Sustainable and green living is very important for the world. Obviously, it shouldn’t be the people’s responsibility to save the future of the world but promoting green and sustainable living is certainly not a bad thing to do.
If you’re interested in teaching others about sustainable and eco-friendly living, there are plenty of ways to do it.
Today we’ll cover some of the easiest ways to get started:
Use the Internet to Get Your Message Out
Nowadays, people use the internet for everything. This includes getting information on any given subject. Therefore, for educating people about sustainability and green living, starting your own website about this can be a good idea.
Once you know what type of site you want to start, you need to create a domain for it. This needs quite a high level of creativity. The domain should be something unique but also easy to remember. If you need help with this process, you can look at domains inspired by nature for some inspiration. When you have your domain set up, you can move on to the rest of the process and start getting your message out there.
Sustainable Living has Many Different Subcategories
If you are living in a sustainable and green way, you know that this can mean many different things. Sustainable and green living is created by multiple smaller choices and changes in your lifestyle. Sustainability can contain zero waste by living or using green products.
When you are thinking about what you should focus on, the best idea is to think about how you live. This way, you can share your own tips and tricks with other readers. This makes your website’s content more relatable, which is very important. If your tips seem completely irrelevant to common consumers, they can’t and won’t use them for help.
This video by abetweene is a great example of content on low waste living:
Not Everyone Wants to Read Articles and Guidebooks
It’s also a good idea to remember that not everyone likes to read articles and other guidebooks. Additionally, maybe you don’t even like writing that much. Writing articles and blog posts are not the only way to go.
Watching videos and listening to podcasts have become increasingly popular throughout the years. If you want to try creating video or podcast content, you need to prepare a bit more before. You need some type of equipment for doing your recordings and editing them afterward. Also, using these will take a bit of practice. But then again, once you have done this, you can keep on doing them for a long time.
Dispel the Myth that Sustainable Living is Complicated
If you want to educate people about green living and its benefits, one of your chief tasks will be to dispel the myth that sustainable living is a complicated affair. Many people assume that large and essential parts of their lives must be turned upside down for their efforts to have an effect – And that’s just not true.
Make it clear that, just like with anything, it’s a process. You can start with something small and go from there. It could be something as simple as not eating meat on Thursdays or deciding to use an eco-friendlier shampoo brand. Everything makes a difference in the end.
Sustainable living is not a complicated affair; it just takes small adjustments to people’s daily habits. By simplifying and demystifying it like this, people are likely to be more receptive to what you have to say.
Consider Hosting Your Own Fun Courses
While sustainable living is a very hot topic these days, many people still seem to have a tough time relating to it. The best way to bridge that gap is to take things from the theoretical level to the practical one – You must get people involved directly, and this can be done through demonstrative events and courses.
These events do not have to be anything huge, and they can be simple courses that instruct people on how to do certain things such as recycling properly and efficiently, shopping/finding sustainable products, as well as other small things that can be done throughout one’s day.
As we mentioned earlier, not all people get a lot out of reading guidebooks. Some people need to get out and have their hands directly involved in the process to learn.
Concretize the Consequences of Non-sustainable Living
When educating people about sustainable living, you inevitably must touch upon the topic of what the consequences of non-sustainable living entail. However, don’t be dramatic or zealous – Be factual and concise. Lay the numbers and data on the table and let them talk for themselves.
Yearly, we consume more resources than the Earth is capable of regenerating, we are releasing too many greenhouse gases into the atmosphere – causing more extreme weather in many parts of the world, we are polluting lakes and rivers, and the Amazon Rainforest is being cut down, and the list can go on.
You can’t force people to live sustainably, but at least you can give them the chance to make their own informed choice by laying things out as they are.
Small Adjustments to Behavior Can Make a Great Impact
This might come off as arrogant, but that is far from the intention. Chances are that if you’re reading this article, you’re from what is commonly called the Western World. We are some of the world’s most prolific worst consumers, and our lifestyle of consumption is largely dependent on the rest of the world supplying us with raw materials cheaply – And the rest of the world complies.
Therefore, the rain forests are being chopped down, giant landmasses are being hollowed out for mining purposes, and waste from extraction and cheap production is being dumped straight into nature. The businesses and industries that supply us with the raw materials can’t stay competitive if they must adhere to environmental regulations – So they don’t.
We keep them in business by purchasing products made from these materials. This can be anything from the pair of sandals you just bought to a simple chocolate bar.
It is important that you help people learn to trace the supply chains of products back to their inception. There are a lot of products made domestically in a sustainable way; people just need to be aware of them. Not only are they not much more expensive than their cheaper counterparts anymore, but by buying them, you are also supporting the domestic industry.
By making these very small adjustments to our consumer habits, we can make quite a big difference.
Creating a Monthly Newsletter
Information is key if we are to make any impact – And this goes for anything. If you want to educate people about sustainable living, you must make sure that new and relevant information finds its way to the people whose attention you’re after.
Having a newsletter is the perfect way to do this. Newsletters reach people in a fast and efficient manner, and all they must do is check their mail.
When compiling a newsletter, don’t put just anything in there. Make sure that it contains news and tricks about sustainability that would attract the attention of those who receive it.
Newsletters should preferably be sent out once every month. If you send them out every week, people could quickly feel they are quite spammy. Any less than a newsletter a month might make it difficult for you to cram what you think is relevant and interesting into it at once.
Ultimately, it is a fine balance you must figure out as you go. Sometimes you will have a lot of material you want to send out, and sometimes there might be next to nothing.
There is No Such Thing as Too Much Information When it Comes to Promoting Sustainable Living
If you are a fan of sustainable and green living, you most likely know that there are many different platforms on this subject. Don’t let these other sites discourage you. There can never be too much information about something this important as sustainability.
If you make your site look like you, write in your own tone and use your own tips, you will give something new to the readers. The same obviously goes for podcasts and videos.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reach people about sustainability most effectively?
In this digital age, the best way to reach an active and large segment of people is through the internet. Create a blog, website, or podcast so you can broadcast your message effectively.
How do I properly communicate my message of sustainability?
Avoid being overly zealous and dramatic. Keep everything at a relatable and manageable level. This way, you have a higher chance of getting people on board, at least to a small degree. Any effort makes a difference.
How do I stay motivated when educating?
Educating people is tough work a lot of the time. You will face a lot of resistance along the way, but some people will also listen and make a change because of you. And that is the true reward of this type of work. Always keep in mind that you are making a difference.
References
The Guardian: Thousands of Pollution Deaths Worldwide Linked to Western Consumers – Study
EEA: Unsustainable Consumption – The Mother of All Environmental Issues?
Oxford Journal of Consumer Research: The Greenconsumption Effect: How Using Green Products Improves Consumption Experience
