The Global Climate Strike

Today marks the second Friday in a row that millions of people around the world have been striking for political action on climate change. These strikes have gone by several names: Fridays for Future, Youth for Climate, and Youth Strike 4 Climate. They basically all mean the same thing, though: people around the world are ready for change. 

In my previous post, I talked about Greta Thunberg, one of the founders of the current worldwide school movement for change. She's faced great criticism and mockery from political leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump. It doesn't seem to phase her, though. When asked about the criticism she and other strikers are receiving, she said, "...we should take as compliment that we are having so much impact that people are trying to silence us." 

 She's just one domino in this giant chain of events, though. In 150 countries around the world, millions (literally millions) are making their voices heard. Even Prince Harry is supporting the movement saying, "The world's children are striking. It is an emergency... ." Though this huge event that has been going on for the past week was officially designated to be going from September 20 -27, it is having lasting effects around the world. People are coming together to create change. To hear the most current news on these climate strikes, visit this link: https://globalclimatestrike.net/.

Sustainable tip of the week:
Try composting! Some municipalities take compost as a separate type of waste, and if that's the case for you, simply get a separate bin for all of your compostable waste and put it in the appropriate spot on garbage day. 
If you're not so fortunate, don't fret! You can still compost at home. I simply use and old container that I put my compostable kitchen waste in and give a shake or two every few days. Then when the bucket fills, I just toss it in my garden. (If you don't have a garden, you can find a pal that does or even use it in house plants. Or, if that's not your thing, the internet is full of tons of ideas for using up compost!) 
This helps prevent unnecessary waste from going to landfills!

Greta Thunberg: A Voice of Hope

Sometimes caring about the climate crisis feels like being a small wimpy hobbit fighting a gigantic greedy dragon. When so many world leaders, including the U.S. president, so adamantly deny climate change, it's hard to imagine that the individual efforts of people can make a difference. There's plenty of proof, though, that these individual efforts are making an impact and inspiring others to take action.

Please allow me to introduce Greta Thunberg. Though she is only 16 years old, she has been steadily rising as a prominent voice for climate action. She gained media attention in August 2018 for starting a strike outside of the Swedish Parliament that has since become the Fridays for Future movement. She was protesting the Parliament's lack of action on the climate crisis. Now, a little over a year later, she's taking on the world and urging people to pay attention.

She recently sailed to the U.S. from Sweden to take part in a protest outside of the White House. Her reason for sailing and not flying? She doesn't believe in the negative effects of air travel on the environment. She, a 16-year-old girl, is so firm in her beliefs that she spent a couple weeks on a boat (instead of a few hours on a plane) to minimize her carbon footprint. Imagine what the rest of the world can--and hopefully will--do. She is just one of so many people that give me hope for a sustainable future.

So what if I'm just a little hobbit? There's an entire book series about why that might not be such a bad thing. Especially when there's a bunch of hobbits and dwarves and elves and maybe even a wizard fighting with you. One thing is for sure, I'm happy that Greta Thunberg and so many other innovative, caring, intelligent hobbit and dwarf and elf people around the world are fighting this gigantic greedy dragon with me.  

Small Steps

It's  hard to view just about any kind of media without being berated with negativity. For instance, right now the Amazon rain forest is on fire, a huge hurricane has ravaged the Bahamas and U.S. east coast, and there's a marine heatwave stretching from Alaska to California. I know I definitely feel overwhelmed not just by environmental issues, but all kinds of issues.

When it comes down to it, companies around the world are the biggest culprits when it comes to wasting and harming the earth's resources. A quick Internet search shows which companies are the worst offenders. Voting for politicians that plan to take action against climate change and for sustainability is one of the best things anyone can do. Until people in positions of power decide to start making these changes, though, ordinary people should do what they can to inspire change and make their voices heard.

That's why, before I get into anything super serious or heavy with this blog, I'd like to make a list of little changes that most people can make without needing to invest a lot of time or money. And remember, sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is to just disconnect from the news for a while. Access to information can make people feel obligated to know everything that's going on in the world, but honestly, sometimes it's better not to!

Here are just a couple ideas:

• Vote for representatives that prioritize the planet.

• Buy items secondhand to reduce the demand for manufacturing new products. 

• Start incorporating more meatless meals into your diet, even if it's just one a week.

• Invest in a reusable water bottle to reduce how many single-use plastics you use (bonus points if you thrift it!)

• Buy (or make) some reusable bags to take shopping. 

• Refuse a straw when dining out if you don't need it.

This list is definitely not exhaustive. I could spend all day coming up with little tips and changes for a more sustainable, eco-conscious life. I just wanted to start with some of the simplest ones. From this point forward, I'll try to put an idea for living more sustainably at the end of each post, and every few weeks I'll make a post that goes into more detail about each tip. And if some of these ideas aren't feasible for you, that's totally okay! 

Remember, no one can do everything, but everyone can do something. 

An Introduction

Hello and welcome to this tiny corner of the internet! My name is Rachel Heming, and for the next several months (and possibly longer) I'll be maintaining this blog, Sustainable is Attainable, for my class "Writing for Social Change." I'm a student pursuing a degree in writing and environmental studies, so writing about sustainability and the environment is basically a combination of two of my passions. 

Here at Sustainable is Attainable, I'm hoping to highlight some of the achievements and efforts that people are making in this great wide world to create a greener future. The world is full of over-consumption, greed, and waste, but it's also full of caring, driven, innovative people that are working hard to change that. I believe that when we work to live more sustainably, it benefits people just as much as the planet. 

There are so many problems that need people to care about them. Inequality, poverty, government corruption... the list goes on. The amount of injustice in the world hurts me deeply, so I try to channel that energy into helping where I can. The changing climate and excessive waste are issues that really call to me, so that is where I try most to help. 

I want to learn about and share people working for a more sustainable world at all levels, working for change both big and small. Because I believe the future is what we make it, and there are so many people that want to make the planet better for everyone. 💚🌱