Being Imperfectly [Blank] is Better Than Not Trying At All
On a regular basis, we are bombarded with messages encouraging us to eat vegan, go zero waste, be more sustainable, and for God’s sake — stop using plastic straws. In fact, I’ve played a (small) part in spreading these messages myself. And because I’ve been zeroed in on this whole movement (and my entire Instagram feed reflects this), there is a tendency to get overwhelmed by the whole thing and decide to opt out completely if I can’t fully commit to the lifestyle.
It’s a mindset that says: if you can’t truly be ZERO waste, why even try to minimize waste at all? If you aren’t completely plastic-free, let’s not even try to cut back on plastic. And if I’m not 100% vegan, forget it — I’m ordering another burger. Or perhaps more often, you feel “less than” as you compare yourself to the ultra-dedicated folks who seem to be making the biggest difference on the planet. It can feel phony or hypocritical to dip your toes in the waters of sustainability while sipping from a plastic straw all the while.
However, instead of shying away from these subjects and retreating to avoid fraud detection, it’s better to be imperfectly [fill in the blank] than to not try at all. This tweet went viral a few weeks ago — and it was such a positive counter-argument for those who might view falling short as failure. It was certainly an encouragement to me.
Be imperfectly plant-based
Be imperfectly zero waste
Be imperfectly plastic free
Be imperfectly sustainable
Because small conscious changes are better than none at all
It’s better to be imperfectly plant-based, zero waste, plastic-free or sustainable — because small conscious changes are better than doing nothing at all!
In practical terms, being imperfectly plant-based can look like cutting out meat on the weekends or weekdays, and for many it’s just one day: Meatless Monday. In fact, if everyone on the planet participated in Meatless Monday alone, we could reduce emissions by an estimated 1 gigaton per year, which is equal to taking 273 million cars off the road for an entire year. So what may seem like a small contribution ends up making a significant impact on a global scale.
Being imperfectly zero waste means: minimizing your consumption of single-use plastics or unnecessary packaging by bringing your own tumbler/mug to the coffee shop for your iced coffee, bringing cloth bags to the grocery store, buying a metal straw to replace plastic straws, starting a compost bin, not buying plastic water bottles, etc. But if lists like this overwhelm you (they certainly overwhelm me!), just do one thing this week. Just focus on one action that you can control and make a commitment to do that well (but give yourself grace when you don’t!).
Being imperfectly sustainable means shopping at thrift stores or from sustainable brands as much as possible — but also not penalizing yourself when you have to grab something at Target or the mall. There’s times when I need a very specific item for an event or as a basic — and thrift stores (with their unpredictable selection and sizing) are obviously not conducive for shopping lists. It’s not about 100% perfection in this area; it’s about being realistic about your limitations and “failures.” At least you’re making small steps in the right direction and buying less fast fashion as a whole.
Let me be the first to admit: I am so completely imperfect in these areas. While I do a pretty good job at sustainability with my thrift store obsession, I am faaaaar from perfect with eliminating meat consumption or practicing plastic-free living. Every documentary on Netflix makes me feel a little less dedicated than I thought I was. But that’s okay! Those of us striving for improvement in these areas are further along than those not aware of the issues at all.
I challenge you to fully step into those conversations around sustainability and all things eco-friendly without feeling overwhelmed by the unspoken checklist of perfection. I’m also challenging myself to do the same, because I hesitate to become a voice for these issues when I don’t have all the answers — or I fail again and again...and again. But together, let’s focus on making one small step in the right direction — and grant ourselves grace when we take a step (or two) backwards.
Not to mention, our world today isn’t exactly designed to make these eco-friendly actions any easier for us to accomplish. Until our systems change on a global scale, living mindfully requires a lot of forethought, fight and friction. Frankly, it’s easy to lose hope! But I encourage us to embrace imperfection and make the small changes we have control over on the day-to-day. In the long term, small actions can accumulate to make a big impact in our homes, neighborhoods, cities, and ultimately, the planet.
“Imperfection clings to a person, and if they wait until they are brushed off entirely, they would spin forever on their axis, advancing nowhere.” — Thomas Carlyle