6 Creative ways to Contribute to a more Sustainable Community

It is often said a big part of a fulfilled life is contribution. We all want to help someone or something. We all want to be a part of something. It can often be difficult though, especially when the needs of our community are ever changing, to figure out just how to do so.

We thought we would share some tips to help get the creative juices flowing on how to contribute to a more sustainable and connected community. We wanted this list to be both partially timeless and partially relevant right now with a physical distancing order.

So we, at LastObject, hope this helps!

1. Host a zero waste or plant based dinner
2. Host a bike ride or a nature walk
3. Grow food!
4. Shop local
5. Share tips, resources, and how you've overcome challenges
6. Use what you're good at. 

Host a zero waste or plant based dinner

It’s a beautiful thing bringing people together to strengthen essential connections and share stories. Hosting a dinner like this is a great opportunity to show just how attainable a more sustainable life can be!

Making the dinner either mostly plant based, zero waste, or both is a great way to spread the message in a more receptive way.

The ladies over at Eco Collective did a great blog post on how to host a zero waste dinner. And check out their shop while you’re over there!

Host a bike ride or a nature walk

Who doesn’t like a nice bike ride or walk in nature? Not only does this bring people together, it creates more demand for a more walkable and bikeable community. All while allowing more people the opportunity to appreciate the natural world.

Physical distance biking tip: maybe set a 12 foot rule when riding to account for wind spreading germs and or the closing of distance with unexpected braking. 

Grow food!

Growing our food can be great for our own health and food security while also showing others in our communities that access to healthy affordable food isn’t so out of reach.

A lot of us would be pretty shocked to hear about just how many people are food insecure in our communities.

This is why starting or being involved in a community food garden can be even better than a personal one. It relieves some of the stress that food insecurity or lack of access has on people. Rob Greenfield has a ton of resources for growing food in all sorts of settings. He lived a full year off only the food he grew and foraged!

Shop local

As we know, cheaper isn’t always better. Especially when cheaper means diverting money out of our communities.

Not even in the sense of competing against global companies or other communities. But instead for the simple fact that your money comes back to you in positive ways when invested into the community. 

Share resources, tips, and how you’ve overcome challenges

We all have our own experiences and even if we aren’t experts, many of us have a lot to share. While his article is more focused on the environment and sustainability, this could apply to really anything!

Now is a great time to share your journey of this crazy thing called life. It may inspire others to make similar changes, or it may help them through a difficult challenge that you have also gone through. 

Use what you're good at

Of course we all share so many similarities, and it would do the world good to remember this, but we are also all so unique. We all have our very own strengths and weaknesses.

The trick to a very healthy and sustainable community is working together. And a part of working together is recognizing what we are great at. Finding our power.

Find your power, whatever it may be, and don’t be afraid to let it shine for the benefit of those around you. Together, we can build something great.

No matter the challenges ahead, or the ways of life ever changing, there will always be ways to contribute and help our communities. In times of darkness or uncertainty it’s often essential to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.

This has been and will continue to be the way that we as people persevere through all odds.