Little changes

THE START OF SOMETHING BIG

12th of December 2024

The earth is changing, floods, heatwaves, droughts, hurricanes, destruction and disaster. We can all see it around us. But what can we do? A lot of us seem to be frustrated that it’s such a big task and let’s be honest, what is one household going to change when faced with multinational companies polluting to no end? Well, I’m here to sooth your worries and to give you some hope. We are doing this together. And the little things you do will make a big impact. And that is what this blog is about. The little changes we can make to make a big impact. Small things we can do to change the world.

Change the world on your own

Ever since I was little, I’ve always disliked the saying “You can’t change the world on your own” because it felt so defeatist. It felt like giving up before you tried. And I don’t believe it. I still don’t. There have been great names through history that have made huge changes in the world. Some for good, some for bad, some for greed and some depends on where you come from. Huge heroes and terrible villains. And even if we don’t always see it, our very existence has a big impact on the world around us. Kindness is catching in my opinion. Sometimes it’s as easy as smiling at a stranger on the street. But the biggest way we change the world around us is by talking. By transferring our ideas to others. Letting them out so they can be molded perfected and changed by those around us or they might infect others to think and change.

About me

But of course, that begs the question, who am I to tell you this? Well, just someone who cares. I’ve moved around a bit as a kid and in my late teen’s early twenties. Moving from the Netherlands to Portugal to Brussels and back to the Netherlands, ending up in the same small town I left with my family when I was 11. Living with my partner, young daughter, cats and chickens I still try to do the little things. The choices we can make with our yard or balcony, travel options, shopping, trash and energy usage don’t have to be big but can be helpful and don’t have to cost much. Often might actually save money. I’m not perfect and I promise you I’m not bending over backwards but I know the little things I do are important and will make a difference.

Different country, different view

In Portugal it was just normal for us to sort all our trash, compost, use our horse’s manure to fertilize our yard but also to take the car to the shops because the distance was too vast to walk or cycle. The roads not being very safe for cycling might have been a contributing factor. Living in the sunny south of Europe it was only natural for us to get solar panels for hot water and electricity. My mother always wanted her own little windmill but we never got that project of the ground. Moving to Brussels was a different world of course. They try to make the nuclear power plant seem festive at Christmas, at least once a year you have smog alert, cyclist use a mask with filter to get around town. On the other hand, they have amazing and affordable public transport, once a year you get a day without cars throughout the whole city and in Brussels, you are expected to sort your trash in three different bags as well. Then I moved back to the Netherlands, where they like to refer to themselves as “the best-behaved child in class” which I find laughable. I see all the small things people do in Portugal and Belgium and in the Netherlands most people, I’ve met in the town I live, can’t be bothered to sort their trash. Until I moved here, they didn’t even have bins for recycling. In this region the public transport is depressing (although granted, better than where I lived in Portugal) and quite expensive. And don’t get me started on the elected officials, policies around the airport and the farmer strikes. I have to admit I am more involved in politics since I moved back so my opinion might be skewed, but the general attitude I get from people here is less willing than what I’ve always felt in more southern parts of Europe. Of course, what does help is the attitude towards cycling. It is so much more common to grab the bike than a car. Our infrastructure is built around it. And I have a more diverse social network here so that might be a contributing factor as well. I don’t want to say the dutch don’t try but in the best of traditions, they do complain.

Who’s to blame?

I do want to point out that even though it is important we all try these little things. And going vegan, for example, has my great admiration although I myself haven’t found the right strength or motivation to really take that step. I do believe the biggest changes are political ones and the largest impact can be made by businesses and not small households. That doesn’t mean that the changes we make aren’t important and even vital. For one, we vote for the politicians. We spend our money on those polluting corporations so there are changes we can make there as well. But helping save the bees is also something that should never be taken lightly. So the more you do the better, but even the small things are helpful. And that’s what I want to make this blog about.

Sanctuary

Now why do I call this my sanctuary? Well, that mostly because of the bees. Every year I try to plant more flowers and trees in my yard. I even try to keep certain plants (otherwise categorized as weeds) around to keep the bees happy. Every year I also try to plant seeds for fruits, vegetables and herbs to consume from my own yard. In this blog I would like to mostly focus on those little things I do all year round to make my yard more blooming and more self-sustainable. I always thought I had the black fingers of death but it turns out, with the right weather and preparation I can get things to grow. I hope this will inspire you or might just give you a laugh and some hope for the future. Anyway, I hope you enjoy to read about my little world.