Where were you on New Year’s eve? I was on a plane to Vancouver after a two-week trip visiting my family and friends in India. In a struggle to find the cheapest tickets available, I ended up choosing the least eco-friendly option for my plane journey – the one with two stops.
Where will you be in 2020? I am in Vancouver, trying to improvise upon what I couldn’t in 2019. Calming down the critic inside me so that I can move forward with a renewed fervor for reducing not only my own impacts on the environment and people around me but also help others along the way.
An African proverb says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” The same applies for our planet right now. An entire community of people must interact with our planet for it to grow in a safe and healthy way. I hope our leaders develop new systems to make it easy for all of us.
Looking back at 2019, here are a few things I tried:
- Just when the year came to an end I tried sanitary napkins made of cornstarch and bamboo fibers. After a few uses I got used to its comfort level. It’s relatively soft and thin, not the softest around though but not rough either.
- Transitioned to a toothbrush made from bamboo. I have not reached the stage where I’d need to pluck the plastic bristles out of it.
- Figured out how to dispose e-waste locally. I have moved several times in the past few years which makes it difficult to re-find systems.
- Denied free plastic bottles offered by airlines as I carried a refillable glass bottle.
- Planted herbs instead of purchasing herbs sold in discrete packets.
- Carried a cloth bag wherever possible. Denied plastic bags offered by grocery shops.
- Encouraged my tiffin provider to provide tiffin in reusable containers.
- Purchased eco-friendly and local products when available. Resisted the urge to shop online on several occasions. Helped sell eco-friendly products.
- Shopped at a zero-waste shop which was exciting!
- Switched to bath bars.
Food and packaging waste, flying, and daily commute remain to be my biggest challenges.
How was your 2019?
anujasawant.com 
Lovely to see the effort that you put in. Well, in 2019, I made sure that I switch from plastic containers to glass jars to store my kitchen essentials.
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Hey Jyotsna! Thank you. What did you do with the plastic containers?
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Thank you for being such a good Steward of the planet! It’s not easy in this day and age or we have been provided with so many conveniences, but produce so much waste.
I don’t know if it will help, but an article I wrote years ago on measures we could employ as individuals to help the planet, I believe will help you. Keep up the great work!
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Thank you, David! I appreciate the thumbs up. :)
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Thank you for being such a good Steward of the planet.
An article I wrote years ago on my website may help you in your quest..
https://shiftethos.com/2014/05/29/things-environmentally-conscious-individuals-can-do-to-protect-the-environment/
Hope it helps!
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Thanks for sharing your article, David!
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