11 Ways to Stop Destroying the Earth (put bluntly)

in Consciousness / Earth Friendly Living / Environment / Perspective / Psychology / Resource Conservation / Tips  by Rob Greenfield 16 comments

I’m not going to talk about bottled water, gas-guzzling vehicles, or factory farmed hamburgers here. Those are just a few of the thousands of ways that most of us are destroying the earth. If you don’t give half a crap about anything but yourself the words ahead will probably mean nothing to you. But if you have even a little twinge in your belly that everything is not all right on earth then I suggest taking this seriously. These 11 ways to stop destroying the earth hit deep at the root of our thoughts, words, and actions.

  1. Whatever you are doing that you know is causing destruction to the earth; just stop.
  1. If you have a thought that something you are doing is wrong take the time to research it extensively and then take appropriate measures.
  1. Don’t plead ignorance as a means to avoid having to make changes. Educate yourself- seriously- and take action on what you learn.
  1. Stop rationalizing things. If you have to rationalize it’s probably because you are doing something you know you shouldn’t be doing. Rationalizing is often subconscious though, so start paying attention to what you are thinking, saying, and doing, and question it.
  1. Stop lying to yourself and be honest.
  1. Be courageous and stand up for what you believe.
  1. Boycott any company destroying the earth and find an alternative.
  1. Take responsibility for your actions. Only you can control yourself.
  1. Align your actions with your beliefs and your words.
  1. Realize you are 1 human amongst 7 billion. Sure, you matter, especially to yourself and your family and friends, but in the grand scheme of things you mean as much as a grain of sand on an expansive beach.
  1. Realize the human race is one species amongst 4.5 billon species. The earth does not revolve around us. This is not the human’s Earth; it is shared by all creatures.

It’s not necessarily going to be easy to follow all of this right away but that is no reason not to try. It’s all too easy to look at the daunting path to peace and not do anything because you can’t do it all. We’ve all got to start somewhere though and you have to start with where you are at this moment. I suggest transitioning into a less destructive life by following these guidelines a little more each and every day. With cumulative successes, it will become easier to achieve a more peaceful way of being.

More reading: How I went from a binge drinking environmental nuisance to someone who is actually making a positive difference for the earth.