Anyone else feel disheartened at times.....

[Beach Mama]

We recycle. We have a massive water tank. We have short showers. I only use Eucalyptus oil for cleaning and very occasionally WK. We grow vegies. I have a worm farm. We choose products with low packaging. I don't buy Nestle. We use our Shop Ethical app as much as possible. I use Soap Nuts.

But there are days where I find it all a bit harder than just buying nice smelly powder (Earth Choice of course!) or I look at the effort and wonder if it really is worth it when big industry use so much water, make so much waste, create pollution and it all seems futile??

Am I alone? I like doing my bit, I love it in fact on most days but there are days when I wonder if it is worth it.

[Diamond75]

Yes it is worth it!

I've never heard of soap nuts before, just google them and purchased 1kg bag of soap nuts which will mean no more nasty chemically detergent for another household.

and I will in turn tell my mum about it and no doubt she will also give it ago (as it is cheaper option too!) so that means another household etc etc..


So thanks for posting!
xx

[trishalishous]

I know what you mean!
I wish the govt would make industry more environmentally accountable.
I also wish that the utilities companies used the census, and billed higher for those who use more than their housholds share of resources.
ie the average 4person family uses x amount and your house is double that, so an extra tarif applies.
my mil had 15 *gasp* lights on in her house at 2pm yesterday arvo (while she was in the shower for an hour mind you) not to mention the HEATER (its 25 outside), massive flatscreen TV and the computer :eek: .
I complained about our $500 power bill (everything is electric, we have 1 heater running in our room for DD, as its often below 0 overnight) and she said 'oh that's cheap'
there is only her &fil in the house, and he works 18 hours a day/6days a week (hes a doctor) plus they have gas cooking and waterheater.
we have 2 adults, a new born and 4yo twins(half the week) for that bill.
the last one was half that, as its not as cold lately.
it really annoys me, and as horrible as it sounds I'd love to say to her 'just because you'll be dead soon doesn't mean that you can just murder the planet with your selfish,wasteful habits'
although I obviously just think that, and we 'passively agressively' fight back by changing her lightbulbs for energy savers (or DH once put up dead bulbs, so they weren't able to be used lol ) and switching off everything every time we are there.
oh and dh hid the heater remote once, as its SUMMER!!!

[luna moth]

Have to quote Al Gore's movie here. It is worth it because when your kids come to you, learning of the disaster zone of a planet they are inheriting, and they're feeling overwhelmed or disheartened, you can look them in the eye and say "I tried."

[Beach Mama]

Thanks for your replies! Audax, thanks hun!!! xoxo I don't think I will ever stop trying but I think I will grump about it and also wish I didn't have such a strong "eco-concience" some days. There are people like my sister who are not dumb people by any means but just don't get it, they don't think about the damage, they don't think about the affect they might be having and contributing and they are ok with that? I dunno why I feel so guilty even with all we do(and there is more we could do) but as I said some days it just seems so hard. I do look at my kids and want better for them and that is part of why I do what I do.

[luna moth]

I struggle too. I started studying sustainability and was warned by the teachers that I was "taking the red pill" - you can't unlearn what you learn, and sometimes I just wish I could live in the blissfully ignorant state that so many around me obviously do.

Sometimes, I would love for my choices not to be the hard road. I feel like we are constantly swimming upstream.