by Anne van Oorschot, AWC The Hague
The holiday season is behind us and all my decorations have been packed away for another year. 2024 is a fact, and 12 months of possibilities stretch before us. I always found the idea of a brand-new year heartening, but lately there seem to be so many HUGE problems in the world that the idea of 12 new months requiring actions seems more daunting than heartening. Where to begin? What to do? Can my actions really make a difference?
While individual actions will have limited effect on the armed conflicts in the world, the environment can greatly benefit from an individual’s positive actions and example! The Environment Team members have put together a list of what each of us has resolved to do this year. We hope our suggestions and motivation will help you feel inspired to find new ways to help the planet!
- I will carry my water bottle EVERYWHERE possible because I resolve to not buy single-use plastic water bottles. My water bottle will be a constant accessory like my phone or purse. I was inspired by the movement called Plastic Free July, where you put yourself to the test for one month. Saying “no” is the most important first step. I learned so much about the plastic waste that I took for granted. Remember, you don’t have to be perfect! — Alexandra Vo, FAUSA – New York
I resolve to begin swapping out wheat flour for alternatives in the kitchen. By using non-traditional flours – such as buckwheat, chickpea, almond, etc. – we encourage farmers to grow a wider range of crops, which positively impacts biodiversity in rural habitats. Individually, we also benefit by broadening the diversity of vitamins and nutrients in our diets. — Sheila Doucet, AAWE Paris
- Reduce my food waste by buying less food to begin with and then actually consuming everything I buy. Wasting food is bad for the environment – including the climate. According to the site Friends of the Earth UK: “We waste about a third of all food produced for human consumption. This wasted food has taken loads of fresh water, land and labor to produce. If it were a country, food waste would be the third highest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world! But we keep throwing perfectly good food away. Over 10 million tons of food are binned each year in the UK.” — Amanda Drollinger, AWC Central Scotland
- I resolve to keep speaking up about climate change and the loss of nature. The news these days seems bleak, and for me at least, demotivating. Other issues vie for our attention, some with a great sense of urgency. Rather than stew or curl up, I resolve to keep speaking up. I will try to inspire people with ideas and examples of things they can do that are good for the planet and at the same time are enjoyable or rewarding in additional ways. And I will continue working in a collective community garden (see photos below), signing petitions, sending messages to elected officials, and marching for macro changes that are needed. If you want a regular dose of inspiration, check out Not Too Late Climate. — Rena Levin, AWC Oslo
- I resolve to continue to create a wildlife-friendly garden. We have created two wildflower beds and are beginning to see more butterflies and bees. We also grow vegetables and fruits, which we harve
st and preserve. There are many invasive species of plants that take over and suppress native species and cause a disruption in the biosphere. We will be replacing any non-native plants and invasive species and creating wildlife-friendly spaces. Check out the National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder for more information. It is possible to have one’s garden officially designated as wildlife friendly, and you receive a sign you can display – so that is our environmental New Year’s environmental. — Valerie Garforth, FAUSA – Ohio
- I resolve to do more gardening myself, working the soil and sowing seeds for vegetables and flowers. By caring for the crops in a correct manner and avoiding the use of pesticides, I will make my garden a safe haven for birds, bees and wildlife. I am inspired by the gardening shows I watch on TV. There are clear indications on what to sow, where and when, season by season, and I have the desire to enjoy the fruits of my labor. — Jocelyn Fitzgerald, AILO Florence
- I resolve to try to 1) reduce my water consumption in the shower by being more consequent about turning off the water while soaping. 2) I will also continue to purchase most of my groceries by bike or on foot, and shop more at the local farmers’ markets and organic shops. 3) I will also work on reducing our consumption of (ultra) processed foods, which would be better for my health as well as for the environment. — Ayuska Motha, AIWC Cologne
- I resolve to continue to reduce our water consumption by saving and reusing water. We have a bucket in the shower to catch the water as it is warming up pre-shower and use that in two ways: water house plants or garden/balcony plants, or set the bucket next to the toilet and use the water to “flush.” (Really!!) We also collect “gray water” (water from washing and cooking vegetables, rinse water from dishes, water left in water glasses on the table, etc.) in a bucket in the bathroom and also use that to “flush.” It is a bit of a hassle to get used to, but we have noticed a savings in our water use, and it feels good to be wasting less. Now I can finally take a guilt-free bath as I leave the water in the tub and scoop it out 1 bucket at a time for flushes – it takes 2-3 days to use it all up!! — Anne van Oorschot, AWC The Hague
- Now that I am an empty-nester, I resolve to try to do more errands, including grocery shopping, by either walking or biking. I would like to try to do all errands in a 5-km radius by bike/foot, and only do one grocery trip per month by car (to get the heavy items). I was inspired by a New York Times article, “How I Turned My Errands Into Exercise,” in which the author went carless mostly for health purposes, but I will repurpose it for environmental reasons. — Mary Manning, Heidelberg IWC
I resolve to always ask for the reusable packaging for food and beverages when using take away/delivery services. At the beginning of January 2023, Germany introduced new legislation mandating the use of reusable packaging. In Hamburg, any take away/delivery offering must have an option to offer the product in a reusable container alongside the throw-away option. These reusables are basically borrowed and returned for repeat usage. — Christine Riney, AWC Hamburg
All photos from Environment Team members
