It is becoming very evident that our planet is getting sick of our lazy and dirty habits. Weather patterns are becoming more aggressive, and wildlife is dropping off the proverbial map. As I talk about climate change with others, it appears as though the general consensus is that “yes, something is changing and yes, something has to be done; but we can’t do anything about it.” But yes we can, I can!
In 2018, I resolve to make every decision and change with the mindfulness of reducing my impact on our planet while making more of an impact on my world. My why is that I want to set an example for my son and even my peers in being more environmentally conscious, hoping to inspire others to move in the same direction.
Here are some of the goals that I have for 2018:
Eat about 75% local – By being conscious that my food comes from a 200 km radius of me, I will ensure that my food demand takes a minor toll on my environment. Yes, I could eat 100% local, but there are some pieces of my diet that I still want to enjoy, this is a small step and a habit changer that could one day lead to 100%. Another significant change will be my reduction of drinking Tims every day, I will make it a point to drink my coffee at locally sourced restaurants and avoid drive-thrus.
Walk and bike more – In 2017 I didn’t bike nearly as much as I had wanted to. While I was physically more active at the gym, work demands and general scheduling issues prevented me from biking and walking. When the weather cooperates, I hope to bike at least 3 out of every 5 work days.
Drive more efficiently – Our biggest planet buster as a family is that it owns two vehicles. Another kick on our planet is that one of our vehicles is a very fuel inefficient Jeep. As a family, we need to make a decision to drive less or find a more fuel efficient secondary car. Yes, a Jeep is a bunch of fun, but is it really worth it?
As far as my impact on my world, I have a few items that I want to focus on to give my time more meaning and be more efficient with my life. Here are my goals to achieve in 2018 that will fulfill my need to be more impactful:
Time – In 2018, I want to be even more efficient with my time. By efficient, I mean that I want to ensure that every minute is spent with a purpose and with good intent. In 2017, I had rid myself of the dirty TV habit and replaced it with more reading, this went a long way in helping me with my learning and writing. Now, in the new year, I need to target those small blocks of time that I spend browsing the internet and social media. While they are small units of time, when added up, they become big chunks of my day wasted. It is time to make time by using my downtime more effectively.
Money – I am a meticulous budget guy when it comes to our family financials. When it comes to purchasing power and planning, I always find it comforting knowing that our spending is within the context of our budget; we do not spend beyond our means. Recently though, we have been limiting our purchases to needs and fewer on wants. This change in our mindset has given us the ability to tuck a few more dollars away for rainy days or bigger dreams to be realized in the future. In 2018, I would like to become even more savings aware, and I think this will be easily accomplished by conserving more of our transportation funds.
Book – While I did accomplish my 2017 goal of publishing my “first” book, it was not the intended book that I wanted to write. In 2018, I hope to finally release the more in-depth healing book that chronicles my entire journey of healing. While I would have published it in 2017, it would have been incomplete. I still have a significant event to live through and write about which will set the tone for the entire book. I hope that this will happen in 2018 and then I can get moving on completing my second book.
My life is half over, and I have not even done half of what I need to accomplish. The name of my 2018 game will be efficiency, I have no more to waste If my son is to have a healthy world in which to live and pass on to the next generation. The conservation of my time and resources will start now, I must lead by example and prove that we can live a very healthy and fulfilling life by using less and thinking more.