Life is beautiful. No question about that. But life is also full of terrifying and depressing circumstances. With the constant reminders of environmental and economic devastation knocking at our door, it can be difficult to feel like there is an even slight possibility of creating change. Witnessing the turmoil that our environment endures has left me, at times, feeling heavy and hopeless. The “big picture” can be foggy and feel far out of reach. It’s hard to see how simple daily acts such as monitoring energy use in a household, limiting gas consumption or recycling can have a positive impact. But it does. The key to creating unified Earth-friendly sustainable communities on a global level is to start small, begin locally, and be present with everything you do.

Keep in mind that silence solves nothing, it never has, and it never will. Our silence will encourage more environmental destruction, violence and corruption at all levels, all over the world. Doing nothing and avoiding the obvious creates more of an imbalance. It is our civic duty and moral obligation to get involved, never be silent, and to solve our many problems. We can begin first by creating change within ourselves. Making a consistent effort to be a more compassionate being will have a large effect on everything, and everyone, we come in contact with. If we are embodying that of a positive attitude, we can share our ideas, hopes, dreams and happy vibes with others who will help to support and actualize our visions.

Next, we must believe that no matter how small a random act of kindness seems, it has a tremendous effect all-around, especially when the acts pertain to environmental causes. For example, picking up garbage lying in the street or while hiking or biking bringing a bag (reusable preferably) to pick up garbage or recyclables. If you see a leaky faucet in a public restroom, turn it off to conserve water and report it to the proper authorities. Use scrap paper to create notepads and give them out to people. If you are in a public place reading a magazine or newspaper, offer it to someone once you have finished reading it. Buy reusable bags and remember to bring them with you to the store to place your items inside. Use fabrics to wrap gifts or reusable bags. Report polluters to the proper authorities. Always REDUCE / REUSE / RECYCLE. “No act of kindness no matter how small, is ever wasted.” - Aesop

Beginning change locally will have positive effects globally. Everything is connected; there is no question about that. Creating change within your community is an excellent place to start. Small grassroots efforts such as an organized local river clean up can create a measurable impact on a global scale. If five hundred communities organized a river clean up in their area in the same month, there would be a massive decrease of toxicity of our drinking waters and less pollution would enter our Lakes and Oceans. Creating a composting system either individually or communally is an excellent measure to take. Environmentally, the use of compost has been shown to remediate, or clean up, contaminated soils by reducing toxic runoffs, binding certain toxins that might otherwise escape, and it prevents erosion when used near roadways, lakes, rivers, and streams. In addition to the biological, chemical, and environmental benefits of compost, the use of compost creates economic benefits. Using compost reduces the amount of fertilizer, water, and pesticides needed to produce healthy plants, and it is cheaper than artificial soils. Composting is a fairly simple procedure and it is fun to do!

These are just a few simple but effective ideas to help you get out of that “earth is going to end” hopeless kind of funk that’s impossible to not feel occasionally. There are many people out there making differences every day. There are others that hold a similar vision, one of a conscious, peaceful, harmonious and sustainable way of being for all life on this planet  When we connect our visions, our hearts, our energy, we are quite powerful. We are one. We are never alone. We are in this together. Never forget that….