Six years ago this fall, I had the unique opportunity to visit Churchill, Manitoba. Or, as most know it, the polar bear capital of the world.
During the week, I had many incredible opportunities to experience the iconic Arctic species in their natural habitat. Sounds amazing, right? It sure was. But, despite being in this amazing place, surrounded by these amazing animals, I couldn't help but feel a sadness come over me that week.
You see, the reason I was in Churchill in the first place wasn't just to check an item off my bucket list. As a zoo educator at the time, I was attending a leadership camp with other educators from zoos and aquariums across North America.
The goal of the week-long camp was to learn about polar bears in the wild and, more specifically, the challenges they face in a changing climate. The goal was to not only learn how we could help the big white bear as individuals, but how we could teach others to help protect our planet as a whole for future generations.
It was that week spent out on the Canadian tundra that I learned the breath-taking fact that if we do not lower our carbon emissions, the implications from a warming climate will lead to the disappearance of half of the world's polar bears by 2050.
"So what?", most people would say today, "Why should we care about something that will happen 33 years from now?”
While in 2050 I may be leaving the working world, 33 years from now, my daughter, my future generation, will be standing where I am today. A young 30-something professional, trying to balance a career and providing for her family. And, that’s exactly why I care.
If you can’t already tell, I’m pretty passionate about the environment. So much so that for the past 10 odd years, I’ve dedicated my career to teaching and inspiring others to care for our natural world.
These values extend beyond the workplace and into the home, where my husband and I strive to live a sustainable lifestyle.
While Morley may only be 13 months old, teaching her to care for our natural world cannot start soon enough. Whether it is as simple as spending time outdoors to completing small tasks around the home, such as helping compost, it is not too early to get her involved in our sustainable lifestyle.
You know who shares similar values? Greenlid.
Greenlid is the first ever fully compostable compost bin, scientifically designed to be leak and smell resistant. Their hope is to inspire as many people as possible to make small sustainable changes in their daily lives that cumulatively add up to larger environmental impacts.
What I love about Greenlid is that it sets itself apart from market competitors because it has a carbon negative footprint, helping users significantly reduce their own carbon footprint each time they use it. The carbon footprint produced in the making of the container and lid is extremely low since the product is made in Canada with end-of-life recycled paper. This carbon is offset by the fact that each composted Greenlid bin diverts 4L of waste from landfills, where it would normally create methane gas (contributing 20x more to climate change than carbon dioxide), to a compost facility where it can be used in the making of nutrient‐rich soil.
Greenlid is perfectly suited to living spaces of any size and is a simple, clean and a convenient way to live an eco-friendly lifestyle. Purchase your own Greenlid online, or at various retailers across Canada.
So back to the point of my polar bear story… Teaching others to care about the environment is all about making connections. If someone has a connection with something, they are more likely to love it. And if they love something, they are more likely to want to protect it. By visiting Churchill, I was able to build that connection with polar bears in the wild. And, it is my hope, that through the use of Greenlid at home, I will be able to start building a connection between my daughter, my future generation and this amazing planet we call home.
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How do you practice sustainability? Why do you care about protecting our planet? I'd love to hear!
GIVEAWAY: Enter for your chance to win 1 of 5 Greenlid Compost 5 piece Starter Kits and a $50 VISA gift card!
Greenlid the Compostable Organic Waste Container
Disclaimer: I received product and/or compensation in exchange for this post. However, all opinions are 100% my own. I only support brands that I truly believe in. Thank you Greenlid!
