Being a passenger of #ecotrain is not only rewarding in terms of you always have a supportive community of like-minded people, but it also makes you to go deeper exploring new ideas and triggering new processes in your life.

Sometimes a very simple question can trigger a big outcome.

I consider the #ecotrain question of the week(QOTW) as the very good example of this statement. So let's see where we will end up while answering a very simple yet very deep question:

“Name one small change you have made or could make to your life that would be of great benefit to the world if everyone did the same?”

Image Source is Pixabay under CCO Creative Commons with changes by @SashaGenji

One small change what leads to bigger changes

If you read my blog often you noticed that a theory of “small steps that can make a change” is constantly present in my articles. I think it is partly because it echoes my own story - that was serious of relatively small steps that lead me to the life I live now. If I look back I see how sometimes barely seen steps would change my life dramatically with a period of time and I guess this is the reason I do believe in that all is possible IF and ONLY you make a small step at a time.

I wouldn’t say I always lived consciously, I would rather say that most of my life I was ignorant as many as other people are. For a long time, my life was bustling around high-class events organizing and marketing activities that would waste a lot of resources with doubtful benefits to its participants.

Did I have an idea of what was going on? I think I did but I did not really think about the effect on the environment and people of any single of my actions that time. You should also get my background in the sight. I was born and lived in Russia for 25 years of my life with almost Noone thinking about environmental issues or people who suffer somewhere in Africa or other parts of the world. I know it is not an excuse but still, I believe that the background you grew up is making an input on who you are. At that time I did a lot of spiritual training and practices that slowly changed my perception of the world around but most of all they were concentrating on inner changes rather than actions that you can do in reality. I believe that was an important part of my life, but the more important one would wait for me further.

One of the most profound effects in my life was moving to Europe and meeting a guy who would later become my husband. I think ever since I met Nik my life was changed. He showed me the way how to live consciously, how to respect your own body and the world around. His world was more concentrated on actions rather on inner development and having such a great example always by my side, I slowly learned to act myself.

There were many changes I did in my own life what I can name and that definitely would be a great benefit to the world if everyone did the same.

Yet, perhaps I would choose a story of a single bag that changed my life and made me understand a lot about how a single bag can make a huge change.

A bag that can make a huge change

This is the very same bag I have been using for shopping for 3+ years now. I bought it Berlin, Germany and it has been with me ever since. It is probably not the best bag you can get of this kind but for me, it became a symbol of my consciousness.

A cotton bag I have been using for shopping for 3+ years and traveled with me to 20+ countries

Berlin is one of the cities I love. First, because people who live there are extremely conscious about the environment. The second reason is that it is a paradise of organic food that is not all packaged in plastic! Rather than using plastic you always have an option to choose a container made out of recyclable material or a paper bag. That made me think a lot on my usual habits and how much plastic I have at home that let be honest I would not use again (at least the major part) and it will most probably end up in a trash bin.

So after I bought this bag I made a promise to always have it with me while I would go for my usual shopping and use it a symbol to remind me that I have a better choice and I can use as less plastic as I can in my life.

It slowly helped me to create new behavior habits.

• At first month I noticed that there were no bigger plastic bags in my place as I always had a bag with me and I could easily take it out of my lady bag and use any time I needed. When the other question arises by itself - what about smaller bags? I did not have big bags anymore but I ended up still having quite a number of a smaller and medium-sized bags that mostly came from the veggies I would buy.
• At the second month I changed the smaller plastic bags on the ones made out of paper or used recycled ones that again lowered the amount of plastic bags in my place dramatically.
• The next thing I get rid of was a plastic fill I used to cover the dished to put them in the fridge. Instead, I used glass containers that world very well for me.
• After that, I changed paper bags for smaller cotton ones to store vegs and fruits.

This story can go on as when I reduced plastic bags what were stored at my home I also thought about the plastic cups, plastic forks, plastic bottles for water (which we used to buy a lot) and so on. The bottom line - that started with a single bag had an endless continuing process of reducing my plastic impact on the planet.

LET's MAKE A SIMPLE MATH EXERCISE:
I have been using my bag for 3+ years now. I do shopping app 2-3 times a week. Let's say on average I would usually use 4-5 bags during one visit. That would be 8-15 bags on a weekly basis or 32-60 bags per month!

The artwork by @sashagenji. Eligible for re-use. Some parts of the artwork are from Pixabay under CCO Creative Commons

If I use this logic that means I HAVE already SAVED app 1152-2160 plastic bags for 3+ years I have been using my cotton bag.

IF I continue my efforts for next 50 years I would SAVE somewhere between 20 352-38160 plastic bags total. Not bad at all.

The artwork by @sashagenji. Eligible for re-use. Some parts of the artwork are from Pixabay under CCO Creative Commons

I know it is still just a drop in the ocean and it doesn’t eliminate all the problems we already have with the plastic pollution.

It still BETTER THAN NOTHING.

The artwork by @sashagenji. Eligible for re-use. Some parts of the artwork are from Pixabay under CCO Creative Commons

What leads me forward?

• I believe that if I do it, I will at least not ADD more to what I think is already one of the biggest problems the society faces!
• Moreover, I have a hope that more and more people will follow the same logic I did once and will be more conscious each time their hand is about to pick up a new plastic bag.

What each of us can do to contribute to the better future with less plastic bags flowing into the ocean making harm to the environment

I know there are a lot of people who are conscious and I forever grateful to all of them for making small steps to a better future for our children. I do not expect that things can change overnight but I know (from my own personal experience) that it is important to make a very first small step forward.

The artwork by @sashagenji. Eligible for re-use. Some parts of the artwork are from Pixabay under CCO Creative Commons

So if you still did not start making your impact on reducing consumption of plastic bags, please consider the following simple steps to start.

• Consider to buy one reusable bag and have it with you all the time (esp when you go shopping)
• Consider re-using all the plastic bags you have at home rather than taking new ones. Just put some of them in your bag and use whenever you need it
• Consider to re-cycle unused plastic bags. If you do not know if there is a recycle centre around you check it with your local council.
• Consider to shop on the farmers markets or shops where products not wrapped in plastic. Additional bonus - you are contributing to the community and help your local producers.
• If you have to use a plastic bag try to minimise the amount of bags you use - you can simply weight products separately and put them in the same bag
• If you don’t have non-plastic bags at hand use empty boxes at the shops and paper mushroom bags to hold your food.
• Support businesses that support effort to reduce plastic bag consumption. It can be a donation, volunteering, etc.
• Spread awareness. It doesn’t take much efforts to speak about the effect plastic bags have on the environment. Lets people know and decide if it is something for them, do not push them.
• Try to educate children about the plastic bag problem so they can help you with your efforts.
• Consider giving reusable shopping bags or cute tote bags as a gift. You can even make it yourself.
• Celebrate International Plastic Bag Free Day on July, 3rd 2018 with making efforts to reduce plastic bag use and educate your community about problems their use create.
• Consider stop using plastic in different forms

If you like this article, consider to re-Steem it to spread the awareness.

Reducing even half of your plastic bags waste can make a HUGE difference. It might seem to be hard in the beginning but even small changes in your consumption can help with reducing plastic pollution.

&

The artwork by @sashagenji. Eligible for re-use. Some parts of the artwork are from Pixabay under CCO Creative Commons

With love,
Sasha Genji

I support @ecotrain project, which also use #ecotrain. Join @ecoTrain Discord to connect with our wonderful and supportive community!

I have also recently discovered a fantastic supportive community of Tribe Global Love and I am honored to help them to spread their LOVE to the world!