Meatless Monday

One of the simplest things you can do to help Virginians live a more sustainable lifestyle is free and easy:  talk about it.  We can improve the natural and scenic environment of Virginia by taking some steps ourselves to live more sustainably, then get others on board by simply talking about it!  Not in a confrontational, bullhorn, annoying kind of way, but in a conversational way with your friends and family.  When taking steps to reduce waste daily becomes the level of normal behavior, we all win.

Here are some ideas to start:

• Mention your choice to take the slow path, traveling by train, instead of flying to a destination. Not only is taking the less stressful mode of transportation rewarding, telling others that it’s a normal option is a good message.
• Proudly display your team’s mascot on your refillable water bottle at work or volunteer meetings. Mention how great it would be to have refillable bottles with the company or organization’s logo to get others to kick the single-use plastic water bottle habit.
• Offer your extra reusable grocery bags to the neighbor in the apartment across the hall after noticing they have an armload of the store’s thin, stretchy, plastic bags.
• Ride your bike to work one day a week. Your co-workers would probably notice and ask you about it, and maybe be encouraged to try it themselves if it’s feasible.
• The next time you host or attend a book club night or football watch party, bring a plant-based snack to share. You can say it’s Meatless Anyday.  Food Network has recipes for some tasty options!

Having these kinds of conversations is a way to contribute to a healthier environment in your community.  According to Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr, “Research demonstrates, however, that the traditional approach of using ads, brochures or websites to encourage behaviour change simply doesn’t work.” He suggests that getting the community to view sustainable living habits as a normal and do-able option is the best way to move the needle towards the goal.

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