April 9, 2012

Personal Sustainability Action Reflection


After writing out my wish list, truly allowing myself to pour out my most selfish desires, I realized that there are a lot of ‘wants’ that are not ‘needs’; things I see in this culture and society, that I have been raised to desire and pursue, that I do not actually need to have for a fulfilled life. Certainly, they are appealing wants that I could justify as deserved if I put in the effort to acquire them: for example, a fancy car. However, there is definitely no reason I need such items, and much more productive ways I could be putting my money and efforts to use in the future.

            With this in mind, I began sculpting away the unnecessary components of my wish list, discovering that most of the changes are long term goals, but which I can nevertheless begin working towards now by choosing differently. One way to start this is to make lifestyle changes, though not all that I would like to make are currently possible. This is why, for an immediate sustainability action, I have chosen to reduce and eventually eliminate my purchases and consumption of unnecessary packaged goods; this means anything I don’t need to buy that is packaged in an unsustainable way (i.e. not recyclable or easily reused). This would include food items packaged in foil or plastic (including fast food packaged in this way), disposable or throwaway items (ex. plastic utensils, saran wrap, plastic bags), and any other items that will end up as waste. I also want to start looking for alternatives to the packaged items that I do need to buy (ex. personal hygiene items and medicine).

            This is an appropriate immediate action because I can begin it right away without any external barriers. The only obstacle in my way is my own willingness to change my behaviour.  Although many of the packaged items I am used to buying are unnecessary, I still find myself wanting them for reasons of convenience or simple desire. Junk food, for example, is neither a need nor a healthy item, yet it can be very tempting. Nevertheless, such items are packaged in materials that will end up directly in the landfill. When I consider how much waste I produce annually just from such items I am reminded how devastating my impact alone will be if I continue to consume in this way.

            Avoiding packaged products has been a challenge and will still continue to be until I set it as a habit. I have found the easiest way to avoid these items is to plan ahead. It is usually when I am in a situation where I do not have an easily portable snack or drink that I end up buying a packaged item. For this reason, I have started bringing my coffee mug with me whenever I expect to buy a hot drink, and if I forget it I tell myself it’s too expensive without the discount. I am always trying to remember to bring along unpackaged snack items in a reusable cloth bag  (ex. apple, carrots, nuts), and when I go grocery shopping I make sure to stock up on such items so that I won’t need to buy plastic packaged snacks from my residence convenience store. This method is not only healthier for me, but it is also a self-esteem booster, as I feel better about myself for making better choices and reducing my waste.

            Gratification seems to be the strongest motivator in my own behaviour change. Telling myself I did the right thing as well as receiving positive encouragement from others, makes it much easier to continue with the change. Another strategy I have used is to appoint a friend as my accountability partner. I have a duty to report to this person about my progress, including if I have failed to keep with my decision. In this way I will feel guilty telling them if I don’t succeed, and so it works as another motivator to gain positive feedback from that person. These methods have worked well so far, and I am confident that with continued action I will be able to eliminate my consumption of unnecessary and unsustainable packaged goods.

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