Sustainable Living and the Power of Everyday Actions | Alex Gamboa Grand | TEDxLacamas Lake

()

Challenges of Caring and Compassion Fatigue

The speaker discusses the challenges of caring about various global issues while managing daily responsibilities.
They describe feeling overwhelmed by compassion fatigue and the emotional toll of constant exposure to negative news.

The speaker shares their personal journey of trying to make a difference, including their initial focus on recycling and later learning about social entrepreneurship and conscious consumerism.
They explain the concept of conscious consumerism and how individuals can use their purchasing power to have a positive social, environmental, and economic impact.
The speaker highlights the importance of intentionality in everyday actions and encourages individuals to consider the full life cycle of products when making purchasing decisions.
They provide examples of how individual actions can make a difference, such as choosing reusable products and supporting sustainable businesses.

Reducing plastic fork usage can significantly reduce plastic waste, as plastic forks contribute 2% to global greenhouse gas emissions and mostly end up in landfills.
Conscious consumerism and social entrepreneurship have led to the growth of the organic food market.
Social proof, or the influence of peers, can drive social change, and a minority of people (25%) can create major social change.
Individuals and households can contribute 25-30% of the total emissions reductions needed to avoid dangerous climate change through actions such as reducing food waste, eating more plants, making homes energy-efficient, using sustainable transportation, recycling, reducing plastic and paper consumption, and opting for virtual meetings.
Not everyone has to do everything, but everyone can do something to make a difference.
Many impactful actions, such as reducing food waste and eating a plant-based diet, can save money.

Every day presents opportunities to make a difference, and caring and trying to be intentional with everyday actions can contribute to positive change.