Dear Environmentalists,
If there is one thing I want to say to you, it’s thank you. You are doing a lot to make the world a better place, and it’s something to be proud of. But, remember you don’t have to be perfect all of the time. We are inherently imperfect beings and we have to allow ourselves to rest.
I also want to encourage you to focus less on the small details and more on the bigger picture. The environment doesn’t care if you have a little too much trash to contain it all in a mason jar. It doesn’t care about the one time a week or month that you eat beef. Instead, it wants to see you living a lifestyle that is both sustainable for you and for the planet, and that allows you to continue your activist efforts for a long time. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Don’t set yourself goals so lofty that you’ll fail immediately. Start with what you can do, and work your way from there.
There is no such thing as perfect environmentalism. Whatever you do will be fraught with potential critiques. Anyone who wants to poke holes in it will find ways to. What matters is that you give what you can, you take breaks, and you never give up.
Conduct your activism through a combination of both individual and collective efforts. So, yes, reduce your meat and dairy consumption, but also sign petitions and attend protests (if it’s safe for you).
Also, ensure your environmentalism is intersectional. Climate change will impact everyone, but oppressed communities will suffer the most. Indigenous peoples, many of whom rely most heavily on the land for their livelihoods, are having their rights forcibly taken away as the climate changes. Those living in poverty in the Global South may not have the resources to recover from natural disasters. Environmentalists have also done harm to marginalized people in many ways, such as advocating against food sovereignty. Educate yourself on these issues and act accordingly, such as by advocating for more BIPOC environmental leaders.
Once again, thank you for everything you do, and please refrain from being discouraged. Your intentions will always be inspirational and by nature of living the way you do, you will bring more people on board. I simply encourage you to constantly learn more, to engage in new and diverse ways, and to never give up.
Sincerely,
Aspen Murray
aspen's eats 
Great blog Aspen, I enjoyed reading your open letter to environmentalists! I remember commenting on your How-to post about how you show that you’re not a closed-minded person in your writing and how you look at a topic from many viewpoints instead on just one. Just as your previous posts this one was as strong because you don’t criticize environmentalists who aren’t perfect. I like how you emphasize the importance of not being perfect because although we need a lifestyle that is sustainable for the environment, we also need to think of ourselves too. And also, thank you for all the hyperlinks. If it weren’t for them I would’ve had to search for a lot of things myself because this wasn’t a topic I’m familiar with:)
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