Investing in our future

This year’s theme of Earth Day, which took place on Saturday, was ‘Invest in our Planet’.
The aim was to encourage us all to dedicate our time, energy and resources to solving climate change and related environmental issues.
So, what counts as an investment in the planet?

Time
How we spend our time requires that we rethink our daily and weekly activities. When I think back on my ‘sustainability journey’ from my adolescence to now, it definitely required time to read, think, plan and change my habits. It was an evolution, rather than an overnight transformation, to where I am now.
Of course, it takes time to save, wash and reuse containers for refilling, or to cook meals from whole foods, or to mend clothing or to grow some of our own food. However, these activities displaced some other hobbies I don’t miss, like going shopping for the sake of it, or spending time organising things we don’t actually need or want, and I count them as an investment in the world I want to have.
We also value spending time cultivating plants from seeds, and connecting to natural rhythms really helps recalibrate our values.

Energy
Investing our energy is a step beyond our time. Greta Thunberg and the school strikers are an excellent example of people who have invested their energy into influencing governments to take action on climate change.
When I first opened PAX, the idea was to help people dramatically reduce their packaging and food waste through refills, which has expanded into putting a lot of energy into building relationships with growers of organic food in Ireland, along with small-scale producers of all kinds of eco alternatives to support the local economy. Some days I have more optimism and stamina than others, but the overall trajectory is positive.
Individuals can choose to influence one thing: I know a sea swimmer who collects rubbish every day she swims, a family that prioritises non-toxic swaps for cleaning and personal care, people who choose not to drive on certain days, and many people who buy second-hand clothing. We can all also become well-informed on specific topics and tell others about them, organising groups to plant trees, remove invasive species, garden together, and so on.

Resources
Investing our resources can seem more difficult, especially at the moment, but where we spend our money sends a message.
Buying directly from farmers enables us to have homegrown options in Ireland, given that a high percentage of the food in supermarkets is imported out of season, with little revenue left to the growers.
Sourcing items that have been used instead of buying new lowers demand for the plethora of goods churned out from limited raw materials every day, and is generally less expensive—toys, electronics, furniture, garden and sports equipment are all readily available in good used condition.
Our payments in taxes should be equally well spent, so asking our councillors and TDs to make investments in our planet is also hugely important.
So why not have a think, and see how you can invest more in the planet through the choices you make in your daily life.
There are plenty of ways, and soon these choices will become the norm rather than feeling like an effort.
And the more we invest, the greater the payoff.