I grew up in the Central Valley of California during the start of the recycling revolution trend, but that doesn’t mean I understood it. I understood the concept of less waste is better. I understood the concept of pollution is bad. I understood our waterways were our lifeline and needed to be revered and respected. I understood our farmland and agricultural efforts were vital to feeding not only our communities, but our state, our country and even our world.
That was a lot to take in and process. It all seemed so overwhelming, but what could I do? I was a child of the 80s, an agriculture student of the 90s and somehow became a hyper-consumer of the current times even though I know I can do better. I would guess a lot of people find themselves in a similar situation. I know I can do better and I want to do better, but where do I even start? Start at the beginning.
I recently joined the team of Happy Dancing Turtle, “Through education and collaboration, with sustainability and resilience at the heart, Happy Dancing Turtle has focused on growing good stewards of the planet since 2006. We believe inspiration and empowerment are critical elements in the change making process for youth and adults. From soil health and regenerative agriculture to nature play and environmental education we aim to provide programs, experiences, and learning that changes lives.”
I showed up to work my first two days, having picked up my coffee from my favorite local coffee shop, in the disposable cups that every coffee shop uses. I SHOWED UP TO MY FIRST TWO DAYS OF WORK AT A SUSTAINABILITY NON-PROFIT WITH MY DISPOSABLE, ONE USE COFFEE CUP. Let me assure you, that was the first bad habit I became aware of and a habit I was able to change immediately.
I own reusable coffee cups, water bottles, specialty thermoses and my guess is you do too (we will touch on the consumption of these at a later date). Who hasn't purchased that cute, reusable tumbler that you just had to have? Or that efficient, rugged thermos that is perfect for the job site? Have you given one as a gift to the fitness and health minded person in your life? Have you received one as a gift or as marketing swag in a giveaway? Most likely, we all have.
Look at those amazing Thermo flasks, those adorable, kitschy, reusable tumblers, that sporty, eye-catching water bottle? Why am I not using them more? Why am I not using them regularly? Right after I get a brand new one, I use it long enough to show-off. Look at my cute gift that someone bought me. Look at this brand, show, product that I support. Look at my clever stickers. And then I get bored, I get lazy, I stop using them and they sit in my cabinet.
The Power of Positive Influence
We talk about peer pressure being a bad thing, typically associated with negative connotation, but maybe it doesn’t have to be. When I walked into work with those disposable coffee cups, I immediately shriveled a bit inside, I knew I was doing a “not good” thing. I looked around at my co-workers and their beverage containers and I knew I wanted to be a part of the group. I wanted to bring my super cute, forest green water bottle with Happy Dancing Turtle stickers all over it. The stickers are fun and make me smile. I wanted to bring my “Tis the Season” football coffee tumbler to work. I like football, I like to talk about it if others are so inclined. I want to create relationships with the people around me based on shared likes/dislikes, based on friendly conversation about the interests we share through something as simple as our reusable containers.
According to TheRoundup.org, approximately 60% of Americans (155 million Americans) utilize a reusable water bottle. We’re off to a great start, but maybe we can all do a little better. With many businesses (gyms, airports) choosing to add options for refilling reusable water bottles, it’s certainly becoming more convenient than ever to use a reusable water bottle. Plus, keeping water available at all times helps with hydration, which leads to healthy bodies and minds. How great is that?
Think about personal habits, good and bad. Do you have a reusable water bottle? Do you use it? What steps/ideas would make using a reusable water bottle more habitual?
Stay tuned for more adventures as I stumble into sustainability and being a better steward of the resources I am lucky enough to have access to.
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