Do our zero-waste actions matter ? I get asked this question a lot. I get told that they don’t. And always a “no” when the above said action is inconvenient. Most often by folks who don’t practice simple living. I think they matter. We often don’t notice the effects because we live in a complex interconnected web of life and our modern lives/privilege disconnected from us observing the connections. If our ancestors consumed and wasted the way we do, what would the state of our planet be today ? Would we stand a chance ? What would our future generations think of us if we don’t care ? I would like to practice sustainable living nevertheless of if my actions are statistically significant. Why ? For the joy of it.
Let me show you an object in my home :
I own this rubber tub. It sits inside my sink. I do my dishes in it. When the tub fills up, I go empty it in my vegetable bed. I sometimes leave it outside to harvest the rain water. A certain section of my vegetable bed has solely been fed from the gray water from my sink from the start of life. They will be harvest ready in a month. I plan to make kimchi with the cabbage. The collard greens go into my smoothie from time to time. The beets will be roasted to perfection and then glazed with a balsamic. These plants not just feed me. These tiny holes in the leaves were made by multiple birds who live on this land alongside me.
Do the little actions matter ?
They matter enough to keep these plants alive. The joy of it is not too small to perceive.