Podcast on nature, conservation, and sustainability available now
While I’ve been quiet on Stepping Outside for the past year (and what a year it has been), I wanted to stop by and share a new project. A Little Greener is a weekly podcast that a friend (and fellow environmental educator) and I have started to share our thoughts about nature, living sustainably, and conservation issues. Since this clearly overlaps with my blog content–and in fact, I based an upcoming podcast episode on one of my previous blog posts–I wanted to share it here for those who may be interested. Please feel free to check out our second episode below, or find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or Podbean. You can also follow us @alittlegreenerpod on Instagram or search for A Little Greener Podcast on Facebook.
Also, if you have your own nature podcast you’d like to share, or one that you already love to listen to, please feel free to share in the comments. I am new to the podcasting world, and would love to learn, grow, and develop a communnity.
I do hope to continue writing here once life settles down a bit, too. In the meantime, thanks for reading, and stay safe!
From the plastic pollution to climate change to animal extinctions, environmental issues can feel overwhelming. How do we stay positive in the face of negative environmental news? We can start by looking for the helpers.
Mr. Fred Rogers once shared a piece of advice from his mother on dealing with catastrophes. “Always look for the helpers. There will always be helpers.” Unfortunately, the helpers don’t often get much attention, but finding the helpers in our environmental crises reminds us that there is hope. Here are the stories of a few that have had an impact on me over the years.
You may have seen the headlines that scientists estimate that plastic in the ocean will exceed fish by weight by 2050. Boyan Slat, a Dutch inventor, is working to change that. I first heard of him back in 2013 when I learned through my co-workers about this teenager that was going to save our oceans. Slat founded The Ocean Cleanup project at just eighteen years old. I have been following his work since then, and it has been such an encouragement to watch the progress. The organization has been developing a system that can be deployed into the ocean to collect and retain plastic on the surface of the water, and has tested two models. Although the system is not yet fully functional, The Ocean Cleanup has a goal of achieving a 90% reduction of floating ocean plastic by the year 2040. While you may find conservationists split over his approach, Slat’s creativity, passion, and determination are inspirational.
Another organization that I learned about through my work is the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Persevering through challenges such as civil unrest and the Ebola virus outbreak in 2016, the hard-working, passionate GRACE staff, made up of members of the local community, give their time and effort to provide care and a safe space for Grauer’s gorillas that have been rescued from poachers. They also work to educate the local community about this critically endangered species. Knowing that there are people like this fighting for endangered species around the globe is a huge reason to hope.
You don’t have to be a teenage prodigy or dedicating your life to the conservation of a species to be a helper, though. One of my constant inspirations (in all areas of life) is my own mother. Several years ago, she took online classes to learn about the impact of environmental issues on global health. Since then, she has sought to make changes in her own life, even making the commitment to buy a hybrid car to reduce her carbon footprint. I have friends who are actively taking steps to reduce their waste, growing their own food, volunteering their time to conservation organizations, and even starting their own eco-friendly businesses. They remind me that helpers are everywhere, doing things large and small, to positively impact our planet.
So, as Mr. Rodgers said, the next time you feel bogged down by the state of the environment, remember to look for the helpers. And, like my mother, don’t forget to be the helper, too.
What are some of your favorite conservation organizations? How do you seek to be an environmental helper? What are some other ways that you keep from being overwhelmed by environmental news? Share your thoughts in the comments!
If you are looking for ways to live a sustainable lifestyle, there’s no shortage of information out there on different things you can do. From making your own cleaning products to planting a pollinator garden to making sustainable swaps, trying to be eco-friendly can sometimes feel time consuming and overwhelming. But, while those things are important, living for the planet doesn’t always have to be about doing more. For those days when you want to save the planet, but also don’t want to get off your couch, here are a few ways that you can actually do less and still be an environmental superhero.
Cut out the yard work
Lawn maintenance can be a time-consuming task, and it tops the list of my least favorite chores. Fortunately for me, conservationists agree that well-manicured lawns do nothing for the environment. Where we see healthy, bright green grass, native wildlife sees a wasteland without any native food or shelter. Those dandelions that so many people spend time and energy to remove can be a good early source of food for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. To top it off, the pesticides and fertilizers we use to keep that grass growing and weed free are detrimental to insects and cause chemical runoff in our waterways.
Dandelions are a potential food source for pollinators Photo by Ela Haney on Pexels.com
In the fall, many of us are used to raking and bagging fallen leaves to be hauled away. However, once again, conservationists are encouraging us to skip raking and leave the leaves as a natural source of shelter for insects. Fallen leaves also return nutrients to the soil.
Leaving the leaves can provide winter shelter for wildlife
So give yourself a break: let those dandelions grow and those leaves fall! If you get some weird stares from your neighbors, just tell them you are doing your part for native wildlife.
Skip the sorting
Confession: I have not sorted a load of laundry during my entire adult life, be it by color or fabric or item. If it isn’t a hand-wash or dry clean item, it goes into the machine in cold water. During my college years, I skipped out on sorting laundry in order to save those precious quarters. These days, I just plain don’t want to waste the time and energy to sort. Once again, though, there is a real environmental benefit to this lazy habit. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, about 90% of the energy used by your washing machine goes towards heating the water, and only 10% to actually running the washer, so washing on cold is a huge energy saver.
Stop sorting your laundry to save time, money, and energy
A couple of laundry bonus tips: do laundry less often! Make sure to wait until you have a full load before running your machine. Newer machines may use anywhere from about 5 to 25 gallons of water per cycle, and older machines will use even more, so those energy and water savings add up over time. Unfortunately, I haven’t yet come up with an environmental reason to avoid folding socks, but if you want a step to skip when it comes to drying your clothes, ditch the dryer sheets. It’s a small thing, but it keeps an unnecessary single-use item from going to the landfill.
Give yourself a nature break
Okay, so maybe this last one is technically doing something (and for that matter, doesn’t necessarily have a direct impact on the environment), but it is still a great excuse to use when you just don’t feel like getting that closet cleaned out. And, after all, getting outside is what this blog is all about, right? Putting away your to-do list and letting yourself spend even just 20 minutes outside in nature is a great way to clear your head and unwind. Plus, you may just find yourself inspired and energized to find more ways you can help protect our planet!
Take some time to relax in nature Photo by Kaique Rocha on Pexels.com
Do you have other ideas to add to this list? Share in the comments!
Stepping Outside 