Innovate along nature: taking care of the environment from our spaces

While observing the rivers, trees, flora and fauna, nature, it is easy to believe this was the inspiration behind the famous quote “There is nothing permanent except change” Most of us have been witnesses of how similar our life experiences and mother nature’s circles of life are: We’re born, we grow up, we’ve gotten a chance to reproduce, we die.

And just as we people need and have cares, nature needs protection as well, specially if it has been the provider of many resources for a better life. As citizens and consumers, we should go beyond shopping and throwing out, we should take responsibility of those products we use and know what to do after their usage. 

Sometimes we find ourselves wondering and questioning what we do with the trash we leave behind. Many times, we set resolutions that we do not even start with. Some other times we are thrilled and driven by the initial excitement, and so we start changing. Without a plan, though, we find it tedious and eventually quit. 

Not so Little daily actions

"The main challenge is to build environmental habits"

That says Julio Alvarez from Grupo Promesa, a 100% Mexican organization that promotes a better social environment and the protection of nature. To achieve these goals, they have applied a series of environmental educational programs that are adapted and personalized to the type and specific demands that any institution needs, in which they include topics such as responsible consumerism, recycling, waste, resources and biodiversity, energy and lack of water.

Every single change of habit we want to achieve comes with questioning, and little and constant actions. Even when we might think these are small things, the sum and constancy of those well make you realize about the number of things you consume and our own impact on the planet. Julio states these are “baby steps, to make it easier: today this one thing, tomorrow that other one.” and then, as we measure our daily actions, it will be more notorious what our impact, what we generate and what we can avoid generating. 

Nowadays there are two of the biggest challenges: the increase on online shopping and food delivery services due to the pandemic y quarantine state, and the very popular green washing or green marketing, where many companies claim their products are eco-friendly, biodegradable, recyclable, etc. To stop and think before buying anything, and not let us be fooled by tricky or sketchy advertising are two easy task we consumers can do. 

Grupo Promesa is also directing two huge programs all around México. The first has to do with Escuela Promesa, a program in which they create an environmental educational program to build habits in students, where they teach theory and start applying it from day one, to start immediately. T

hese programs are personalized and linked to the official subjects taught by institutions, and so, to be part of the Escuela Promesa Program, you should check their social media channels where they will keep you posted with openings to apply for the program.

Follow @grupopromesamx en Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok

The start date is around March, and you have till June to register and apply. These programs go from preschool up to 12th grade, and there are other educational programs for businesses, enterprises, residential areas and restaurants. As Julio states “you cannot ask for the same results to all people, it depends on their stories, impact and waste” 

Stop underestimating your personal impact, let's have the talk/conversations about environment, ask yourself what you cand do, dare to ask and make it creative, dynamic, fun. Every day is a good day to start, and today, April 21st, we invite you to take a look into Zero Waste Day from Grupo Promesa, a day in which the goal is to produce zero waste. You can take your own bottle of water to school, you can go get an ice cream in your own cup, you can only purchase what you essentially need... Leaving the solution to others won't do a thing. We have a responsibility, and each day we act, we make a huge impact. Set comfort aside and let's get back the sense of urgency, let’s innovate and care from our spaces. 

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Remember to follow Grupo Promesa social media and nominate any environmental project to become an Ashoka fellow.