In 4 days, the Global Climate Strike will be staged in communities all over the world. Even in the US, they are having them everywhere, from Tennessee to New York City. If you haven't looked yet, you will probably be shocked how many are near you. Seriously, click that map!

Have you been worried about the environment lately? Reading about the Amazon being on fire? How about the Mass Extinction we are in? Are you trying to push down your worry about climate change?

The best way to feel better (and have a little hope) about the environment is to get involved and do something. Even if you have NEVER participated in something like this before, you should go to the Climate Strike near you. We desperately need your help, and we need the numbers at these events to be so overwhelmingly large that our leaders have no choice but to take Climate Change seriously.

Now, I know how hard this is to do, especially if it is out of your comfort zone or you have never tried it before. It's even more stressful if you have little ones in tow; just going to a new playground or friend's house can be crazy terrifying with my spawn! Going to new places with little kids can feel terrifying- will it be violent? How will they hold up? Will we be annoying people? And, of course, what if they have to pee?

I know I thought all of those things before I went to my first march after having kids, but I took the leap, and I am so glad I did. Nothing gives me hope like getting in there and getting involved. It gives me hope, and it puts me next to lots of other humans who care so I don't feel alone.

If you have been debating whether to show up to the Climate Strike, please, please do it. You have the power to turn this around with us, but only if you turn your concern into action. If you are nervus about it, don't be scared! Here are my best tips for participating in political action (even with kids).

1. Write the Organizers

Are you worried about whether this event is likely to escalate? Whether there is transit nearby? If there will be bathrooms you can take your toddler to? Just ask! A real person or group organizes these things, and if they are good at what they do, they may have even thought of these problems. If not, you can at least feel confident that you are bringing up a question that another person wishes they had asked.

 If they aren't helpful or forthcoming (or you feel uneasy about their answers), you know that isn't an event for you. That's ok! Go to something else instead. Otherwise, you can get a lot of questions answered by simply asking around. They want you there, so they will want to help.

2. Go with a Group

My best advice is to go with friends. Or your partner. Your cousins. Someone who you know already, who you can trust. If you are going with kids, going with other people who are parents (or who bring their kids themselves) makes a huge difference. Our first march with kids we went with two moms that I love so much, and even though they were kid-free that day, they still have those mama sensors on.

Nothing covers your blind spots like having another person and another perspective at the same event. One of my friends is so much better than me at bringing snacks (or enough snacks... my kids eat a lot). Someone else will remember bringing enough water or have a better awareness of where the bathrooms are.

Going to an event like these can feel really vulnerable. That vulnerability can feel scary, but it also is a great opportunity to build community. Even if you don't know someone really well, it can be a very cool way to bond, and it just feels less scary to walk into a crowd with someone next to you.

So, if you have a march you really want to go to, ask someone to come with you! The more the merrier (but really, one of the most powerful parts about these demonstrations is simply seeing how many people care enough to show up. So getting people to come with you is important political work!)

3. Make a Sign

No matter what, it feels good to show up with a sign. It can help you connect with others and reflect on why you are there in the first place. If you plan to go with kids (even the really little ones), sign-making can be one of the most important parts. It is a time to work together, but also talk about what it is you are participating in. The day can be so busy and speakers often stink. In other words, they may not understand what the heck is going on in the moment.

Use the quiet art-making time to talk a little more about why you care and why it is important to do something. This may feel silly, but the more you do it, the more civilly literate your kid will be. That's a big victory all on its own.

Lastly, lots of kids will love the interaction and attention they get from having the sign. In fact, my kid just loves having something to hold, whether it gives him attention or not! It is a perfect tool for making the day weirdly fun.

4. Be Prepared

Yes, there are things you need to bring. The more prepared you are, the better a day you can have. Here are the things everyone needs to bring (and a few bonus items if you have kids with you).

1. ID. Be able to identify yourself.
2. Phone numbers written down. In the age of cell phones, you may not know your contact's number off the top of your head. If your phone battery dies, it can be a big problem! Be sure to have them written down too.
3. Phone numbers ON your kids. If somehow you got separated (this has NEVER happened to me before. Not even close. But just in case), you want someone to be able to call you immediately. Have your number on your kid somehow.
4. Weather-Appropriate Layers. I am totally one of those people that tends to just say "whatever, it will be fine" and wear flip flops in the snow. Don't do this for a protest. You will be outside for a long time. And if you are marching, you want to be able to be cool enough while walking and warm enough when standing still.
5. Snacks! If you are taking kids, bring double what you think you will need. We bring tons of fruit and veggies. If I were really on point, I would have some pb and j on hand too.
6. A Bottle of Water. We bring our Klean Kanteen or Liberty Bottleworks bottles, because they are pretty lightweight.
7. Paper and  a Marker. Can be great to have if you want to write down someone's information.
8. A First Aid Kit. This is if you are one of those hyper prepared people. Otherwise, you will probably be ok without it. But it doesn't hurt to be prepared.
9. Sunscreen. Take care of that skin!

I carry all of this in a small backpack, and we have usually had a stroller with us too. It hasn't been a huge problem to move with lots of stuff. I also see lots of wagons out, which is genius for hauling multiple kids and stuff at once.

You will see suggestions for other things like bandanas or natural remedies for tear gas. I have never gone to a demonstration that felt tense enough to bring those sorts of supplies. And if I got somewhere and it felt that combative, I would probably leave (if I had my kids with me). But honestly, I have gone to at least 7 or 8 demonstrations in the last few years, and I have never seen anything that wasn't respectful and safe.

5. Be Kind and Keep an Eye Out

Just be kind to people. When you are standing around, make small talk with your neighbors. If you see groups out that interest you, go talk to them!

There can be nervousness about things getting testy, but here is my advice- keep mostly to the periphery, go for marches (they are easier than standing still), and

Climate Strikes are youth-led, so I have never heard of any nonsense happening- it is literally a space for kids.That said, these events can be spaces for conflict, so keep an eye out. If an area does seem tense, just steer clear of it. Like I said, I have never had a problem, but I also have a lot of privileges being a white lady with babies, so police and other people have never been anything but polite.

You can use your privilege to diffuse tension or to keep the vibe constructive. Get to know your neighbors. Ask to take pictures of the signs you like.

6. Identify your Potties (or Exit Routes)

Force potty breaks when you can. Also, as every parent knows, that isn't going to stop your lovely spawn from needing to pee the worst possible moment. Their bladders are wired to do this. So, keep an eye out for public restrooms or restaurants (you can buy a cookie if you need to).

Also, it helps to be aware of what your exit plan is. Parking nearby or public transit can both be good or terrible solutions, but you do what works for you. I get that it may not be perfectly in the spirit of the event to drive there, but it is ok to make this part of it as easy and comfortable for yourself as possible. No shame, and you can always try something more ambitious next time, but if it's your first time, choose what is most comfortable for you.

7. Going for a Bit is Better than Not Going at All

The long run times of these things can be a deterrent from taking the leap and trying. Go for the time you can go. If it isn't the whole time, that's ok. Better to show up and be counted (even for a short time) than to never get involved. It may be easier than you think too! Be loud on your social media about going, because you may empower someone else to go for it next time.

In other words, just go! You will not regret it. Get to the Climate Strike. We need you there.

What is your best advice for participating in a march or protest?

Are you freaking out about climate change? I'm freaking out!

This week has been a rough week. We heard from the IPCC that our planet is facing Climate Change at a level that we did not even expect, and we need to have drastic changes completed by 2030 to save our world from catastrophic devastation. Not exactly light reading, and especially soul-shaking because 12 years is not a long time. This is short. This is now. We are on the brink of something truly terrible for the Earth and for our children.

At the same time, yet another huge hurricane devastated the Panhandle. Fueled by especially warm gulf water (from the impact of Climate Change), Hurricane Michael absolutely destroyed the area, and as of right now, 700,000+ people are without power.

How do you cope with this level of terrible news? How can you even begin to process?

Some people straight out reject it. Some people panic. I personally have taken to watching Judge Judy late at night while reading Buzzfeed articles because I just can't sleep with the buzzing of my own brain.

Another response I have noticed is people in public spaces cajoling others to finally get their shit together, give up meat, take public transit, and more. Very often, this is where the conversation starts (if we all stopped eating meat... if we all went zero-waste...). Like climate change wouldn't even be a thing if Sally over there would stop eating McDonald's.

I get that desire. This whole blog is the product of my deep desire for everyone to do a little better. At the same time, we can't solve the problem if we aren't honest with ourselves about what the problem really is.

The truth is 71% of the gases being produced are from the same 100 companies. And the top 10% of wealth is creating like 90% of the carbon emissions. When you look at the companies, it is clear they are doing this by selling fossil fuels (both in terms of automobiles and energy) to all of us. Not just to individuals, but companies that need shipping and power. These companies are the root of the problem, but it branches out from there, only becoming more complicated the longer you look.

How can we stop these people and companies from destroying our planet? What does that even look like? How can we learn from cultures that have already been fighting this battle?

The (half helpful, half terrifying) truth is that this is a big complex problem that we all played a part in making (some of us much more than others), so the solution is likely also complex.

This means that you could do everything perfectly right, and that won't be enough. You as an individual cannot do this.

Everyone could adopt one solution wholeheartedly, we could all become vegans, and it probably wouldn't be enough. One solution cannot fix this. (Actually, doing away with fossil fuels for energy could probably do this, but even that will take a large number of political actions to actually happen).

The bright side of this report is that we can see this as an opportunity. 

An opportunity to push our leaders to make the changes they should have long ago. An opportunity to connect with other people who care as much as we do. An opportunity to back up what we say with what we do. Any effort we make couldn't possibly make things worse, right?

We each can do a lot, but it may not be how you expect. This problem is so huge, and we are so small, but we have things to contribute. Let's do this.

1. Vote (Be as Active a Political Citizen as you Can)

If you live in the US, the most important thing you can do for the environment in the next month is vote. Vote. No seriously, vote. We know that curbing Climate Change is deeply dependent on a government who is willing to stand up to corporations (especially fossil fuel companies) for the greater good of the planet. We know that in the US, we do not have this now.

A few days ago, when the IPCC published the report, the president treated it with disdain, saying he wanted to see who was "drawing" it. No concern, only an immediate instinct to discredit it. This is very consistent with this administration; though they have not succeeded in many of their campaign promises, their big moments of bluster and nonsense have consistently hidden another huge success for corporations. The EPA has overturned regulations left and right, making it legal to pollute our waters (with mercury, coal runoff and more), they are allowing more radiation (because everybody loves getting cancer!), shrinking nationally protected land (to sell to oil companies), and are even trying to bring asbestos back? All the while, pollution targets vulnerable populations first and those who have been fighting this battle the longest, especially Native Americans, are being disenfranchised. Seriously, what the hell.

I 100% believe you can be a Republican and an environmentalist, but I don't see that at play right now on the national scale. That doesn't mean it isn't going on in local elections where you are.

If you care about the planet surviving, you need to vote for initiatives and leaders who will stand up for the environment and green energy. If you don't feel like your representatives are doing this enough, you need to call them. Like on the phone. Use a resource like 5 calls to learn the numbers of the people representing you, and call them. They want to be re-elected, and if they start getting enough calls to see this matters to their constituents, they will shift their own priorities. Write politicians and tell them what you think of their stance on environmental issues.

Fossil fuel companies (the primary culprits of cliimate change) have so so so much money on their side. We have to have a stronger voice than they have money. That's the challenge, and it is a big one. Vote, and get vocal.

2.  Join Environmental Groups

Because fossil fuel companies do have so many resources at their disposal, it is pivotal that the people organize to pull bigger funds, smarter minds, and louder voices than these companies. There are many organizations working on national and local levels to find climate change, the loss of biodiversity, and plastic waste.

Join them. Try going to a meeting. When they are having an event, go. Adding your voice to an already existing chorus makes it stronger, and you can learn from the many activists who have been fighting this fight for a long time. Your new investment will give them energy and encouragement as well.

You don't have to be a Greenpeacer hanging off of a bridge to do good. There are so many parts to play, and you have something to offer. Plus, nothing will make you feel better. One of the worst things about all of this is the feeling of helplessness, but you are not helpless! This is a way to DO something.

So, what organizations should you join? Here are some broad ones for everyone, but be sure to do some research on groups near you that are doing work:


Even if you are not in a season of your life where you can attend meetings or protests, you can still join all of these groups online and be available to help when they need signatures or phone calls. There are so many parts to play, and that can be intimidating, but look at it like you have lots of possibilities so you can tap into something that you can really do.

3. Change How You Participate in Consumer Culture

It's true; changing our purchases cannot solely solve climate change. But it can do all sorts of good. Here's why:

1. Every purchase sends a message to companies, marketers, etc. on what the public is willing to put up with. You can scream "I am against plastic waste" all day long, but if you buy a pack of disposable water bottles every week, that says more. They hear the message of your money.

2. What you do should line up with what you think. We can pride ourselves on being kind or caring for the environment, but if we ignore the mistreatment of our "Made in Poverty" cheap clothes, or continue to waste and pollute by shipping all of our stuff around the world, we undermine ourselves. Voting and speaking up is important, but we have to practice what we preach.

3. It adds up. In college, I worked summers as a waitress at a King's Family Restaurant. I made my money a dollar or two at a time, one truck driver or Amish family at a time. I am so grateful for this, because it really showed me that small things add up if you keep at it. Especially on the issue of waste, you absolutely can make a profound difference by quitting your most wasteful habits.

Every purchase we have is a vote, and even if we can't totally solve the problem with those votes, if we keep at it, those votes together can have quite a voice. This is what this blog is all about, and you can find greener options for most anything you would ever buy here, but I will throw out some basic tips that will do worlds of good.

1. Just Buy Less. Ask yourself if you want this brand new thing more than you want to avoid the catastrophes of climate change. There aren't that many things that can pass that test.

2. Join Buy Nothing and Freecycle Groups. You can shift your whole paradigm by joining into the Buy Nothing Project, gifting the things you don't need and being gifted things you do. Way less waste, way less shipping, and it shifts your relationship to your stuff.

3. Buy WAY Less Meat. The production of meat (especially red meat) and animal products creates a lot of greenhouse gases (go research cows and methane), overwhelms the land with waste (seriously toxic shiz), and uses up a lot of natural resources like water and food. You can read more about this here. It's dramatic enough that everyone giving up beef alone could significantly curb emissions. Need help making meatless meals? Oh I have got you covered.

4. Shop Secondhand. Brand new items tend to be shipped much further and in more plastic packaging. Shopping secondhand keeps things out of landfills and minimizes our use of resources. If your secondhand stores are junky and you want to try online, I have this resource for you.

5. Skip Plastic. Plastic's connection to climate change is still understated, but it is made of petrochemicals, keeps other things from breaking down properly, and is leeching all sorts of terrible chemicals into our water and food. In a generation, our children will be shocked we let it anywhere near our bodies and food. Anywhere you can avoid plastic, do so- here is a list to get you started.

6. Keep an Eye on your Food Waste. Also contributing to climate change? Food waste, which is one of our largest problems globally (we throw away 40% of what is grown- how dumb is that?). First, if you switch to composting in your own home and only buy what you need, you can stop some of this in it's tracks. Secondly, eat out at places you know are making responsible choices for the environment and avoid big chains.

7. Buy Local. Your stuff has traveled way further than you have. The materials travel from one place, to another to be manufactured, to another to be distributed, then finally to the store you bought it from. It's true of your food too! On average, most food products travel thousands of miles from its source to your plate. Thousands. That's a lot of fossil fuels needlessly going to waste. Stop buying things that weren't made in the country you live in (it's not impossible when you pair that with shopping secondhand). Join your local co-op.

8. Buy Recycled. Avoid plastic, and for paper, get it recycled. We are in desperate need for more trees. so we shouldn't really be wasting them on your minor spills, sniffly colds, and toilet times. There are easy, affordable replacements out there, some are reusable and many are recycled. You can do this. Really. Check out this list.

When a company you love can't help you live up to this standard, tell them so. Make it a habit to yelp restaurants that are wasting tons of food or plastic. Write Target to ask why the heck they still use plastic bags. Ask your favorite spot to offer some vegetarian options. Again, the key is to get vocal.

4. Look at your Green Energy and Travel Options

If you are looking at the impact of your life, two of the key issues would be where you get your energy fro and how you travel. Sometimes you have control over this, sometimes you don't, but you won't know until you take an hour or two and do the research.

Check websites for your city about whether any green opt-in programs have begun. If not, start calling and annoying people to ask why. You can also look into solar or wind energy for your home if that is something you can afford. Just take that minute to look, because you might be surprised. I also know some cities will do energy audits to help you understand where you are wasting the most energy in your home. We had one done here in Seattle, and it was super interesting and helpful. Look. Research. Ask questions of the officials where you live.

Similarly, we kind of all assume if you want to travel a significant distance, you are going to fly. Flying tends to have a dramatic impact on your footprint (we have done some carbon footprint calculators, and we generally do great until we put our flights in... at which point we fail). So we are trying to fly less, and consider other travel options.  The greenest travel option we have right now is to travel by train.

Maybe as you consider trips for the next few years, you could do a cross country train adventure instead of flying. Or take half as many trips next year. You could also buy carbon offsets every time you do travel.

Equally important is reconsidering your options for your daily commute. Could you carpool? Or take the bus? Could you walk or bike? Could you ask your employer about doing a shuttle? So many of these are great options, and what works best really depends on your ability and location. We live in a city of bikers, but continue to mostly be walkers ourselves. My goal is to only drive two days a week.  Our routine travel is another space where we can take a little chip out of our carbon use everyday (and that adds up).

5. Have the Babies You Want (and No More)

Another narrative we hear a lot is that the best way for an individual to minimize their footprint is to not have children. We hear anxiety about overpopulation and its effects. This is, again, only half the truth, because the most wealthy 10% of the world's population creates about 80% of the emissions. You can read more about this here. So no one who wants a child should feel like they are dooming the world to ruin by spawning.

That said, we know that only having the children you want to have will have a positive environmental impact. We also know that about a third of pregnancies are unplanned and even unwanted. So, if you are a person who has potentially reproductive sex, you should use protection. Get on the pill. Get a vasectomy. Whatever you can do to not have kids when you do not want kids is a positive and important step.

And no matter what kind of sex you are having, have safe sex. It's really important. If you want to learn more about things you can do to treat your private business in a more eco-conscious way, check out this post.

6. Be THAT Person. Actually Talk About It. 

I think it can be generally assumed that people really hate to hear they are living their life wrong. They also really hate to think about how the Earth is going to die a heat death relatively soon if we don't do anything. These are all really unpleasant things. I wouldn't recommend leading with them.

On the other hand, if you are going to plant trees in your backyard to help offset your impact, invite your friends to come with you and offer to do the same for them. Have a "no gift" birthday party, and don't apologize (in a friendly way, unless you want to be really badass about it) when people note how weird it is. When someone compliments your outfit, brag about how it is secondhand and how much you love secondhand clothes. When you talk politics with someone, be upfront about how you are really supporting leaders who are helping the environment.

In other words, model caring and be positive. But talk about it. Talk about it any time you can. Pick some people in your life who you think will listen, and start there.

Will you be annoying? Probably! I am annoying with this blog every dang day, and a few years in I can tell you it is not so bad. Friends who I love brag to me about their new recycling plan or the unsponges they bought, and it is wonderful. I don't mind annoying or boring people anymore, because I figure even if I just change someone's mind a little, I have done something really good.

Because the kind of world-saving action we need will take everyone, including the person you are worried about annoying.



None of this is easy, especially because all of it is freaking terrifying, but you aren't alone in feeling the way you do, and all hope isn't lost. Especially if now is the moment you really decide to get involved, to fight for our planet, and to shop in a way that is consistent with your values. There is a lot of reason left to hope and a hell of a lot worth fighting for. So let's fight together.

This week is the one year anniversary of the Women's March, and many of us returned to marches and community events to renew our energy and remind our leaders that we aren't giving up. This year has been ROUGH. It could not be more pivotal that people find rewed energy to fight the good fight to keep our democracy in tact.

Every day it is something new. Something terrible. Even if you started out ready to give this president a chance, it is hard to buy into that after the year he has had. That is even truer if you care about the environment, because his twin devil secretaries Pruitt and Zinke have had extreme success in deregulating, destroying, and generally being douchebags (like robbing the wildfire funds to charter their private planes, having secret phonebooths put in their office for direct lines to big oil, I mean, I can go on and on).

So it feels like a time to reflect, to look at what tactics are working and where we can push harder.

Now, before you accuse this blog of hating conservatives or coming purely from a place of liberal tree huggerness, check out this post from MONTHS ago about how to Make America Great Again with your money. This blog's first priority is that you start changing your personal consumer choices, no matter who you vote for, and we believe EVERYONE has a stake in taking care of the environment. Though, if we are being honest, I do love hugs (including tree hugs-why not?).

Having written for both, I now notice that in conservative and progressive camps, our ideals are consistently compromised by what we spend our money on. 

If progressives are fighting inequality, why do we invest DAILY in companies and corporations that fight to uphold it? This sounds like a petty critique, but I see so much potential in it. The things we spend our money on from food to gas to paper plates all come with political baggage. But that means we can manipulate our participation to pack political punch.

Changing what we buy and how we spend our money is another opportunity to resist.

To resist climate change (since the EPA won't do it).
 To resist injustice  and mistreatment all over the world.
To resist Big Oil and Big Agriculture.
To resist the continuing distribution of the wealth to the wealthy.
I see it as another opportunity to make our voices heard. To stand up to this nonsense when our politicians are standing for Big Money's interests, not the American people.

Lots of materials have come out about avoiding Trump companies, but boycotting Ivanka's casual workwear is just the tip of the iceberg.

Now, I am not suggesting we can right every wrong simply by changing our approach to groceries. And so much of our access to avoiding some of this stuff depends completely on the privilege we have already. But if you have the privilege to buy groceries, you have enough privilege to spend your money well, so many of us can follow through with it. And we KNOW that many of these issues, especially unethical labor practices and climate change effect poorer populations exponentially more, so if you are invested in intersectionality (as we all should be), you can't avoid labor and environmental practices. I will own that there is privilege written all over this post, but there might be some helpful ideas too, and tell me when my own blindspots are getting in my way.

Our purchases really ARE votes for the kind of world we want. Are we as progressives undermining ourselves with our "votes"?

Let the rest of our lives reinforce the ideals we are fighting for politically. Let's see some more opportunities to make our voices heard and to stand up for the world and country we want. I will list lots of ideas and issues, pick what resonates with you. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

Let's get started.

Just Buy Less This Year

People in power gauge our attitudes daily by how we spend our money, and politically speaking, we may not be sending the message we intend-

Us, at marches, in conversation, on facebook- "I am extremely concerned..."

Us, holiday shopping: "Everything is great! No complaints. What's on sale?"

This past November and December, spending was OVER projections (even though paychecks are about the same across the board and layoffs are on the upswing yet again). Analysts and companies were pleasantly surprised at just how much of our money we handed over.

Wait... what?

This has all sorts of bonus dramas. Overconsumption is a key component of climate change, because our stuff tends to waste fossil fuels traveling long distances. Most stuff now comes with some sort of packaging as well, which means lots more plastic waste.

Lastly, and this is HUGE, if you are concerned with extreme inequality and injustice in the world, you have to stop investing in it by buying cheap things that were most likely made with unethical labor. People all over the world are in sweatshop and slavery situations so we can keep up our consumption at record rates. Are you ok with someone being mistreated, raped, or even killed in unsafe conditions so you can have that t-shirt? We collectively have to pull back the curtain, even though it hurts.

So the answer for 2018 is simple- just stop shopping so much. Let 2018 be the year we vote no with every dollar we can spare. We all need to do it, myself included. Buying is not an effective way to spend our time, and apparently we got everything in the stores back in November and December.

Stop paying into a system that is built to disenfranchise us.The nice thing about this is that it not only costs nothing, but it can actually save us major money. Consider paring down your clothes shopping with a capsule wardrobe, or start a "need" list and never buy anything when you spot it on the shelf. Buy secondhand (you can even do it online). Even better, borrow and swap. You know where you might tend to overshop, see where you can change up your approach to stuff.

One great way to do this is to join the Buy Nothing Project. This amazing project has groups all over the world. You join the group for your local area, and then you can gift or request any item you want to get rid of or need (everything from shoes to furniture to lotion). It builds community, helps you dramatically cut down shopping, AND it saves you major amounts of money. If you haven't yet, join one. If your area does not have one, think seriously about starting one. This may not seem like it, but it is a positive political action that builds up your neighbors and helps everyone rethink their relationship to their stuff.

Want more information on just how important it is to stop shopping? Check out the Story of Stuff Project.

When You Shop, Shop Small and Local

No year has made it more clear that the Big Guy is out to Stomp you. Look at the tax scam- who benefits? Not the majority of the American people. So why do we continue to give these people are money every day?

Now, I will own this comes from a place of privilege- lots of us are barely surviving, much less getting to make slow and informed choices about each of our purchases. But if you feel your area is suffering, one of the best things you can do is support local smaller businesses. Maybe try buying your first round of groceries from a local grocer and then finish up at the big chain you usually shop at.

In a perfect world, when we pay a store, that money stays in our community, because the staff and the owners also pay local businesses. When we shop somewhere like Walmart, that money leaves the area completely, and it continues to get stockpiled by the Waltons into their ocean of money somewhere. When you shop at Walmart, you send your money off to never be seen or enjoyed again by your community- we can do better, and even small communities usually have some local shops worth supporting.

Over the 1%? Gah, me too. So we have to put as much of our money into the other 99% wherever we can.

Want to stick it to fossil fuels another way? Stop shipping your stuff all over creation. Buying local and Made in America can get burdened with xenophobic, boobs on a mudflap kind of values (though it seems most people with those "values" don't actually buy American), but we need to make it a progressive ideal. Call out companies that don't carry American-made or fair-trade options. Even if the administration won't listen right now, if they lose enough money, businesses will. If you need a place to start, I have an epic number of lists on Made in America and eco-friendly items. Easiest is to start with your basics you buy all the time, like paper towels, toilet paper, etc. There are eco-friendly and American-made options out there, it's just a matter of getting in the habit of looking.

Stop Investing in Pipelines

Our attitude about what is going on reveals our own hypocrisy. It would be like going to see Walter White for some meth and chiding him for misbehaving at the same time. You don't really have the right to ask "Why are you being so awful?" He is being terrible because you are paying for it, You have made his terribleness extremely lucrative. We all have.

The same is true for our relationship with Big Oil. They are buying our politicians and destroying our environment because we are paying them to. So if we want change to happen, we have to change ourselves.

Easier said than done. But not impossible. Here are three key steps to take-

1. The straightforward part of this is to look where you bank. Wells Fargo and other ubiquitous American banks are key investors in these projects. You can read all about it at 350.org. Do a little research on your banks and their involvement in big oil. If your bank is involved, divest. Maybe try a credit union instead. And be sure to tell them why you are doing it. Seriously, banks need to know you do not approve and that you have lost their business.

2. If you can drive less, you should. If you can get solar panels, you should. If you can take public transit, you should. We can all do these things at low levels, but to go all out it takes money, location, and a certain amount of privilege. Not everyone has public transit to use or a network to carpool with. But if you have those things, then use them. Let 2018 be the year you get really good at taking the bus or riding your bike. Set a goal of how many times you are willing to fill up your car, and then keep to it.

If your city or town doesn't have good options for this, start thinking solutions. This could be a huge way for you to make a difference this year.

3. We all need to stop buying other products that use petroleum, from Dove dish soap to plastic bottles. More on this...

Push Away All the Plastic

 If you think this isn't political, check one simple, presidential move. He reinstated disposable plastic water bottles in National Parks. Now, this seems like a pretty dinky move compared to Secretary Zinke's reign of terror over the parks, a full out assault where he shrinks monuments and uses funds to fight wildfires to fund his private flights (what is wrong with these people). But this move to help plastic bottles shows exactly where the administration's loyalties are- to big plastic.

Big plastic is an aggressive and prominent lobby in the US, and the administration is on its side. It's why even though we know plastics are poisoning our land and filling our landfills, double the plastics are slotted to be made in 2018.

And that will hurt us all. Plastic is poison. Studies continue to show its connection to hormonal changes in children, to certain cancers, and to severe damage to our digestive and endocrine systems. Americans create unbelievable amounts of plastic waste every single day, polluting our water, filling our landfills, and becoming part of the giant trash island.

No matter what your situation in life is, you can phase some plastic out of your life. It's one of the easiest steps we can take. Some liberal out there can get some f you solar panels on her roof, but most of us can't afford it. Some of us can walk or take the bus, but that's not always possible.

Plastic feels equally unavoidable, but it isn't.

1. Cut the Big Four (straws, water bottles, coffee cups, and plastic shopping bags) out of your life. It costs no money to say "No straw please" when you go out to eat.

2. Prioritize Low Packaging, Low Waste Options. Shop around the outside edge of the grocery store- that's where the most package-free food lives there. Consider thinning out your meat consumption, or bringing a container the meat counter can put your food in. Shop secondhand, because all the clothes in stores have traveled in individual plastic bags. Buy reusable basics like cloth napkins and

3. Put Pressure on Businesses. At this moment in history, we know that putting pressure on businesses is as effective, if not more, than political action. For example, asking your community's grocery stores to stop carrying plastic bags vs. doing a plastic bag ban. We know that businesses are starting to take these things seriously, some more than others. Even brands as big as McDonald's are switching to


Want more information and inspiration? Join a group like the Plastic Pollution Coalition.

Fight Climate Change on Your Plate

Climate change is the biggest problem a government has ever fought to deny. We know it isn't a myth, as we have seen one disaster after another this year. Even if the environment isn't your regular political interest, you are probably seeing how it is effecting every other issue, and we all have to get involved. Because nothing else matters if our planet doesn't survive. When we first left the Paris Agreement, I wrote about many ways we can continue to fight climate change, but this is one of the most important.

We know one of the most effective ways to do that (besides buying a Tesla and solar panels (pretty out of reach for most of us) is to change our diets. Americans' eating habits, from wasting food to using too many pesticides is having a dramatic effect. So we can make a big positive difference just by changing our own eating habits. Here are some of the easiest steps-

Eat Less Meat. You don't have to give up meat completely, but even giving up one day of meat a week can save thousands of pounds of CO2 from going into the atmosphere every year. Meat production costs an insane amount of water and resources, and beef production comes at a particularly huge environmental cost. It's so dramatic that a vegan diet keeps almost as much CO2 out of the atmosphere as giving up your car.

If we as progressives wanted to turn the tides until this presidency is over, none of us should eat a bite of beef until that man is out of office. Until someone is taking active steps to offset CO2.

Eat Local. I just learned that the AVERAGE distance traveled by our food, from farm to the table, is 1,300 miles! What!?!? This is partially because our food is so processed, so our food goes through 6 different hands on average before it reaches the store. That is an extreme waste of fuel and resources. If you haven't yet, look up a seasonal calendar for where you live. Plan around it and try to buy the food that is most local to you. Fall in love with local brands. The shorter our stuff and our food travels, the less fossil fuels we are using, the better.

Eat Organic. Ack, ok, to be totally honest, I have mixed feelings about this one, because this doesn't tend to be cost-effective and organic produce travels in more plastic. That being said, we all need to be concerned with bee populations and the effects of pesticides on bees (do you know 1 in 3 bites on your plate only exists because of bees?). If bees go, we all go. So when you can, buy organic. Or, put more pressure on grocers and growers to stop using such harmful pesticides because (surprise!) the EPA is deregulating this area and encouraging pesticides. If you can afford to eat organic, do so. If not, consider trying out CSA boxes or nearby farmer's markets which sometimes have more affordable options.

Stop Wasting Food. Americans waste an astounding !()@*!()@ pounds of food a year. This wastefulness is just another form of overconsumption. Start meal planning or eating leftovers first to cut out more waste from your life and diet. So simple, but it actual does shift your footprint and fights climate change.

Want more information on food and climate change? Check out this information from Sustain.




Alright, I know this is big. What I am asking for is a paradigm change, but where we can change, we should. Because on the days where we aren't getting through politically, we can still be constantly shifting the tides of public opinion, market norms, and business standards by pushing in these directions. What else should I add to the list?

Every year, I set goals like most everyone else on this day or near it. I have a blog, so I get to reflect semi-publicly about my success and not so much successes. Resolutions get a bad reputation, but we can only do more good if we are trying to, so I really like them. That being said, let's see how 2017 went. I mean, we all know 2017 was mostly terrible. But let's see how the goals went.



1. Learn to Sew- Nope! Didn't get there at all, and I am still wearing leggings that essentially look like assless chaps. The longer I spend as a mother, the more I look like Christina Aguilara in the "Dirty" video, and not in a good way. This one is making the list again for 2018, because I know I can do it.


2.  Take Better Pictures- Eh, yes and no. I think I have Lightroom and Pic Monkey mostly figured out, so I know that the pictures on this blog are improving. Someday, this thing is going to look professionalish! That being said, I know this is one I would still like to keep working on, because I would like more effective shooting.

3. Use Even Less Fossil Fuels- Yes! I think we are to the point where we are filling up our cars less than once a month. We also are getting really good at buying everything locally or secondhand, so our stuff is using less fossil fuels as well. I walk a LOT. We do most of our basic shopping on foot during the week. I am nervous this won't be the case in 2018, because the baby will get too big to carry and the Bub is potty training, but in general, I hope we can keep up the momentum.

4. Grow Teal Tuesdays- No, I really let this one fall apart. Our September turned out to be a bit of a mess and honestly all of our holidays and special events were not the best this year. Definite goal for next year.



5. Embrace Meatless Mondays- Yes! I wouldn't say we are scheduled enough to really do it on Mondays, but I would guess at least 2 of the dinners we plan every week don't have a protein. And we have been serving the same amount of meat we always did, but now it is across four people, so our servings are getting smaller too (this really helps). This one turns out to be pretty easy as you find more and more recipes you like. I even tried and like mushrooms now!



6. Throw an Awesome 30th Birthday Party- A party was thrown with lots of Harry Potterness! Super fun to do these crafty parties with my mother-in-law, and now we have lots of cute Harry Potter stuff in our house. In 2018, we will be going smaller.



7. Finish this Table- Done! Thank goodness for paternity leave, because we got a lot of things off that darn to do list. Super proud of our table, which we got for no money and we will keep forever. Even if it did take us YEARS to complete that project. Next year's big project? Bookshelves!

8. Be a Better Responder- Eh, some? I try, I really do, but this will probably be a thing I work on forever. Sorry friends, I really do love you.

9. The Great Donate 2017- I didn't make it to 2,017 things, but I still think this project was a complete success. I will write more about it later (maybe later today? Hard to know) but I feel like gifting and donating was a totally encouraging, life-giving, and house-cleaning goal this year, so maybe you will join me next year?

10. Fight for my Own Optimism- Oy, it's been a rough year. If you care about the environment, it has been a rough year. If you care about other human beings, it has been a rough year. If you have two tiny children and nearly no time for self-care or life-care or just holding it together, it has been a rough year.

But I am still going. And I am rallying within myself, because I truly believe that 2018 is a crossroads for our country, our world, and our environment, so I know I don't have the privilege of wallowing or feeling down long. And just being able to have that rally, knowing so much more about the world and my own blindspots now, feels like a new optimism. I am more involved than I have ever been, and that feels like optimism. The fact that I still write this blog, and that I am hopeful people can change their mind, see the problem, and choose to care feels like optimism .I feel  like anyone who is still fighting after this year drained everything is practicing a new kind of optimism. Look out 2018, because I have never come at anything harder.

Ok, so, 2018 was a bit of a mixed bag, but I am grateful to have survived this stinker year. How did you do at your goals in 2017?