It is never too late...

We live in a world of excuses, broken promises, laziness, apathy and individualism. This much is true. People no longer care about issues that were once front runners of public forums, or are no longer aware of such issues. To look at the big picture is often disheartening and downright depressing. But to be aware of the small triumphs that are happening every day around us us uplifting.

I know that if people are reading these words, more likely than not you have heard them all before, and possibly ignored them before as well. I don't know why my ramblings should be any different to you, but I hope they are.

It is never to late to make a change for the better. Many people claim that "it is too late, I am one person, how much can I change, not enough people are making positive changes, how will I make a difference?" etc. etc. etc. The list of excuses could go on and on. But the truth is (and I know this phrase is worn to death), it takes one person to start a revolution. This is my recent dramatic change in opinion. I used to be a person who didn't mind if she didn't recycle because "What's one more bottle in a landfill?", didn't care if I bought coffee that wasn't fair trade because "What difference did it really make?", didn't attempt to buy organic because "What's the point, really?". But when you take the time to inform yourself about the world, and the choices you have, the difference that one person makes can be overwhelming. Think about this: if you buy one coffee every day for a year, how many cups do you use? How many people daily buy a cup of coffee, not thinking about the impact their consumption will have on the environment. Think about this: if you used your own reusable coffee cup, you have stopped 365 paper cups from going into a land fill, and no doubt saved a couple of trees in the process. Imagine if one person decided to make one or two positive changes in their lives, and then convinced one other person to do the same.

Now, I am not perfect. I am far from it, in fact. I still often go for convenience over sustainability. However, I am trying. I am trying to consistently better myself, and make choices that will translate into the preservation of the environment. I enjoy the world, I enjoy trees, I enjoy clean water, so why would I not endeavour to protect them? I know many people are skeptical of my position, if not downright scornful. The reason I am so positive, is that I was able to make a change. If I can change, then there is hope for everyone.

Nothing is too little, nothing is too late. Next time you use a paper product, imagine walking through a tree-less forest. Next time you use bleached cotton, imagine the chemicals used to bleach it swimming around in your drinking water. Imagine your kids (even if you have none, create some in your mind) walking around with face masks on in order not to breath the contaminated air. These threats are not a distant mirage, they are very real and present.

What we are doing to our planet and ourselves is utterly irresponsible. Who gave us the right to unthinkingly abuse the land we live off of? So many people continue to live unsustainably and the situation often seems hopeless. But every day, I believe more and more people like me are waking up and realizing what they are doing is horrible wrong, and life as we know it cannot continue on much longer without some major changes. So, I hope that you are still with me at this point. I hope you make a change in your life. Just one is all I'm asking. You don't have to majorly inconvenience yourself, just walk an extra block and buy fair trade coffee instead of regular. Use a reusable cup instead of paper. Buy an organic banana instead of a regular one. Purchase recycled paper instead of bleached, non-recycled paper. Walk or bike to work instead of driving, or take public transit. Please, just make one small change. It's all I am asking.