We all have the capability to be compassionate towards other people, animals and the world around us. Everybody has a limitless supply of compassion. Personally I don’t quite agree with the statement that you have to pick a side of compassion. For instance, some people already give to people and feel that they don’t have the capacity to give to animals or other causes. Other people help animals and feel that they have no capacity to help anyone else. Showing compassion to everyone doesn’t require a significant amount of your personal time or finances. Being compassionate towards the world around us just requires a small amount of effort. Below are some ways that you can show compassion and love towards the world around us.
1. Give away your extra food. I am guilty of cooking too much or taking away food and letting it go to waste. Other times I bake a bit too much than needed and much of that ends up in the trash. Not only is the food just wasted but I’m also throwing more food into landfills. Next time you have leftovers at a restaurant, and you doubt you’ll be eating the leftovers, consider giving them to the homeless. I have done this several times and I have never had a bad experience. Most homeless people really appreciate a delicious meal that they would not have had otherwise. If you feel uncomfortable giving money to the homeless, then giving your food may be a better solution. The same goes for cooking and baking. Share your extras with the homeless. You can even share your extra baked goods with the neighbors, coworkers or even random people on the street. Just be sure to let them know that you baked a few extra treats and don’t want them to go to waste.
2. Don’t litter. Even when it is tempting, do not litter. Imagine if you had guests staying over and they carelessly threw their trash on your living room floor and left without even cleaning it up. Every time you litter, you are needlessly creating a mess that helps destroy the environment and that someone else has to clean up. Some people feel like their individual actions do not matter, but change starts with you. Take the small effort to not litter and not add to the problem. One way I help myself not litter is by keeping a garbage bag in my car or taking a bag with me on hiking trips so that I can always carry my trash instead of feeling tempted to throw it away. You can avoid littering by just taking simple actions to ensure you don’t allow it to happen in the first place.
3. Plant a garden. Having a garden is a great way to promote natural wildlife or to give yourself a chance to grow your own vegetables, herbs and fruits at home rather than buying them from the local market. I’d recommend doing some research on the best gardens in your area and what is most eco-friendly. For instance, in southern California, having a cactus garden can be a great type of garden for the environment. Not only do cacti thrive there but southern California is prone to having droughts. By not having a garden that requires frequent watering you not only benefit the environment but you also have a beautiful garden in your home that requires little maintenance. In different climates, your home may be perfect for growing different types of plants. You can use your garden as an opportunity to save on shopping costs and to help the environment by not always eating food that is transported from other places.
4. Be mindful of what you eat. Being accountable for the food you are consuming can help the environment tremendously and help improve your health. During undergrad when I was hardly making money, I tended to eat whatever was cheap. As a result, I was likely indirectly supporting inhumane treatment of animals and also lost control of my health. When you start to pay attention to what you consume, you also tend to pay more attention to your own health as well. I’m not saying you have to go vegan or vegetarian either. I realize that those lifestyle choices are not for everybody but make an active effort to think about what you consume. For instance, you might stop drinking dairy milk and switch to almond milk instead. You could consider eating meat only on the weekends instead of everyday. When you do consume meat, you can do research on the types of farms your meat is sourced from. You may not be able to directly stop the impact you have on the environment but making active steps to lessen your impact will do you and the world some good.
5. Contact local animal welfare agencies if you see a stray or hurt animal. Many of us have seen a stray or an animal in pain at some point. Although it may seem easy to drive away and ignore an animal in pain or an animal that is lost, do your part and call an animal welfare agency. For all you know that stray may be successfully and happily placed with a loving family for the rest of its life. The animal in pain may successfully be taken care of and recovered due to your promptness in calling for help. Animals often need our help. Although you may not be able to care for an animal yourself, you can at the least, give the animal a chance at getting the help it needs by calling animal welfare agencies.
6. Reuse and recycle. For several years I was really bad at reusing things. I’d often use paper plates and plastic forks due to their ease of use and how easily disposable they were. Many of us get into habits that feel easy but are very taxing for the environment. Try to think of ways that you can reduce how much you throw into landfills. You might find that reusing and recycling products actually saves you money too. Stick to using reusable containers, silverware plates and utensils, reducing plastic in your life, etc. Try to buy things that you need. Buying in bulk can be tempting but be honest if you don’t need something or will end up throwing certain items away. Look into buying reusable coffee cups that you can continue taking to your favorite coffee shop, instead of using the same paper mugs. Also make an active effort to recycle everything possible. Once you get into the habit of properly recycling items, it will be more difficult for you to stop.
There are many more ways you can support the environment. These are some simple and compassionate ways that you can begin helping the world around you. You can consider donating to causes you care about, making a dramatic dietary change or donating your time to work at the local animal or homeless shelter. Regardless continue working on being compassionate and loving to the world around us.