Harnessing the power we pretend we don't have.

10 Small, practical actions you can take today that protect the planet, cut clutter, and allow you to own your power.

Small changes in our behavior can have a massive positive impact on our planet

For me, this time of year always invites reflection. As the calendar quietly flips into the new year, it feels like a natural moment to pause, consider what went right, what went wrong, and what might be worth doing differently. I am, admittedly, a devoted resolution maker.

In past years, my resolutions have been the familiar ones: eat better, exercise more, be more patient with my children, drink less wine. This year feels different. My “resolutions” center around being a better citizen of the world by reducing my own footprint, living a life aligned with my core values, and continuing to share what I’ve learned in ways that feel practical, honest, and doable.

Its not necessarily our fault but it is our responsibility

Some people may find my message boring or even annoying. I get it. We are under pressure from every direction. It wasn’t too long ago that my busy, overwhelmed self was genuinely irritated that I was expected to recycle at all. I declared often and publicly, that this shouldn’t be my problem. I could not be bothered. It should be the government, or the companies creating all the crap. It felt too complicated, too inconvenient, and frankly, unfair.

Reality check: It is, but all these years later nothing meaningful has changed. There are still no universal rules about what can and can not be produced, no real accountability for the people creating the waste, and “recycling” remains a maddening patchwork of ever-changing rules that vary by zip code.  That realization forced me to stop waiting for a perfect solution and start paying attention to the small, doable shifts that align my actions with my values.

Plastic is everywhere in our environment

There is a well funded well organized machine encouraging us to keep our heads in the sand.

When we stop and think, we all know what overconsumption is doing to the planet and what it means for future generations. All we have to do is look out the car window on the highway or the train window during our daily commute. The evidence is everywhere. There is garbage on the roadside, along the tracks, and woven into the landscape we move through every day.

At the same time, there is a powerful lobbying and marketing machine designed to keep us confused about what actually helps, what truly harms, and what is nothing more than noise/ greenwashing. It leaves many of us unsure how to do better, or even what “better” really means.

Pollution and the destruction of our planet is absolutely overwhelming.

This confusion helps explain why so many of us slide into quiet resignation and why overconsumption continues unchecked. Things feel so big and so out of control that it’s easier to disengage entirely. How can we possibly address all of this when we’re busy, overwhelmed, and already stretched thin? It starts to feel like someone else’s problem to solve. Surely, if it were truly urgent, the government would step in right? WRONG!

The small actions listed below won't change the world, but they might start the change. (especially if we talk about them and promote them within our communities). They are simple, realistic shifts we can make in our behavior as consumers, things we can do without actual hardship or deprivation. While each may seem small on its own, practiced by many, they have the power to create meaningful, positive change. More importantly perhaps they remind us that we are not powerless. That even within a broken system, there are ways to reduce harm, take responsibility where we can, and participate in creating something better.

10 Small, Meaningful Changes That Actually Make a Difference

1. Stop using paper towels. Use rags instead. Don’t buy them.  Make them from old clothing, towels, or bedding and keep a stack handy.

Why it matters: Millions of pounds of paper towels are discarded as waste every year, and this single‑use resource contributes to landfill methane emissions and heavy water and tree use in production. Many of these products are not recyclable and add to environmental strain.

2. Stop using paper napkins. Use cloth. You probably have some you save for “special occasions”. Today is special enough.   

Why it matters: Disposable paper napkins, like paper towels, require forests, water, and energy to produce and almost always end up in landfill, where they contribute to greenhouse gas emissions as they decompose.

3. Stop buying bottled water. (Duh- sorry) Bring a reusable bottle or coffee mug everywhere.

Why it matters: 600 billion bottles are produced annually. That is more than 1 million every minute.   It is estimated that only between 12 and 30 percent are recycled. Where do you think the rest end up?   It takes three times the volume of water to manufacture one bottle of water than it does to fill it.

4. Stop wasting water.  Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, take shorter showers, and reconsider water‑intensive landscaping.

Why it matters: Freshwater is a finite resource, and inefficient water use increases the energy needed for treatment and delivery, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and higher costs for households.

5. Do less laundry. Most clothes don’t need to be washed after every wear and yes there are one or two exceptions.

Why it matters: Laundry uses significant water and electricity, and every wash releases microfibers into waterways that contribute to pollution in oceans and rivers. When the textile is synthetic so are the particles.

6. Reduce food waste. Plan meals, use what you have, buy less, order take out less and bring leftovers home from restaurants.

Why it matters: Roughly one‑third of food produced globally is wasted each year, leading to massive greenhouse gas emissions and wasted resources from farm to table. At the same time millions of people face food insecurity or starvation every day.

7. Stop buying fast fashion. Cheap, trend‑driven clothing may cost little upfront but carries massive environmental and social costs.

Why it matters: The fashion industry is responsible for about 10 % of global carbon emissions, and textile waste, especially from fast fashion, contributes tens of millions of tons to landfills annually. The low prices that consumers enjoy are directly linked to the low wages and poor working conditions endured by those who make the clothes. Forced labor, child labor and unsafe working conditions are the reality for millions of workers in this industry.

8. Unplug electronics when not in use. TVs, chargers, coffee makers, microwaves, gaming consoles, and smart devices all draw “phantom power.”

Why it matters: Even when turned off, devices can draw standby power that adds up to unnecessary energy use and higher household emissions. Think global warming.

9. Eat less meat. You don’t have to go vegetarian.  Just replace some meals with plant‑based options.

Why it matters: Livestock production creates a substantial share of global greenhouse gas emissions and is a major driver of deforestation, land degradation, and water pollution.

10. Educate yourself. Watch a documentary, read a book, or listen to a talk about overconsumption and environmental impact.

Why it matters: A well‑informed consumer can distinguish meaningful solutions from greenwashing and make choices that reduce harm. Awareness is a powerful tool against confusion and inertia. The earth is the responsibility of all its inhabitants.

Recommended Environmental & Consumption Documentaries

1. The True Cost – A powerful film about the real impact of fast fashion on people and the planet, from pollution and resource use to worker exploitation.

2. RiverBlue – Conservationist Mark Angelo travels the globe to expose how textile and fashion manufacturing pollutes rivers and waterways.

3. SLAY – Investigates the environmental and ethical impacts of the fashion industry’s use of animal skins like leather, wool, and fur.

4. A River of Waste: The Hazardous Truth About Factory Farms – A deep dive into how industrial meat and poultry production harms the environment, water systems, and human health.

5. Wasted! The Story of Food Waste – Narrated by Anthony Bourdain, this documentary highlights the massive scale of food waste and showcases creative ways to reduce it.

6. Dive! – A look at food waste in America, following dumpster divers to reveal how much perfectly good food is discarded instead of donated or eaten.

7. Fashion’s Dirty Secrets – Investigative reporting on fast fashion’s toll on water resources and ecosystems (segments available online).

8. Eating Our Way to Extinction – Narrated by Kate Winslet, this film connects food production and consumption choices to climate change and environmental degradation.