I think if we’re honest most of us want to live lives that are more ethical, more conscious of the world around. However growing in the 90’s gave me the impression that it was only the eco-warriors or the girls who wore tie-dye who could live up to this ideal. Over the years I know I’ve used lots of excuses as to why I’m not living a more ethical life, ‘it’s too expensive to go green’,’I haven’t had the time to research the options’, ‘ethically sourced clothes just don’t look good’ are just a few of the things I’ve thought.
However someone once asked me a question that has kept coming back to me ‘how do your choices oppress others?’. This for me is the crux of the thing, living ethically is asking ‘how do the decision I make about my purchases and lifestyle oppress others, both people and the environment?’. As a Christian I believe this is the kind of thing God cares about, deeply, so I’ve got a niggling feeling that I should starting working this out.
I don’t think my excuses cut it any more, I need to look at the choices I make especially because I want to present to my children a less confusing way to live.
So here’s the challenge I will make one change a month, every month. They say it takes 6 weeks to make a habit so I figure introducing one change a month gives me a chance of actually making lasting change. Also one thing a month seems slightly more manageable than trying to change everything all at once!
In this blog I will record how I get on and try to answer my own questions along the way, questions like ‘does ethical living cost more?’ ‘can I still buy comfy jeans’ and ‘does it really make a difference’? I promise to be honest, to share the successes and failures. My blog is definitely not a ‘look at how good I’m being’ record but rather a way of making sure I stick to the plan, there’s nothing like group accountability!
I hope you have fun journeying with me, do give me your suggestions or let me know how you’ve found trying to engage with these questions.
I should probably start…