it realistic for myself, or anyone else.

The more I've gone through this journey, the less critical I became of myself and others. We live in a broken, linear economy full of consumables and plastics, and it's challenging for any of us to swim against the current that’s currently before us. I soon realized that patience and understanding are needed when it comes to any lifestyle change. I've had to apply this not only to myself but also to my husband, Peter, who isn't as interested as I am. But we can all take steps to learn a bit more and see how we can do better. This lesson is also a reminder for us to speak up and demand change for the entire economy and waste system - none of us should feel guilty for a system we did not create, so let's hold those who have the power to make changes accountable.

Mistake two: thinking that I could buy my way out of climate change

Having a background in business, I was led to believe that conscious consumerism could change the world. It has, in some ways, changed our world for the better. I'm really happy to see more brands being held accountable for their actions and more zero waste product offerings than what was available just five years ago.

Yet consumerism is only part of the answer. Sure, we need businesses held responsible for the products they're making, but we also need consumer activism. Though it may take longer to take effect, a new law introduced to hold companies accountable for their waste, carbon emissions, or plastic could make a far more significant impact, and we need to keep advocating for those large-scale changes. It takes time, and it can be daunting, but finding like-minded environmental groups in your area is a simple first step to help you understand what's going on with your local government.

Mistake three: being driven by fear to live a more sustainable life

There's no denying that the implications of climate change, environmental harm, and pollution are scary. We all want to live in a safe world for generations to come, where no one has to be displaced from their home due to an increase of natural disasters, or not have to face the reality of not having enough water due to extreme drought. Yet headlines, books, and documentaries often have to highlight the urgency to spur people to action. Unfortunately, that fear is the only motivator, it's not healthy for any of us long term.

I've experienced my fair share of eco-anxiety in the past few years, often feeling hopeless in certain situations when I felt like I couldn't do anything. But the more I was driven into depression and fear, the more I realized that this is no way to move forward.

Today, hope and love are what keep me going. I have hope that our world can work together in a beautiful way to change our planet for the better, and I want to love the people and the earth all the more. I love this quote I included in the conclusion of my book which states, "The power of one man or one woman doing the right thing for the right reason, and at the right time, is the greatest influence in our society." Though you are one individual out of more than 7 billion, your actions matter and have the potential to positively change the lives and mindsets of the people around you. So let's dream big for a healthier planet for this generation and generations to come.

May this video be an encouragement not to be afraid of falling and getting back up on your feet. And as always, I appreciate you taking the time to tune in to this last video for my Earth month series. Thank you for being willing to learn with me as I try my best to make this world a little better than before.

About GoClimate

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