Kindness Challenge – Week Five

“The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”
~ John Muir

It’s fitting, in a way, that I couldn’t bring you last week’s kindness challenge due to in part to the extreme weather events we were experiencing in our part of the world. But here we are. On with the challenge!

Hello Lovelies! Welcome to Week Five of our six week Kindness Challenge.

To participate in today’s challenge all you need to do is select and perform one of the following kindness activities. The beneficiary of our acts of kindness for Week Five is our beautiful Planet.

Our planet could use a little kindness right now. It gives so much, we take so much, and there is a fragile balance here that deserves our mindfulness and care.

I encourage you to find one or two things from the following list that you can commit to doing on a regular basis. This is the only earth we get. We owe it to ourselves, our planet, and our future, to do the best we can for this biosphere we call home.

Okay, Kindness Ambassadors, let’s go!

1. Leave the car at home. Walk, ride your bike, catch a lift with a friend or use public transport.
2. Water a thirsty plant.
3. Plant a tree.
4. Start a vegetable garden, even if it is just a few herbs in tubs on your windowsill.
5. Recycle your waste.
6. Put a birdbath in your garden.
7. Buy less. Use less.
8. Re-use and re-purpose. Buy what you need second-hand. Repair the broken thing, re-sole your favourite shoes. Do what you can to utilise what has already been created. If you no longer need it, pass it on to someone who will.
9. Don’t buy products that use ivory, tortiseshell, coral, shark, tiger teeth, or reptile skins. These animals and plants are endangered.
10. Use less processed food, and more fresh locally grown and produced foods.
11. Don’t waste food.
12. Buy dolphin-friendly fish, and fish that is sustainably grown or caught.
13. Take your canvas bags to the supermarket. 
14. Use your own water bottle or coffee cup, rather than a disposable one.
15. Start a worm farm or a composting program for your food waste.
16. Turn lights and appliances off when you’re not using them.
17. Stop using chemicals in your garden and look for natural alternatives.
18. Stop using chemicals in your personal care and cleaning products and look for natural alternatives.
19. Use both sides of the paper. Recycle when finished.
20. Support farmers who farm organically, sustainably and cruelty-free.
21. Wear an extra jumper or put another blanket on the bed rather than using the heater.
22. Dry your clothes using sunshine.

    

23. Put rubbish in the bin, even if it’s not yours.
24. Share or borrow objects you don’t need to use very often.
25. Recycle your wrapping paper, ribbons and bows. Be creative with your gift wrapping.
26. Organise a clothes swap party with your friends.
27. Wash in cold or warm water, not hot.
28. Buy local, including supporting local artists.
29. Don’t buy stuff just because it’s cheap! 
30. Use rechargeable batteries.
31. Take a shorter shower, or shower with a friend. 🙂
32. Don’t flush medications or chemicals down the toilet or sink.
33. Replace disposable products like razors with durable ones that have replaceable heads.
34. Use real crockery and cups rather than disposables.
35. Don’t release helium balloons into the air – they present significant risks to wildlife who may ingest them.
36. Cut six-ring plastic pack holders (like the ones used for beer) apart before disposing of them so that they don’t harm wildlife.
37. Fix dripping taps.
38. Consider solar panels or a solar hot water system.
39. Support groups and policies that work to protect natural spaces, habitat and endangered species. We all need wild spaces and clean environments.
40. Use the cooled cooking water from vegetables or boiled eggs to feed to your houseplants or garden.

It’s a beautiful world. It deserves our love. <3