conscious : Mind,

Education is powerful. We must learn to harness this power to address the environmental issues that confront our lives, in the Philippines and in the world. Teaching adults about waste management is coping with the situation. Teaching children the benefits of segregating and reusing or recycling waste, curbing consumption and emphasizing humanity’s responsibility in caring for the Earth is not only proactive but preventative.

There are many ways to do this, and as any experienced teacher would know, the best method is modeling. You are what you teach. Integrity is crucial in any form of transformative education. This is not to say that we are perfect and do not commit mistakes. No one is perfect and we all commit mistakes, but owning up and taking responsibility for these errors in judgment is what integrity is about. Thus, if we are to teach about ecological sustainability, our words need to have substance – founded on actual practice.

When it comes to waste management, one of the most important thing is to change mindsets. Plastic has unfortunately become an integral (though unwanted and mismanaged) part of society. People do not see the impact of using and carelessly throwing away single-use plastic. There is a huge gap in consciousness with what is convenient for personal consumption and what is detrimental to the larger environment; the microcosm and the macrocosm.

What is needed is a complete shift from convenience to choosing what is essential. This means we need to realize that we are all indeed connected, and that there are no “isolated” actions in this world. Whatever we do in our personal lives ultimately affects the lives of others, and of the Earth. So, the goal of changing mindsets is eventually changing behaviors. This entails discipline and practice, and we have to start with individuals – both adults and children – engaging them on a more personal level.

The first step is creating awareness and then teaching new skills – as with a coach who helps athletes develop proper attitudes and mindsets. It doesn’t matter if the “players” have no immediate league to play in, what is important is they practice – we practice – regularly and consistently. Here are some of the practices we can do at home, in school or in the office:

1. Curb Consumption. This is the real enemy of our time – Greed. Human greed continues to destroy the very fabric of life – from environmental destruction, profit-driven businesses, materialistic empires that instigate wars. If we can, in our own lives, take only what we need and what we can manage, then we are already contributing to less trash and environmental burden.

2. Proper Waste Segregation. Having the appropriate bins and ensuring that the trash don’t mix. It doesn’t matter if they all get mixed in the end – that might need a solution on a community, city, province or even policy level – what is important is that you are starting now, practicing what you need to do. Learning about what goes together – Biodegradable, Non-Biodegradable, Recyclable or Reusable.

3. Refusing Plastic. Instead of blindly accepting plastic everywhere we go – shopping, eating out, etc., – we can learn to bring our own shopping bag, drinking bottle, cutlery, or food containers that we can always use and reuse. It also pays to educate those who offer us plastic use – to make them aware of alternatives and that we are actually using these alternatives ourselves. Choose to eat what you’ve ordered so there is no need to ask for takeout. For women, using cloth pads and menstrual cups not only benefit our body but also contribute to ecological sustainability and regeneration.

4. Choose to Live a Simpler Life. A materialistic lifestyle has led us to this situation, the compounded environmental problems we all face. It will take all of us to choose simpler lives, more attuned with nature and less attracted to accumulating more to change things completely around.  Again, if some of us can do it right now, then we are moving closer to that better world, one step at a time. Minimalism is one lifestyle that we can find inspiration in, as well as fasting or intermittent fasting — both point to the age-old adage, “less is more”.

There are more ways than what is listed here, which anyone can search for online. The key thing is practice. Apply whatever additional information you may find in your own homes, schools, workplaces and communities. Then, share your practice with us.

CHC also has a network of environmental advocates who can provide more information or educational experiences to guide you on your way to being more ecologically sustainable or regenerative. If interested, send a message through the contact form.