Three Ways to Think About Stewardship
Posted on February 25, 2017
Did you know that February 22nd was World Thinking Day? This annual awareness day celebrates the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, including many of their sustainability projects. This got us to thinking about sustainability and stewardship. We hear a lot about sustainability, but what about stewardship? We think of stewardship as a broader plan or system than conservation or sustainability alone. It is about caring and preserving for the next generation, and this comes from both education and action. It can apply to all parts of your life, such as energy consumption, water conservation, and sustainable business practices.
In our ongoing mission to inspire Calgarians, here are three ways you can start being a steward for our planet, and teach by example!
1. Set up a plan for converting your home to an eco-friendly one!
Making small changes to your home, one at a time, can make a big difference over a year, or a lifetime! Check out this comprehensive and accessible list of handy tips from the UK as a way to start your plan. You don’t need to change everything all at once, but if you have a plan, you can implement changes slowly as part of home maintenance.
2. Develop a meal plan and calendar!
Developing a calendar for your meals helps you make sure you pick healthy foods, keeps your costs down at the grocery stores, and lets you buy more sustainable products. It’s easy to fall back on expensive, processed foods when you haven’t prepared, but if you have a plan in place, you can eat more fresh-cooked meals, and even join us for #meatlessmonday! Check out all the great articles and recipes for eating local and fresh at Community Natural Foods.
3. Make a lawn and garden plan!
Laying out a diagram and plan for your yard might seem tedious, but you only have to do it once for the benefits to show! Think about what you plant, what needs watering, and where you’ll get the resources for your lawn and garden. There’s lots of great local sources for fertilizers, including your own compost (we can teach you how!), as well as worm castings. You can check our store for these and other solutions! You can also conserve up to 900 gallons of water a year with a rain barrel! Look for the announcement of our annual Rain Barrel Sale coming soon in our newsletter! (Update: Rain Barrel Sale info here!)
Once you have a plan in place, share it with friends and family! Who knows? They might have no idea that some simple changes could make big differences! You can share it with us, too! We’re on Facebook and Twitter! Want to see what the Girl Guides and Girl Scouts are doing, too? Check out the hashtag #LetsGrow!
