A minimalist has only what he loves and only as much as he loves to have around himself. He uses only what he needs. Important is that we all have what is necessary. That we consciously own and use items. And that we enjoy what’s necessary. The environment is around us, we are in it, we are the environment as well. We have to realize we are one with the environment and reduce our impact. Minimalism protects the environment and therefore us.

Furthermore, minimalism proves to be a very responsible way to live and comes with so many wonderful side-effects. In this post, we are going to explore some aspects of why minimalism protects the environment: There is less garbage thanks to more appreciation of items that are cared for and loved, thanks to more time we have to take our responsibilities.

A beautiful beach at the Caribbean Sea …

Two months I spent at a beach of Sian Ka’an, a natural reserve near Tulum in Quintana Roo in Mexico. On the campground from El Ultimo Maya to be precise. The white beach looks beautiful – but only if you look at it from a distance.

In the nights of May and June, the turtles come onto the beach to lay their eggs. They dig them into the sand. Or, hang on, once I take a closer look I can see they dig them into the garbage … Because the white sand only covers the surface. Beneath it are several layers of garbage … Like a geologist, you can read the layers of garbage here.

How can we protect those turtles and their environment no matter who and where we are in this world? The answer is the same like for many other questions on how to make this world a better place: Minimalism protects the environment. If we practice minimalism we protect the environment without additional effort. It is a side-effect.

turtle tracks on the beach in the sand between the sea and the nest — Can you see the turtle tracks? The turtle slides on her tummy with her feet at the sides. Out and back in the water. Two tracks …

a turtle nest, a dent in the sand with plastic garbage — This dent in the sand is where a turtle buried her eggs. It is a nest crowned with a plastic bottle and plastic pieces.

… and bottle caps from around the world

A waiter that worked on the beach had an even closer look. He read the screw top plastic bottle caps from plastic bottles and found that they are from around the world. But bottle caps are not the only garbage here. From shoes to any type of plastic item to rusty gas bottles anything can be found on the beach. Have all these items just been lost? With some, it seems, that they were lost on other beaches or on boats. But the presence of all those bottle caps makes it look like someone didn’t care too much what happened to the caps because it was clear they would be garbage anyway. And of course, the ocean is still used as a big garbage can.

bottle caps and garbage in the seaweed on the beach — Bottle caps and plastic caught in seaweed. On the picture, it is hard to see the extent of the pollution.

Minimalism makes the difference

Again, the only answer how to make a worldwide difference is minimalism. And looking back in history we find that in the past everyone practiced minimalism because our ancestors were “poor”. There was no garbage problem. With the industrialization, we started to create our problems. The garbage problem, we made ourselves slaves to the society, we look more on our phones than into the eyes of the people we get a chance to connect with. We have a lot of stuff and no friends. A lot of work but not a lot of money. We stop caring and when we feel bad we buy something to feel better for a moment.

Minimalism protects the environment, brings us back to the basics and helps us truly to feel better about ourselves and the world.

a turtle on the beach that came to lay eggs — This picture shouldn’t exist. Turtles are scared of white light. If they see a white light on the beach they don’t leave the water and are in danger of losing their eggs and dying.

Where are the bottles to the bottle caps?

The amount of garbage is overwhelming. In the mornings the beach looks like the ocean vomited garbage overnight and tried to get rid of what we put in it. And still, I wonder why there are only a few bottles on the beach? The only explanation I can come up with is, that the bottles that belong to those bottle caps ran full off water and sank to the ground of the ocean … Plastic swims but what finds its way into the water that is heavier than water or runs full of water sinks doesn’t it.

I think the number of bottles and garbage deep down on the ground of our oceans is at least as big as the garbage patches that float on the oceans. I don’t know what information is correct but to think that all garbage patches combined have the size of the USA sounds reasonable. When I consider the sheer amount of garbage that I collect on this tiny stretch of sand at El Ultimo Maya. And at least the same amount I expect to be on the ground of the ocean. Out of our sight but not out of our lives.

eroding beach from the distance — From the distance, it looks fine. But have a look at the close-up below.

a close up of the eroding beach that shows the layers of garbage — Layers of garbage. Clearly to be seen where the beach erodes.

Picking up garbage in the heat

Picking up the garbage at the beach every day feels daunting. There is just no end in sight. Even picking up the garbage that is laying on top of the sand is already a mission as some pieces are very small, others sharp and others connected with plants and animals. With the sun burning down I don’t even want to be on the beach. Where tourists go, employees are cleaning up. Where there are no tourists, no-one feels responsible.

The vast amount of garbage is overwhelming. Hardly anyone seems to care. I do. It is easier to look away. if you don’t care about yourself and others. I believe many care deep down inside and are just overwhelmed or believe their behavior doesn’t make a difference. But it does: Each action we take matters! Each single one of us matters.

You work hard to clean a stretch of the beach and once you are done, soaking from sweat with a hurting back, it still looks like before although you filled several bags full of garbage. Daunting …

seaweed and garbage at the beach of El Ultimo Maya — The seaweed is only a temporary appearance during two months of the year. The garbage appears all year long.

Where does the garbage go

Mexicans as a culture have a strong “I don’t care”-attitude. They just throw the garbage out wherever they are. Additional there are problems with garbage being picked up from houses. Residents pay for the pickup but it does not always happen.

And all this garbage I picked up: Where is it going to go? Is it going to be thrown into the ocean again? I don’t know. And even if it goes into a landfill, it might be less deadly to the animals, but it is still way too much garbage!

Minimalism protects the environment. We have to live it and keep the big picture in mind. And the garbage on the beach is from all of us! The Mexicans are not responsible for the garbage, we all are!

view to the restaurant from El Ultimo Maya across the beach — Looking back at El Ultimo Maya.

When your life is worth nothing

And from the Mexican point of view, garbage is the least of their worries. A life has no value in Mexico. There are so many executions through the mafia every single day. And even more traffic accidents because they don’t care for each other while driving, plus, they never learned how to.

The Mexicans just live one day at a time. They live in the moment. And in general, I see the benefits of this style of life and fully agree with it and promote it. It explains, why there are many happy people that sing and dance a lot.

We all should live life day by day and live the moments, but we have to be aware of the bigger picture and live up to our responsibilities at the same time. It is our responsibility to protect our lives long-term. Garbage kills animals, kills what we need to live, kills us. Hence, we have to produce less garbage. We have to care. Acting right now is essential. We have no choice!

turtle eggs, that look like ping pong balls, in a bowl — Soft turtle eggs that lay upon the sand and were not dug in …

Who is responsible for the garbage and the clean-up?

What makes it harder: The ones like myself picking up the garbage are not responsible for those pieces of garbage ending up on the beach. I never drank a Coke with a Chinese lid. But I am picking up the lid that belongs to such a bottle. Because although I didn’t throw this piece of plastic in the environment the responsibility to protect our planet is ours. It is the only planet where we humans can live. And if we don’t want to erase ourselves, we have to start to clean up the mess we created. All of us! You and I.

As we cannot change what others do, it is up to me and you to do the right thing. Why not make it our goal to pick up garbage every day? Not all the garbage we see but some? Let’s combine it with a squat. If you pick up ten items a day you already make ten squats and that is maybe more than usual or additional to the ones you make every day? So it is good for your health at the same time?

a man digging a hole for turtle eggs — Can we dig the eggs in like a turtle? Do they have a chance?

Make responsibility fun and be selfish

If the thought upsets you that others live a careless life, be selfish. Turn it in a way that you benefit from it directly and right now. Keep your spirit up and go for a walk on the beach, through the forest or through the neighborhood and pick up some garbage.

Others waste their lives in front of the TV or playing video games. By going out and walking you get some exercise, you meet some people. Take your chance and greet them friendly as you go.

You and I have to be the change this world needs. What do you need? Most of the time it is connections with people … Exercise … This fixes more problems than you might think. As a rule, a little bit of attention, a smile for someone is many times much more than we think. And as you are out there helping yourself with some exercise and social contacts, you help the environment and others at the same time … You are better off than those who stayed home watching football and eating junk food.

Collect garbage when you walk your dog. Practicing minimalism gives you precious time. You have more time for your dog, for friends, to make connections and equally more time for the bigger picture. Minimalism protects the environment. Use some of the time you have spare thanks to minimalism to actively protect the environment. Pick up some garbage from old days while you stop producing more garbage yourself.

turtle eggs in a man-made hole — Let’s hope the turtles have a chance …

Produce less waste and live minimalistic

Despite from dealing with the mess we already created and the piles of garbage that surround us in this world, the most efficient action remains to stop producing that much waste … Every piece of plastic we find pretty for one reason or the other, like some Christmas light or piece of fashion jewelry, is most likely to end up in the garbage sooner or later. If we choose to only allow into our lives what we really love we are more likely to really take care of the item. Things we really love we love for a long time.

If we learn to cherish the environment because it is necessary, it becomes easier to do something for it. Especially if we approach it in a way that we directly benefit from it at the same time.

We have to enjoy what is necessary. Not lose too much time on what is unnecessary and stay definitely away from it if it harms the environment and therefore all of us. If we choose to live a minimalist lifestyle, we are taking responsibility for the environment.

a waiter from El Ultimo Maya on the way to the beach to harvest coconuts with his tool on the shoulder — A man with his tool on the way to harvest coconuts on the beach.

The less we have, the more time we have to take responsibility for what matters

It’s simple, the less we have the less time we are going to need in the future to clean up behind ourselves because fewer items are going to circulate and end up in the garbage.

Also, if we learn to enjoy natural materials once again, less plastic is going to be produced. And plastic is a huge part of the garbage problem. Are you aware of the material of the clothing you are buying for example? If it is polyester it is plastic … There are other items, too, that are plastic. And sometimes we need to pause to realize it.

Sadly, it can be really complicated with materials. They are a whole topic by itself. As well as how products are designed. There might be a paper bag, for example, that is biodegradable. But if it is put in a landfill and not on the compost it is not going to break down. And some clothes are made out of cotton that comes from fields where a lot of chemicals have been used. It could be that even polyester might be the better option …

We have to keep it simple and easy to live happily: We need to have what we need and love. That’s it. If it is polyester, don’t sweat it. Just love what you have and care for it. It is never going to be perfect! Be reassured that minimalism protects the environment already to a great deal and we don’t have to be perfect. And we don’t have to be extreme. Confident and consequent maybe.

a waiter from El Ultimo Maya harvesting a coconut with a long bamboo stick with a blade at the top — Coconut harvest. Many accidents happen here …

Time matters and minimalism protects the environment of the future

Time goes by quickly. The older we get, the quicker it seems. One generation ago the garbage issue didn’t exist. We managed to create this problem within one generation! It is quite ridiculous at what speed we destroy the only planet we can live on and the life on it. We are killing animals with our garbage! The bottle cap we throw away in Europe might end up in the stomach of a turtle in Mexico and kill the turtle alongside with the bottle caps from China and New Zealand.

If we act now and practice minimalism like our ancestors did – without this word even existing – we and our kids have a chance to survive. Consequently, you and I, have to act now and take action. First of all, we have to stop damaging the environment more and we have to repair what we broke already. Every day just a bit.

I drinking a coconut with a plastic straw. — Spot the mistake … It is white and sticks out of the coconut …

We have to act right now no matter where we are and who we are

Every one of us with a conscience should make sure to pause for a moment and consider their way of life. If you are really good, adjust your life. Start making very conscious decisions of what and how much you purchase. We have to decrease the demand and therefore production. Why not buy second hand? Swap with others if you feel like a change? Think of solutions where you reuse and recycle.

Start buying locally again. Care about whom you give your money. Make sure to spend your money only if it benefits you and the environment equally. If there is nothing changing for the better by buying, don’t spend the money.

a Mexican coconut has been opened with a machete to eat — To eat straight and raw from nature what can be eaten that way is simply the best.

The turtles in ten years

Realistically the turtles are going to be worse off in ten years – if they are not extinct by then. Only considering the amount of garbage. Hereby I am ignoring the light and noise pollution and the changing temperatures and currents of the ocean and probably other factors I am unaware of. We haven’t reached the peak yet. We are the once who are going to live through the peak. If we start living minimalism right now. Otherwise, the amount of garbage is going to go up further and further.

The only choice we have is to stop what we are doing right now. We have to start right now to achieve that it is going to be better in maybe 20 years. We have to change our ways, it is the only option. And luckily there is one answer to all the questions concerning the environment: Minimalism. Minimalism is also the answer to problems arising from the changes.

If we start to live minimalism and protect the environment right now, we can fix it. And every single person and their action count. Do you live in India? You count. Do you live in Europe? You count the same. Do you live on this planet and make decisions about your life? Make the only right ones. Each single person and their actions matter. Choose the right action right now. Choose to make the right decisions every day. Be happy for every time you follow through. Be proud to be amongst the ones making positive changes by changing your life.

a friend and I lying in the water like turtles — human turtles enjoying the waves …

Minimalism protects the environment: Enjoy what’s necessary

Choose to enjoy what’s necessary. Comment and if you feel inspired and want to share it, do it. If you feel overwhelmed, contact me, ask me for support. I am here to help you.

How minimalism protects the environment