The Lifestyle of Thoughtfulness

By: Arian Lobon

I’ve always been mindful of the fact that we as people often live our lives without fully considering the immense scale of consequences for our actions.In some cases, we may be aware of this potential for our actions causing harm, though we have a difficult time finding a solution to this negative impact, which is why we continue to live our lives unchanged.

Personally, this seemingly inevitable idea was prevalent in my usage of meat and plastic. For meat, I thought of how unsustainable the meat industry was, simply looking at the meat section in a grocery store, and then thinking of all of the groceries that I drive by in a single day. There is no way that we can continue to produce enough animals for this scale of consumption, I thought. Later, I saw the reality of this epiphany when I watched videos of meat processing facilities. My fears were confirmed as my teenage eyes stared in horror at how the animals were treated. They were not viewed as conscious beings capable of extreme sufferings—they were not living, thinking creatures of the Earth, but mere commodities. 
Though I was aware of this cruel reality, I wavered in adjusting my life. I struggled to stay aware, to find a balanced diet and maintain an animal-free diet. I continued to be part of the problem that I was completely conscious of. 
For plastic usage, it felt impossible to avoid, as our society is constantly consuming plastic in everyday products. It was a horrifying reality to consider the fact that plastic was not only non-recyclable, but unable to decompose. Every ounce that we consumed would remain on Earth, toxifying our soil and oceans. 
The more that I learned about our country’s consumption, the more scared and helpless I felt. If no one around me cares, why should I? How would my actions, as one single person, make a difference?
Thankfully, as years passed, I made more friends, in the real world and in online communities, who shared my fears, and supported efforts to foster change. This support began to fuel my confidence. 
My optimism continues to grow, and I am more certain of standing up for my beliefs, when reflecting on where I was years ago—if I can be that support that I needed then, more people can join an incredible movement where our individual efforts truly do make a difference. We matter. 
Our “little” efforts are anything but little. It is simple economics: Supply and demand. If we, the consumers, make large-scale lifestyle changes, businesses and corporations must change, too. This is why it is imperative that we share and shape our demands as a collective body. As a community, we can create a movement, in which we hold ourselves and each other accountable, seek solutions, overcome the challenges, and always be mindful and open to the thoughts of others, as it is important to remember that we are all in this together, learning and growing from our thoughts and actions. 
We are fighting for the future, for ourselves, younger generations, and the generations to come. We are fighting for the human right to clean soil, water, and air. We are fighting for our Earth, and all living creatures that inhabit it. This movement takes all of us and everyone is welcome! Our community supports all efforts. We take pride in efforts, though not with the lens of feeling superior to anyone. The best approach to gaining allies is to be an ally yourself. So, don’t be shy, reach out, and know that you are welcome. 
We are stronger if we stand together.