Do our Small Actions REALLY Matter?

It’s been my motto since the dawn of my content: “our small actions make a big difference in the long run.”

But, why do I say this little catch phrase? Is it even true?

Let’s break it down

One small action may not save the world

I’m not naive enough to think that the reduction of one, single plastic water bottle is going to save the world. But, that’s why my go-to phrase also includes the end part: “in the long run.” And perhaps I should modify it further to include “when compiled.”

Here’s the thing, one reduced plastic water bottle won’t save the world, but when I reduce 2-3 plastic water bottles per day, every year, I alone reduce 1000-1100 water bottle per year. Now, let’s add my spouse, my friend who I got to switch to one, my coworker who was influenced to do the same, and my siblings. That’s easily over 10,000 water bottles just in my close circle. And each of those people also has the potential to inspire their circles, too.

You can see how this tiny action can add up over time but also add up when we all do them together.

We need more than one action

Once again, I know that my ONE action won’t save the world, but the more actions we do, the more potential there is for reducing waste and making change. Reusable water bottles alone won’t save the world. EVs alone won’t save the world. Recycling alone won’t save the world. Does this mean these actions are useless? No! It just means we can’t stop at one swap or one habit change.

Let’s put it into a real scenario

If I use a reusable water bottle, that is 2-3 bottles I keep out of my recycling bin every single day. Great! But, what if I go further? A homemade loaf of sourdough per week will reduce one thin bag from the landfill every week. Reusable period products save dozens of disposables from the landfill every month. A reusable coffee cup diverts a disposable one from the landfill a few times a week.

Now, my garbage can and recycling bin are emptier. Fewer resources have been extracted to make disposable items. Less fuel is being used to transport my garbage. There is more space in the landfill now. This really highlights the importance of lots of little actions combined!

Look at the big picture

We’ve already been looking at this as a whole. Can you tell it’s my favorite way to conceptualize things? I think there’s a saying that says you need to look at the whole forest and not just one tree. Let’s keep using the water bottle example.

When you reduce one plastic water bottle, it’s not just keeping that bottle out of the ocean. That bottle didn’t have to be created in the first place. It takes resources to make everything we consume. Plastic is made from oil, and is quite harmful to extract and turn into plastic. The water, too, had to be extracted from the planet and bottled somewhere. Then, the bottle was shipped to a store, which takes fuel. You would’ve had to go to the store to grab it, using more fuel. And, at the end of its short life, you would likely recycle it. That takes more fuel to transport it to the recycling facility. Not to mention, plastic recycling rates are abysmal. That water bottle would be lucky to actually be recycled. And even then, only the bottle ITSELF will be recycled. The label and cap will end up in the landfill regardless.

Looking at the full lifecycle of a product is important to gauge its true impact.

This goes for habits and activism, too

Don’t let your small actions just stop at zero waste swaps! Try some eco habits and action items, too.

I’m going in circles, but yes, I know that my one phone call to my reps is not going to save our economy or democracy, but it’s a ripple in the bucket. My one drop seems meaningless, so take a step back. When we all contribute a drop to the bucket, we can fill it up quickly.

If we all make phone calls, it matters. Learn more about this specifically in this video.

But, as with swaps, don’t just stop with one habit and one form of activism. Call, write, compost, hang dry your laundry, get a library card, read a book, vote, shop small, you get the idea. We need every little bit of good we can get, and we can do so much more good than they may originally think

Individuals are the changemakers

Let’s think about it in the inverse, too. What if instead of small eco changes, we all made small wasteful changes? What if we all used MORE plastic and MORE water and MORE electricity and drove more and recycled less and consumed more and composted less? Our world would be even more wasteful than it already is.

But also, all of the eco wins we’ve seen thus far started with a small spark. The first Earth Day was the idea of one person. Greta Thunburg is just one person, but look at the impact she has had over her life. One person has so much power to do so much good and also to inspire others to join in!

This is a message of hope

I’ve always wanted my page to remain hopeful. They want us to feel powerless and hopeless. Don’t give that to them. Your voice has power, your actions have power, your vote has power. And there are endless reasons to have hope. There is good climate news from other countries, small eco and community wins on local levels, and knowing that humans have gone through hard times before. There have already been communities fighting these fights for decades, if not centuries. Plug in and connect with people who already do the work.

Look for the good in every day: a flower in bloom, a sunny day, a hug from a friend, a call with a family member, whatever it may be for you to keep some hope alive in you.

Or, be like me and simply be hopeful out of spite. To be fair, no, I am not hopeful 100% of the time. But the only way is forward. It’s going to be a harder trek onwards than I would like it to be, sure, but we can do it. We HAVE to do it. So, let’s do it together and let’s do it in hope.

Please remember your power. Don’t let them tell you we are powerless. When we organize, we can make waves. When we put in the work daily, we can be the change we want to see. Don’t give up. Celebrate your small wins.

Thank you so much for reading along, thank you for caring about the planet, and thank you for fighting for this planet’s people.

As always, truly, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run

Emma