I’m disappointed about the election result, which is funny because honestly I feel so out of touch with politics and the general happenings of our nation right now. We tend not to have the news on – given how terrifying it is for adults we don’t want the kids seeing it. I occasionally buy the paper on the weekends, then watch as the pages curl up like autumn leaves, unread because life with small kids is busy. My workplace is my home, so I’m not regularly interacting and conversing with adults about current affairs, and my coworkers have little care for our democracy.

And yet, somehow it is these little children in my life, the ones that keep me so busy, that have me feeling most upset about the election result. Because they are my world, and I worry for their future. I want them to grow up without the impending fear of a climate crisis. I want them to grow up surrounded by a thriving natural world. I want them to know they are nestled amongst people who care more about our planet, our home, than making money from coal. I want them to grow up with inspiring leaders, not nitwits who are high class debaters and other-blamers but low class change-makers. And yet, here we are.

I’m disappointed but I’m also reflective. I am but a speck of dust in this world, we all are, and I can only make a speck of difference, but a speck is better than nothing. So I’m motivated now more than ever, to make some changes in my own life because I can definitely do better.

I want to reduce how much ‘stuff’ I am bringing into our house, particularly in terms of single use plastic, cheap kids toys and poor quality clothing.

I want to continue purchasing items second hand from op shops and garage sales.

I want to use my ‘keep cup’ all of the time.

I want to reduce our household waste. We already compost but we still waste too much food and have too much rubbish. We now have the smallest waste bin on offer so the challenge has been set.

I want to educate our kids about the joys of experiences rather than things, and continue encouraging their love of nature.

I know there is so much more I could be doing but we all need to start somewhere.

Many of you are further along in your bid to reduce our heavy footprint on the planet so please share your tips, I really would love to hear them. In the famous words of Maya Angelou ‘Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.’

I want to do better and I’m starting now.

Eliza xx

*I realise this post won’t resonate with everyone, but I don’t want that to stop me from sharing it. It’s taking up a lot of my headspace so I’d rather put it out into the ether and welcome the wonderful ideas of like-minded people.