Small Change, Big Impact: Why any lifestyle change made to help the environment is worth it.

Celebrities and influencers love to tell us to make a change. I’m told through Instagram posts and stories that if I don’t turn to a completely non-waste, zero-carbon- footprint and no-meat-consumption lifestyle, then I may as well not bother having kids because we’ll all be dead in 15 years. These celebs on social media have mastered the art of guilt tripping down pat. 

There is too much blame and guilt projected on others for not using reusable or recyclable products, and living environmentally friendly isn’t always the most attainable or financially stable lifestyle.

The #savetheturtles movement has led me to feel guilty every-time I drive-thru Starbucks to get my grande iced latte. So this week I decided to stop scrolling through my feed filled with environmental posts and see if my “going green” choices would be worth the lifestyle change that I was being pressured into.

The first step for me was cutting down single-use plastic, like straws and Ziploc bags. It wasn’t difficult when I was home and able to use metal utensils, but when I went out to eat at Panera for their heavenly mac and cheese, I forgot my anti-waste utensils and ended up using plastic ones. My forgetfulness left me feeling guilty and like all landfills were a product of my mistake.

When packing my lunch, I had to resist pulling open our “baggy” drawer and instead settle for reusable tupperware. As for my drinks, I always made sure to recycle water bottles if I had to use one — and thankfully, my Celsius energy drinks are recyclable as well. But frustration overwhelmed me when I realized my Nature Valley granola bar wrappers weren’t recyclable and destined for the trash can.

As much as I tried to avoid anything non-recyclable, I found it easy to be forgetful and didn’t think of all the alternatives to plastic trash. 

My attempt is an example of why, although I think it’s important to put some thought into the plastic waste individuals create, living completely green is a major lifestyle change and it should be done mindfully and gradually without too much guilt attached to the lifestyle. These habits aren’t easy to adopt for families without the money or resources to live plastic-free.

But I had no complaints for this next simple step: thrift-shopping. Chain clothing stores mass produce at a rapid rate, which releases toxic and environmentally harmful chemicals, meanwhile thrift stores give clothes multiple uses for different owners, reducing the mass production of clothes. 

Thrift-shopping for the best finds was a skill I could execute with my eyes closed. Shuffling through Savers and Goodwill racks, I knew I wasn’t running the risk of buying a shirt someone else would be wearing at school tomorrow. And, I was helping the environment.

I attempted to wear an entirely thrifted outfit to school, consisting of a green sweater, a chain necklace with red jewel pendants and high top Nike Air Force 1’s — but I was tempted to slip into my “non-thrifted” Nike sweatpants. I was proud of my outfit execution, but since it wasn’t 100% eco-friendly, I felt like I dumped a truck-load of trash into the ocean. 

This is the mindset we must avoid by telling ourselves that we are making a positive impact and that even trying to make a small change in your life is good enough. 

Possibly the largest component contributing to air pollution is cars. Carpooling can be a practical option, but to take this a step further, I thought it’d be a good idea to try to ride my bike. It was going to be hard to distance myself from my beloved car, Billy, but the Earth’s health comes first. 

But when visualizing myself on a bike in 20 degree weather with ice on the sidewalk I feared it would only result in a bike crash — this made my environmentally friendly bike ride plan impossible. Unpredictable weather and other inconveniences such as unsafe roads and sidewalks or too long of a commute demonstrates the difficulty in attempting to live 100% eco-friendly. 

Lastly, I became a vegetarian for a day. Forming meatless meals wasn’t significantly challenging but if I continued on a daily basis, I wouldn’t always have vegetarian options available and that can sometimes prove to be more expensive and harder to find when eating out. 

For dinner, I ended up going to Chipotle for my classic steak bowl order — minus the steak. I also forgot a reusable fork, and there was no conceivable way for me to eat my vegetarian bowl with my hands without getting some concerned looks — so I had to give in to using a plastic fork.

One celebrity that spoke out about being vegan was one I truly admire — Billie Eilish. She posted to her Instagram story and collaborated with Woody Harrelson to talk about how eating meat damages the earth. I was disappointed to see one of my favorite singers and an actor from many of my favorite movies make me feel like my current lifestyle was a disgrace.

I think, if fitting, even high school students can take those extra steps to buy reusable tupperware and straws and eat meat-free — but if you forget a metal straw, or have been dying to get the newest Urban Outfitters collection, you shouldn’t feel guilty. Individually, it’s up to you to live for yourself and no one should live with the burden that everything they do is killing the environment. And remember that enjoying steak in your Chipotle bowl for lunch, won’t end the planet and our existence.