Step 3: Changing for Good

Throughout this challenge, while being forced to partake in a new sustainable behavior, I’ve realized it is becoming easier and easier each day to just do it. What at first was a considerate thought I had to make in my head in the very beginning, is now becoming a habit, which, to me, is very successful. I can honestly say that when it comes to changing habits for the environment, I never truly believe that I would be capable of following through on them or sustaining them for long amounts of time. I always know it’s not right to leave the television on when I’m not in the room, or to leave the sink on when brushing my teeth, or to leave my charger plugged into the wall, and sometimes, I do take the action to not let these things happen. However, this motivation to keep the environment in mind quickly fades. Yet, while partaking in this challenge, I can say that I am now so much more aware of my actions, and am more conscious of how they affect the environment. I now believe I can successfully turn off the light every time I leave the room, and not just as an occasional action. And when doing so, it is not as “strenuous” of an action as it once was.

And while I am taking these actions, I am actually creating a bigger impact than I even realized.  According to new research explained in this article, http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/newsandeventspggrp/imperialcollege/newssummary/news_30-6-2010-11-55-26,  Dr. Adam Hawkes explains, “This means any reduction we make in our electricity use – for example, if everyone switched off lights that they weren’t using, or turned off electric heating earlier in the year – could have a bigger impact on the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by power stations than previously thought. However, this also acts in reverse: a small increase in the amount of electricity we use could mean a larger increase in emissions than we previously thought, so we need to make sure we do everything we can to reduce our electricity use.”

With this information, I am motivated even more to make the easy change in turning off the light when it is not needed. However, as swift as it is becoming to flick the switch, it was difficult in the beginning to remember to do it. I think knowing that what I am doing is actually making an impact, will motivate me to do it even more, and makes me feel great that I can impact the environment in such a way. A lot of the reason of why it is so hard to do it, for anyone, I think mostly has to do with the fact that no one realizes that making such a small change could have such a great impact, this is a very positive thing to know.

As I am developing this new, positive habit in my lifestyle, and as I become more aware of the implications of my actions, this habit could become a sustainable habit for the rest of my life. The world is in our hands, and it is so easy to make changes that could have the greatest impacts.