Small Acts with Big Impact On This Planet

Hello readers! Welcome back to the weekly edition of Wake-Up Wednesday Wins. This week’s edition features stories of small acts that (I think) are making a big impact on this planet.

Why small acts?

I’ll let Dr. Zinn here tell you why:

“We don’t have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.”

Howard Zinn

Small Acts Lead to Big Change

I stumbled upon this quote (again) while perusing social media the other day and for whatever reason, it really struck a chord. (thank you, Market Bags!) Obviously change has to happen from all sides, including from the top down. But…the top doesn’t necessarily move unless the bottom yells loud enough for it to notice, right? How do we yell loud enough? We all collectively gather our small acts and what seemed inconsequential before, now becomes a force to be reckoned with.

As Dr. Zinn also mentions, change doesn’t have to be the result of Herculean effort. Just as water steadily rushing over rocks has the power to transform those rocks and smooth its edges, so too does the constant whittling away of the status quo have the power to change the whole damn system.

So without further ado, I present this week’s Wins: all small acts that really are changing the world (for the better!). I don’t know about you, but after reading these stories, I feel motivated to get out there and make change happen…don’t you?

1. Tasty Innovation, Package-Free

Who else organizes a trip to a big city or new place around a visit to the local zero-waste shop? 🙋🏼‍♀️

At the top of my bucket list is Nada Grocery, located in Vancouver, BC. Their store looks like a dream, is stocked with all kinds of goodies, and was started by two incredible women, one of whom is a marine biologist to boot!

Recently, they posted to their social about a new product they’ve started carrying: crackers in a jar. That’s right, crackers! Notoriously difficult to find package-free at a reasonable price, the fine folks at Nada just went ahead and took the struggle out of the whole ordeal.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHguY4fhcUt/

Doesn’t seem like much, but think about how often (especially these days!) we all feel…snacky. Imagine how much packaging could be avoided if we all had crackers-in-a-jar?

I am sure they are all they’re cracked up to be, too. 😉

2. Micro Art, Macro Storytelling

Let’s be totally honest: how many of you fighting against plastic pollution would be absolutely, 100% stoked if you woke up tomorrow to find the problem eradicated? I know I would be.

Sigh. Here we are, in the real world, where those kinds of miracles haven’t yet been gifted to us. We’re more aware than ever of the negative impacts of plastic pollution, particularly on wildlife species around the world. Birds, turtles, whales, fish, you name it…there’s probably plastic in it. It’s tragic, horrific, and totally preventable.

So it’s refreshing to see so many individuals rise up and look at plastic pollution through a new lens. We’re finding new ways of talking about the issue and engaging with others on the topic. Another win?

ALL. THE ART.

One of my favourites is the delicate and whimsical art (and stories) from Emma @Optic Junk. Emma is a beautiful storyteller, marrying tales of cleanups or other current events together with art she then crafts from all that junk she collects. Recently, she put together a piece that depicted the issue of plastic pollution and birds and the result was…lovely. Click here to see it.

I’ve witnessed plastics atrocious impacts on Midway Atoll Albatross and it’s gross, sad, awful. It also feels like such a mammoth problem with no possible solution. To have someone be able to take that story and transform it into something beautiful and gentle is so helpful in making it a more accessible topic. Thank you, Emma!

3. Baby Shark Do Do Do Do Do Do

Watts in Maine is back for another Wake-Up Wednesday Win! Back in January, Kylie had shared some really poignant graphics around plastic pollution on Instagram, which generated a wonderful conversation between the two of us. What I continue to love about her business is that she puts time and effort into both educating her customers and crafting intentional products. She’s also creating positive impact with her business and that’s where this story is going.

It turns out, sharks are a species near and dear to Team Watts and it has been their goal for some time now, to donate to important shark research. Well…in September, they did it! By donating all of their September sales, Kylie and her team were able to make a donation to the Sulikowski Shark and Fish Conservation Laboratory at Arizona State University. This donation was enough to cover the cost of a satellite tag that, when applied to the shark (in this case, a pregnant porbeagle), will gather valuable data including water temperature, depth, and horizontal movement wherever she ventures.

Imagine that: just by purchasing an intentionally-made product, customers also contributed to important elasmobranch research (sorry, the marine scientist in me has to nerd out occasionally on these big words 😁). If that’s not a small act with massive impact, I don’t know what is!

Oh, and guess WATT?

The Sulikowski Lab named her (the shark) Watts. Ain’t that fin-tastic?

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHjVge_r2AC/

4. Cleaning Up Canada, One Bottle At a Time

I first met Andy as he was running down the side of a highway near Hinton, Alberta. My partner Jan and I happened to be on a trip with our Oma through that region, on that particular day, and we had gotten wind that Andy would be running in the area. We hoped our paths would cross and wouldn’t you know it…just as we were heading out of town, we saw his Canadian-flag bedecked cart coming into view.

He wasn’t out for a casual stroll and we weren’t having a casual conversation. You see, Andy (@MillionBottlePledge) is running with purpose. His mission is simple: to clean up Canada’s roads, trails, and parks. Of course, it’s certainly not an easy goal but he is relentless – and it’s working. He has been running around and across Canada fulfilling this mission for 7 years!

Do you feel inspired to run and pick up trash? I do!

What is remarkable about Andy’s story is that he is a quiet hero but leaves such a huge impact wherever he runs. He engages with community members when he can, and his message is spreading. He is inspiring individuals to band together and clean their own roadsides and slowly these small acts, grow.

5. Small Group Travel to Gain Big Perspective

There is no doubt that the tourism sector has been wholly transformed by the current events of this year. Some businesses have survived the onslaught of restrictions while others have had to shutter their doors completely.

But through this pandemic, we’ve seen many of the unsustainable and extractive qualities of tourism exposed and travellers, destinations, and tourism operators alike are having to come to grips with this reality. One wonderful silver lining to all this upheaval has been a renewed focus on sustainable and intentional travel. (I know, what a novel concept right?)

A friend of mine and work colleague recently launched her own travel company (go, Pam!) that specifically focuses on creating just this sort of experience for their guests. Mosaic Earth offers unique, immersive, small-group adventures along BC’s wild west coast. And if that wasn’t enough…check out their mission statement:

“Our purpose is to inspire others to learn, connect, and grow through travel.”

Mosaic Earth

The smallest act we as humans can take to make big waves, is to change ourselves. It’s really that simple.

Change yourself, change the world. Sounds like a buncha malarkey, but I believe it’s true.

One of the best ways to change yourself – your opinions, your perspectives, your mood, your mindset – is to travel to a new place. And that place doesn’t have to be on the other side of the planet (although those experiences are also wonderful!). It can happen right in your own backyard.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHiQOn2rdHP/

Mosaic Earth is an example of what’s possible when travel goes local, digging into the rich culture and environment right where it’s grown. In this case, it’s beautiful, British Columbia. Hats off to Pam and her team for launching and creating this beautiful platform for people to access nature, find adventure, and learn something new. Who knows how many waves of change will result from just one trip?

More Small Acts: Finishing this blog. YOU Win!

Thanks for getting this far, dear readers. This week’s wins remind me us of the power of small acts. It’s really easy in this day and age to feel absolutely useless about everything. We see too much, we know too much, we hold too much. It is not easy being human in this era and particularly not this year.

This is why we need constant reminders that despite it all, we are capable of change. It doesn’t have to be big or grandiose, or look perfect. It can be anything! There are people everywhere out there creating their own kind of magic to change their own world for the better. In doing so, they inadvertently change other people’s worlds, and that’s how the world is transformed. Remember that. 😊

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If you have a “win” you’d like to share to join future Wednesday Wins, please let me know. I would love to hear it!

PS – I receive no kickbacks, commissions, or anything of that kind, with these posts. These stories are simply ones that make me smile and give me hope for the future.