When making the decision to live a more sustainable life, we want everyone around us to embrace it, too! Unfortunately, that automatic sustainable lifestyle adjustment from all around you is pretty unlikely. But don’t be deterred! There are many ways to help your friends & family to live a more sustainable life. Learn how to inspire those around you by following these five tips.
1. Don’t Force It
Do not force anyone in your social circle to live sustainably. No one enjoys being forced or guilted into changing their typical behavior. People can also feel resentful if you force them to live a certain way. This resentment can lead them to never adopt sustainable habits purely out of spite, and we definitely don’t want that! Instead, you should prioritize communication and listening between everyone.
2. Be An Example
One way to prioritize communication is by inspiring change through action. Talk about or show your loved ones the steps you’ve taken to be sustainable. Show them a cute pair of boots you got while thrifting or talk about electronics you just recycled. They will most likely be intrigued and ask you questions. It might make them reconsider their own habits and make changes in their lives to be more sustainable.
3. Talk It Out
Talk things out with your loved ones! Prioritize talking and listening. You can listen as they explain why they have waited to make sustainable changes. They can listen as you explain why sustainability is important to you and the world (and literally any being living on it). When your loved ones understand your “why” they are more likely to make changes. Everyone can be open and honest about the logistics and their feelings.
You may even teach them something they didn’t know before, and that could be the spark that alters their behavior. Talking it out works well with partners and roommates, people who make decisions together because they live together! If you drink from small, single use water bottles, talk about switching to a water machine that incorporates reusable 5-gallon plastic water bottles*. You’ll save money in the long run!
4. Documentary Rendezvous
Choose a documentary or two with your partner, friends, or family and plan a movie night! There are numerous eye-opening, engaging, educational, even entertaining documentaries that can inspire direct action. Even if it doesn’t inspire action immediately, it will make them think about their own behaviors as well as consider what positive changes are possible on a global scale. Consider a documentary like The True Cost. Documentary watch parties are also a great person-to-person sharing opportunity because one of the documentaries you watch can be about sustainability, then the other(s) can be about different topics that are important to them.
5. Dissenting and Collaborating
Sometimes, even after sharing with each other, you won’t see eye to eye. That’s okay! Even though you don’t agree on this now, you can still come to common agreements about how to be with and treat each other. If you are vegan, tell your family that you still want to be part of family meals with them and while they include meat and fish in their meals, that it would be meaningful if some of the main dishes and sides are vegan.
Do you have tips for inspiring friends & family to live a more sustainable life?
