Did you know that recycling an aluminum can would give us enough energy to power a television for hours? Or that every minute you spend in the shower uses about 20 liters of water? That a plastic bag takes four centuries to fully decompose? That air conditioners emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere due to their high electricity consumption, thus worsening global warming?
These are facts that undoubtedly do not leave us indifferent. They remind us that many of the daily actions we take can affect our planet, whether it’s the environment or the people who inhabit it.
Once we become aware of the problem, the logical step would be to change our daily habits to try to live more sustainably. However, in practice, we realize that this is not always so simple and that giving up certain behaviors or actions is not an easy task.
Why?
First of all, we must remember that knowing is not the same as acting. So having knowledge about something doesn’t mean we start a routine based on it.
Also, we tend to downplay the importance of good habits and minimize the consequences of not following them. In other words, even if we know the benefits of an action, it’s not enough to carry it out.
We also fall into the trap of postponing the start of a routine by telling ourselves things like “I’ll start on Monday” or “I’ll get to it at the beginning of the month,” instead of “the best time is today, here and now.”
When we introduce changes into our lives, no matter how good they are and how eager we are, it takes time to assimilate them. This time (which varies from person to person) is because we generally change internally as well; we become aware of what and why we are changing, and carrying it out often means stepping out of our comfort zone where we feel so comfortable. Changing actions and thoughts requires focus and self-control, which leads to using more energy, so we may feel more tired both physically and mentally.
No one said changing behaviors was easy… so it’s necessary to truly believe it’s worth it, to want that new challenge, and not to give up at the first difficulty. With these doses of conviction, motivation, enthusiasm, and perseverance, we can enjoy more and better by achieving the desired changes.
Did you know that recycling an aluminum can would give us enough energy to power a television for hours? Or that every minute you spend in the shower uses about 20 liters of water? That a plastic bag takes four centuries to fully decompose? That air conditioners emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere due to their high electricity consumption, thus worsening global warming?
These are facts that undoubtedly do not leave us indifferent. They remind us that many of the daily actions we take can affect our planet, whether it’s the environment or the people who inhabit it.
Once we become aware of the problem, the logical step would be to change our daily habits to try to live more sustainably. However, in practice, we realize that this is not always so simple and that giving up certain behaviors or actions is not an easy task.
Why?
First of all, we must remember that knowing is not the same as acting. So having knowledge about something doesn’t mean we start a routine based on it.
Also, we tend to downplay the importance of good habits and minimize the consequences of not following them. In other words, even if we know the benefits of an action, it’s not enough to carry it out.
We also fall into the trap of postponing the start of a routine by telling ourselves things like “I’ll start on Monday” or “I’ll get to it at the beginning of the month,” instead of “the best time is today, here and now.”
When we introduce changes into our lives, no matter how good they are and how eager we are, it takes time to assimilate them. This time (which varies from person to person) is because we generally change internally as well; we become aware of what and why we are changing, and carrying it out often means stepping out of our comfort zone where we feel so comfortable. Changing actions and thoughts requires focus and self-control, which leads to using more energy, so we may feel more tired both physically and mentally.
No one said changing behaviors was easy… so it’s necessary to truly believe it’s worth it, to want that new challenge, and not to give up at the first difficulty. With these doses of conviction, motivation, enthusiasm, and perseverance, we can enjoy more and better by achieving the desired changes.