Your Relationship With The Environment: Part 2

Photo Credit: Flickr/Creative Tools

In Part 1 of this series, I discuss a set of values that I was introduced to years ago that examines your connections with others and how they affect your relationship with the environment.  Today’s set of values also highlights personal connections, but takes you a step further in your role.  For the sake of improved understanding, let’s apply the agreements below to a specific environmental example – say the prolific plastic water bottle problem.   We all know that plastic water bottles are wasteful and polluting and we should do our best to avoid them.  But they are everywhere.  How do we cope with this?  How can we apply the following agreements to how we view our ability to navigate through a world filled with plastic, or any of the other environmental issues that we face each day?

Realize Potential: I agree to realize the potential in myself and support others in doing the same on a daily basis in both mundane and extraordinary circumstances.

No matter how green you are, we all have our not-so-green days.  So do our friends, whether they are eco-minded or not.  This agreement asks us to maintain a positive attitude for ourselves, and a positive example for others to avoid the doom-and-gloom perspective that is so common when it comes to environmental issues, including the water bottle problem.  It seems like such a small thing – one bottle of water.  But we have the opportunity every day to take one more bottle out of the waste equation.  Realize your potential to be part of that solution, and you will be encouraged to keep at it.

Take Responsibility: I agree to take responsibility for my thoughts, actions, and creations.

While we need to be supportive and forgiving of each other when we have downfalls, let’s not use that as an excuse to behave poorly.  It is still important to act mindfully as we make our way through the world.  Let’s return to our plastic bottle example.  There are ways we can avoid plastic water bottles, and we should do so as often as we can.  When you can’t avoid, or choose not to avoid, accept responsibility for your contribution to the water bottle cycle.  Acknowledging your responsibility rather than justifying the behavior will help you to make a better decision next time.

Seek and Embrace Excellence: I agree to support myself and others as we strive towards excellence, learning from our mistakes along the way.

Learning from our mistakes along the way - one of the best teaching tools by far.  How many times have you made a mistake (be it in buying water or recycling, or anything really) and then have been forever changed when you realize the error?  This agreement reminds us to be kind to ourselves as we are trying to figure it all out but also asks that we remember when we learn a valuable lesson.   Just as we need to accept responsibility for our actions, we must also do all we can to support each other so that we have the ability to make the best decisions every day.  Like not buying bottled water.  Remind those around you that they also have the potential to be part of the solution.  Perhaps you can offer to lend an extra reusable bottle or glass so that they don’t have to buy a bottle of water.  Or apply this principle to any other issue that is important to you.  Be creative, and kind, in your quest for excellence.

Eco Home Consultations provides green living consultation services in the Seattle area, focusing on practical ways to integrate green living into your household.  Learn more at www.ecohomeconsults.com or email questions about this blog or other green living issues to Melissa@ecohomeconsults.com.