A Local Effort: Being Greener in Your Community
It’s not just about what you do, but it’s about getting the message far and wide. Sustainable living has certainly become a very popular approach to life. And while you can have complete control over your life, by making sure you have a greener home and life, if you want to spread the message further, you have to go out into the community. So how can you help your community go greener?
Spread the Word About Initiatives
When we are looking at helping the community, it can be as simple and planting the seeds in someone’s mind. People may like the idea of solar power but are not keen on having a massive panel on their roof. But if you start to subtly change people’s minds within the wider community, it becomes a more positive influence. When you throw into the mix something like a community initiative, where the benefits outweigh the negatives, such as saving money, as well as helping the planet it can be a force for change. A website like choosesolar.com provides more information about community solar initiatives so you can start to give more information. Half the battle is about your community not knowing what the are doing to the planet. But also, many people are not conscious of how they can join in.
Planning for Change
As people are not aware of how they can change or join in, we have to plan to achieve our goals. Creating an alternative plan or vision for the community is easier to inspire others. There are many villages that have a long-term plan, either in terms of reforesting or cutting down their carbon footprint. Take inspiration from these people who have already put something in place. Look into Transition Towns for inspiration
Focus on the Political Aspects
The national approach can improve frustrating, especially if you’re trying to change your local community. Because larger powers don’t seem to listen to the small factions, this is where using local politics to your advantage can make the whole process far less intimidating. It’s important to make connections and get involved. And learning to shout louder than others is not an easy approach, especially in smaller communities. But this is where environmental justice organisations like ejfoundation.org can inspire you. You can see how people get help for the helpless. And when you start to look at how you can campaign against certain things, you can slowly initiate change to make your community a better and greener place.
Don’t Forget Social Media
It is a perfect starting point. The number of social media groups can give you a platform to spread news, and as you begin to spread the word far and wide, you can contact the local media. It’s important to remember that regional newspapers are always looking for a community story. In terms of spreading the message, this is one of the best ways to do it. And even if local media outlets do not respond, you can start to use methods to get your message out there. For example, you could start a blog, and make sure that you utilise search engine optimisation tactics to guarantee that your blog reaches a wider audience.