Once just a callow urban youth, now an enthusiastic convert to the idea of living a more responsible life, with a special focus on sustainability. Why bashful? Because I never imagined I would join the ranks of those who ‘care’, and bizarrely find myself a bit embarrassed that I do, despite my dedication to my new-found cause.
Until recently, I laboured under the illusion - shared by many - that activism wasn't for me; it seemed too ‘out there’, too much effort, even pointless. What’s the use in battling the tide of self-interest and selfishness, which always seems to win in the end? Mostly, though, I thought that I wasn't the right kind of person for it, thought I wouldn't be ‘good’ at it. Then I realised that all that only applies if you insist on thinking of activism as apart from the everyday, as a separate, semi-heroic (or semi-ridiculous depending on your viewpoint) activity performed by ‘the great and the good’. Actually, after a lot of reflection, I reckon the term ‘activism’ can be applied to many everyday situations and issues.
My own turning point came when I found myself handing a letter to the manager of a local supermarket asking why they used so much single-use plastic packaging on their vegetables, instead of offering loose vegetables. I was embarrassed to do it, and I never got a reply, but the important point is that I acted to demand change. In my eyes, that is a form of activism.
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