Newtons Third Law of Motion: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.....
Whether we like it or not everything we do has an impact that ripples through our life, the life of those around us and even the lives of people who are worlds away... It’s a big concept and it pays to remember how powerful we can be...
This means our facial expressions, the clothes we wear, the house we live in, the way we walk, our tone of voice, right down to the food we eat. Everything we do has an equal and opposite reaction, some more immediate than others.
And most of us, even if we don’t realise it, gravitate towards positive impacts because they create a positive reaction and that feels good - it's human nature to want to feel good. Friendly chit chat with a stranger whilst you wait inline for your morning coffee, more indoor plants because when they grow it seems like they're smiling at you, hanging out with friends and nourishing our bodies on food that’s good.
But when it comes to our weekly routines and being better global citizens it’s often hard to know where to start. So what happend? We shut down and switch on auto pilot. The thing is, auto pilot isn’t good enough anymore - for the planet for our bodies or for our future. I feel it and I bet you do too. As a population, we've reached a tipping point. To create a brighter, better future and we all need to play a role. Making a few simple swaps to your weekly habits is powerful, and completely doable - let's cut the crap and make some changes!
So from one busy mother of five (who’s at capacity and doing her darndest just to get through the week) here are my top swaps for creating a positive ripple effects for real change:
1. Do Meat Free Monday
Now don’t freak out - it’s completely doable, even if you’re not Paul McCartney. Jump onto
Meat Free Monday and calculate the opportunity to make an impact. For our family if we went meat free 1 day a week for a whole year this is what would happen:
- 77 bath tubs of water saved
- 87 fish back in the sea
- 37 marine reserves created through reduced seafood demand (Hello next snorkeling holiday!!)
- 85 tennis courts worth of forest saved
- 67 days of lifespan added!!
- 4892 km of food miles saved
Now THAT is winning!! If you’re looking for some stress free super delicious plant based hacks this is where I find my motivation.
2. Favour quality over quantity
It’s a win because it means you save money, and time. Our drive to over consume is making us unhappy and the ''stuff' we think we need is often cheap, crappy and destined for landfill in 5 minutes... Studies show in the 1950’s people we’re happier – they also:
- Lived in houses that we’re nearly ¼ of the size of today's homes
- Prepared 25% more of their food at home
- Lived without air con in 70% of households!
- Enjoyed movie popcorn servings that were 5 times smaller than today
So before you rush out to buy some more cheap shit that you think you need... THINK! You don’t need it at all. Instead, have another cuppa and take some more time for yourself!
3. Eat food grown with love that’s grown locally
Start small - even if it’s just one meal a week make sure your food choices are supporting people who care about the quality of food they are growing and the land their growing it on, rather than people who are trying to grow more for less. Truthbomb - Growing more food for less means producers typically use more pesticides, push the land beyond its carrying capacity, aren’t focused on the flavour or nutrient content of the food. It’s a commodity not a meal to be share with friends and nourish our bodies.
Your food choices are powerful, something we do every day and something that will significantly shape our future when it comes to climate change and protecting biodiversity.
I’ve outsourced my food decisions to a brand I can trust, so all I have to do is sit on the couch each Sunday night and place my order. If you’re not you should be, there is a better way to eat that you’ll love, and it will love you and the planet back. Check it out – Your Food Collective
Time to Choose
Newton couldn’t be more right, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Our job right now is to choose the impact we want to shape our future. I know what I'm choosing. Are you with me?
