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We are the change

One small change, one huge impact

By Hippy vagabondPublished 2 years ago Updated about a year ago 3 min read
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I turned 6 and filled another trash bag

We were featured in our local newspaper because of what makes my family unique.

When your family picture gets featured in the newspaper, it can be a moment of pure pride. You suddenly hit five minutes of fame, which can get overwhelming. We had more than five minutes, so the readers asked many questions. We are a family that isn't conforming to what society dictates.

Not only do we homeschool, but we do it differently. Additionally, we live in a tiny house and have a minimalist approach. Also, we pick up trash on purpose and try to be zero waste as much as possible. It's a lifestyle choice that some are unable to comprehend. Sometimes we're labeled homeless, poor, or even crazy, but in reality, we prefer living a life full of memories. Volunteering and participation in things that add value to our lives is more important to us than running after money.

It is not uncommon for us to go out to clean our community and bring a garbage bag with us. You would be amazed to see what we pick up that people throw away on the ground instead of throwing it away in the trash.

By Naja Bertolt Jensen on Unsplash

Our biggest surprise is finding garbage around garbage cans. My daughter asked whether we should teach people how to use a bear proof garbage bin, since perhaps people didn't know how to use it. In fact, this made me wonder if people were lazy or genuinely unaware of how it worked. Do they realize that the ocean is so close that waste is easily blown into the sea by the wind?

As part of our leave no trace commitment, we strive to leave places "cleaner" than they were when we traveled and hiked. As a result, we became more aware of plastic pollution and climate change. We watched many documentaries and discussed them together. We still try to make a difference even if it means changing our routine. We are not perfect, and some people like to point out what we do wrong instead of what we do well. Often people are afraid to try and change certain things for the sake of not making a significant impact, but if 7 billion people made one small change, imagine what the impact would be on the planet.

Therefore, we started cheering every small effort made and are trying to educate our community. Reusable shampoo bars reduce the number of plastic bottles in the landfill, as do reusable water bottles, coffee mugs, shopping bags, produce bags, beeswax wraps, homemade lunches, bamboo toothbrushes, and so on. In 2022, imagine if every person on earth made one more change. If we take for example someone who decides to transition to a shampoo bar, we would save 7.9 billion plastics from our field, and even more if we consider that he or she buys shampoo every month. If they keep that change, it saves 12 pieces of plastic. 94 billion pieces of plastic can be saved from landfills and oceans if 7.9 billion people keep their changes every month for a year. I'm not sure anything will change people's minds if this doesn't.

Everyone has a story and we are all different, that's what makes life so special. We should celebrate our differences and highlight each other's strengths, encouraging one another and appreciating others' choices without stereotyping. Let us know what you plan to do in 2022 to make life better on earth. What small change will you make in 2022? Let us know what you will do next to make things better. Among our upcoming projects is helping shelters and cooking meals for the homeless. Additionally, we wish to change people's perception of minimalists.

What sets us apart is that we don't push our ideas, nor our way of doing, but instead we support people on their journeys. We listen first before offering advice. We are very proud of their hard work. As humans, we make mistakes, too, so we aren't judgmental when people do, because we aren't perfect either. Our mission is to be encouraging, supportive, and work together to find solutions, which is why education plays a critical role. Obviously, every family is trying to do their best, too. We are happy to clean our way around town and hope that more and more people will join us in our cleaning journey. In addition to partnering with companies and volunteering, we hope to spread the word about many projects we are currently working on.

For those interested, our newspaper article can be found here.

https://www.albernivalleynews.com/home/cleaning-up-port-albernis-shoreline-is-a-lifestyle-choice-for-young-family/

I invite you to follow on Instagram @Ozeyalife for more motivational posts, tips, and tricks and @caylanamermaid for a new educational project.

Plastic-free mission

#bethechange #onechange #smallchange #tinychange #zerowaste #plasticfree #saveourocean #makeachange #minimalist #zerowasteliving

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About the Creator

Hippy vagabond

We are the dynamic duo of imagination and wellness, your go-to source for captivating fiction stories and soul-stirring poetry. We transport you to worlds where dreams come alive. Join us on a beautiful journey of wonders and well-being.

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