Rethink: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Earth Day 2019 is a great day to start thinking about your everyday life.

Every single day should be Earth Day. Cheers to the Earth!

Unless it is affecting your everyday life, you’re most likely putting it behind you. Out of sight, out of mind, am I right? If you look at the picture above, you'll see me searching the town of Salzburg, Austria for sustainable practices.

The Earth is always in sight, so do not neglect it!

What I urge you to do, starting today, if you have not already, is to RETHINK along with your reducing, reusing, and recycling.

To rethink how you live your life will then help you tune into sectors of your life that you have been neglecting when it comes to sustainability.

When I was showering this morning, I thought to myself, "wow Megan, you have a lot of work to do still. Look at all these products in your shower that cannot be recycled, and are single-use plastic. Shame on you!" I then proceeded to have the thought, "wow companies, you have a lot of work to do still. Look at all your products that cannot be recycled, and are single-use plastic. Shame on you for not providing your consumers with sustainable options!"

We are all part of the problem. However, we all need to be part of the solution.

The more I do to live a sustainable lifestyle, the more I can help those around me think differently. So can you.

To some, recycling every now and again seems like enough. But, many people actually do not know how to properly recycle and what their recycling center accepts. This is part of the problem. Please, please, please check out your local drop-off to see what they accept, and how to prepare the items for recycling. The more you inform yourself, the better the outcome!

The main problem that we should be addressing is that we are producing, producing, producing, as we want convenience, and access to everything as soon as possible. This is why companies are neglecting eco-conscious design decisions. They are trying to create so many new products that they do not have "time" to consider other packaging options.

So maybe let's take the time to stop and ponder, RETHINK, how we can do better.

• A little side note here, but a few months ago I went to the grocery store. I noticed that all of the bunches of celery were naked, and not in their normal plastic branded bags. This meant that I was going to have to put the celery in the very thin plastic produce bag. ~Equal amount of waste in this scenario~ However, I had talked to one of the workers, and they said a few women had complained already that the celery wasn't in it's normal plastic bag so it clearly wasn't fresh. This is the problem. We are used to things being a certain way, and if things change, we get upset. If we had companies providing us with more sustainable options, we would not have a choice in the matter. It is as simple as that. No... you cannot complain when things are being done for the better, even if it is less convenient.

I cannot stress enough the importance of stopping the creation of single-use plastic. Remember the ban on plastic straws? Well, why do you need a straw in the first place? Let's be real, we should be focusing on all aspects of plastic, and especially the larger single-use plastics like toiletries and so forth.

Small changes will make a difference, but it is needed from the producer as well as the consumer. We have to RETHINK together.

2020 is going to be a huge year. It is the year that so many companies have pledged to be better by, and I have to see it to believe it.

Sometimes, we are so accepting of change, and other times, we forget that although the years go by fast, damage can be done even faster.

So, on this Earth Day 2019, I pledge to be better. I pledge to RETHINK before I purchase, eat, recycle, clean, drive, etc. I may be one small human on this Earth, but I am a significant addition to the problem at hand. Sustainability means looking to a circular economy, being eco-conscious, and being aware of every aspect of my daily routine.

Everyone has a footprint. I do. You do. We ALL do.

How can you make a change today? What forces are driving you to be better? What companies are thriving off of sustainable practices?