3 Easy Steps to Make Your Community More Sustainable

Wondering how you can help create a more conscious community? Read our 3-step guide to make change happen starting today.

Key takeaways:

  • Host outdoor documentary screenings and DIY workshops to promote mindful living. 
  • Join neighborhood clean-ups or swap events to cut waste and connect with your community.
  • Shop locally to reduce your environmental impact and celebrate local uniqueness.

 

Let’s face it: the next caped crusader isn’t swinging in to save us from climate change anytime soon. But who needs tights and a mask when we can step up as our communities’ own “Friendly Neighborhood” heroes? 

Turns out, more than three-quarters of Europeans are already on board, recognizing how environmental issues impact their daily lives. Their go-to strategy is embracing and promoting a circular economy – cutting waste by reusing and recycling what we already have. [1]This collective mindset shows just how powerful individual actions can be when combined, sparking transformation one community effort at a time. 

Ready to join the movement? Check out our guide to get started and inspire others to take action – no cape required (unless you’ve got one, then why not?).

 

Step #1: Educate

Education can be just as fun as it is informative. Documentaries like “Seaspiracy”, which sparked over 67,000 posts and a whopping 6 billion impressions on social media [2], are perfect for sparking lively debates on environmental issues. To make it even better, opt for solar-powered screens and help raise awareness while contributing to a greater cause. 

Before or after your movie screenings, add a touch of creativity to your block party by organizing DIY workshops. From turning an old piece of garment into reusable bags to creating upcycled holiday decorations, there is really something for everyone. 

Step #2: Engage

Start with a classic: host a community clean-up. Hand out gloves, bags, and recycling bins, and get ready to roll up your sleeves for a fun day of cleaning up your local parks, streets, and public spaces. Once the trash is gone, kick back on your favorite lawn and host a swap event where neighbors can trade their pre-loved treasures, whether it’s clothes, books, toys, or weird knick-knacks that have been gathering dust. These initiatives are also about swapping stories to build deeper connections with the people who are literally close to you.

Who wouldn’t love trading an unwanted Christmas sweater for an Instagram-worthy hat? With 59% of Gen Z and 56% of Millennials embracing secondhand shopping, compared to just 42% of Baby Boomers [3], these give-and-take moments are the perfect way to bridge the generational gap and show that “new-to-you” is better than simply… well, new.

 

Step #3: Empower

Why settle for products shipped from halfway around the world when your local markets have everything we need right at our doorstep? It’s time to back the unsung treasures of our community: small businesses giving a unique twist to your area.

Encourage a “shop-local-only” to highlight the importance of supporting farmers’ markets, thrift stores, and mom-and-pop shops. By choosing local, you will not only support the community economy, but also help reduce the carbon footprint from shipping, celebrate the unique creativity of regional artisans, and help preserve biodiversity. [4]

A sneak peek to our next article

Now that you have some ideas to spark change in your neighborhood, buckle up for our next article: we’ll take you on a tour of the world’s most conscious communities.

 

 

[1]“Attitudes of Europeans towards the Environment”, European Union, available at: https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3173
[2]“The Audiences Behind Seaspiracy”, Pulsar, available at: https://www.pulsarplatform.com/blog/2021/the-audiences-behind-seaspiracy
[3]“Share of Second-hand Shoppers Worldwide as of June 2023, by Generation”, Statista, available at: https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1406602/second-hand-shoppers-worldwide-by-generation
[4] “Lifestyle Impact on Biodiversity and Nature”, UN Environment Programme, available at: https://www.oneplanetnetwork.org/sites/default/files/lifestyle_and_biodiversity_desktop_research_final.pdf