In my house, we try our best to be green. Whether that be re-using our grocery bags, composting our leftovers, or turning off the lights when we leave rooms, my family is generally good about being environmentally conscious. We are good about limiting our shopping. We’re good about carpooling. We are good about recycling. We are good about using just enough water when doing the dishes. But, there is always room for improvement. My family and I can make hundreds more little changes to decrease our carbon footprint. Not big changes. Little ones, like buying more organic produce, using green porcelain, planting more native plants in our yard.
Recently, I decided that I should start working on one action. Just one. It was a lazy Saturday afternoon, and all my homework was done for the weekend. I had the time, and I felt the need to do something for my world, however small. First and foremost, I looked around. What around me could be changed? What would make a difference? I was still new to this impact project process, and buckling to what my mind had been suggesting since the beginning, I looked to the World Wide Web for answers.
The internet is an extremely helpful place. While scrolling through websites with unintuitive layouts and professional designs alike, I found endless discourse on the best ways to recycle milk cartons, paper vs. plastic bags, and the benefits of moss in your backyard. It was, quite frankly, overwhelming.
An hour later and knee-deep into the effects of plastics in the intestines of marine animals, a lightbulb went on in my head. I mean, overhead. My mom had walked in and turned on the lights.
I’ve found my idea.