Start making a difference in your own life!

Philippines
June 3, 2012 3:41am CST
Let me share this quote I once read: " The best way to make a difference in the world is to start by making a difference in your own life." This is true for me as I went to the grocery and my mom was surprised to see me carrying a reusable bag , which I don't usually do. I just shrugged and told her it's time to make a difference. I had read that only about 12 % of used plastic is being recycled in the Philippines. I was aware and said to myself, might as well use reusable bags to help reduce the piling up of this harmful plastic or the non-biodegrable material. Make it habit! Let us use reusable bags and containers for daily use...
3 people like this
12 responses
@annavi23 (6522)
• Philippines
3 Jun 12
Yes, this is true! If you want to make a difference in the world, start it in yourself. We must do things to help mother earth and to help ourselves more responsible and care for our surroundings. Avoid using too much plastic cause not all people can do that. and if ever it can be helpful, try to tell others to do as well. If it can fit in a reusable bag, use it there, if not, just do the plastic.
• Greece
12 Jul 12
Using less plastic is good but if we want to change the world we must change the people in it. We can only do that within our circle of friends, so it is limited but as someone said 'A journey starts with the first small step.'
@annavi23 (6522)
• Philippines
13 Jul 12
yes, certainly! we have to change things for the better and using recycable bags is one of those better changes. we should encourage others to do the same. specially those who are close to us. There are lots of things we have to change for the better and attitudes can be one of those which always needs to have attention to...
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
3 Jun 12
where i live, the stores charge you 5 cents per plastic bag which encourages one to bring their own reusable bag to the store.
• Philippines
3 Jun 12
Must be a very good motivation after all! I wish all stores would implement this way.
@jpso138 (7851)
• Philippines
12 Jul 12
That is certainly a great thing that you are doing. Starting out with oneself is already a big step for a big change. Most of use have been accustomed to doing things even if we know that it is wrong simply because other people are doing so or most of the people does it that way. I salute you for that and wish that everyone will do the same.
@marguicha (214294)
• Chile
16 Jun 12
We can make a difference in our lives in every kind of aspect of our lives. I felt this pride when I started my vegetable garden with raised beds. Sometimes life has a way of paying you back for our caring. Last year I had chemotheraphy and was not allowed to eat raw veggies. But I could eat the ones I had planted, as they had no pesticides.
• Philippines
16 Jun 12
You're right. We must help revive our mother earth before it would be too late. During my day off, I planted about ten seedlings. I plan to plnat more.
• Canada
4 Jun 12
good job vanate! it's time to make difference. it's time to help mother earth!
• Pamplona, Spain
3 Jun 12
Hiya vanate, I use plastic bags over and over and over not just for shopping but for other things. Also I try to buy them as little as possible and reduce the amount of them I buy as well. For example I don´t tie knots in the bags too much so that I cannot undo them again. I make the knots loose so I can open them and re-use them again and all I can. Really I don´t like to throw them away because here where we live they have no plastics bin at all at the moment which is very silly. xxx
@megamatt (14292)
• United States
3 Jun 12
Indeed, the chances that you are going to change the world, are rather astronomical. However, if you make changes in your own life, with how you do things, then you will find that other people might be inspired to make changes. Well they may, they may not, but they are going to be able to get the ball of change rolling downhill, in an attempt to make things. Of course, not many people are willing to do this, because the status quo is something that people will be forever rooted right in directly. Most stubbornly and harshly as well. There are just many times where good habits that are environmental friendly, they don't come handily and they are very hard to ingrain. It will take some work but obviously it is doable. Of course, whether or not the damage is already irreversible, that is another interesting debate.
• India
3 Jun 12
I accept plastic bags from shop but never throw them afterwards. I use them again(for some other needs) or keep it neatly at home, 'cause it kind of looks good too. well I'm against throwing plastics, it's non-biodegradable and we must reuse it. Well I don't know how much of plastic is being recycled in India but I do know waste management is not very good and they are piling up. So I do start making difference!!!
@khare_1005 (1310)
• India
3 Jun 12
if we want to see a changed and a better world, we have to start making amendments from ourselves. i must say you have taken a very good step by using recyclable materials instead of plastic and non biodegradable products. most of us are aware of the fact that these plastic products are hazardous for our lives as well as our environment and even then we pay no attention to use the substitutes. we consciously and unconsciously keep harming our mother nature. if only a few responsible people like you take up the initiative, it can serve as a motivation for others. in my house too, whenever someone is going to purchase something from the market, we carry jute bags. but still somehow some of the plastic bags keep coming in. your discussion serves as a motivation for me and i'll take are that i can reduce their piling in my house if not completely stop it.
@sishy7 (27169)
• Australia
3 Jun 12
That's right. The best is to start with myself. Then my immediate family. Then my closest neighbours, so on and so forth. Once we master to take care the smallest unit first, it will be easier and make more sense to take care bigger and bigger unit. Before we know it, the whole world will be taken care of if more and most people start to take careful steps themselves first.
3 Jun 12
heyy this is really and really true! the one that i believe is if we being kind to people, even though that person don't being kind to us back but still the universe will be very very kind to us! just like that karma that buddhism believe, do something good and it'll comes back to you! just like using a reuseable bag back that you're saying, though it's just us who care about this earth, but still somedayy people will see and follow, and all the people in this earth will helping each other saving this earth! :D