Routinely, I am challenged about some of the stuff I teach. And routinely it’s an argument about what one individual can do about living, consuming, and acting consciously and ethically. We routinely debate the limits placed on what one person, family, community or even country can hope to achieve; limits that are sometimes real, many other times imaginary.

On the one hand, we seek to make a positive mark while constantly telling ourselves there is so little we can do about many of the big-ticket issues that world faces, politically, environmentally, and socially.

The debate moves up a notch if I suggest that, because we inhabit the richest part of the world and accordingly benefit disproportionately to others, the obligations on us are that bit more demanding. Almost immediately, the ‘but, but buts…’ come into play and the search for the ‘get out clause’ is triggered.

As a teacher and an activist, I feel compelled to talk more about what we can do rather than about what is not possible, either as an individual or, in Malta’s case, as a very small country.

Let me try to illustrate the point. Sometimes I explore the place and role of forests and forest products in the world. We look at their commercial, medicinal, environmental, and aesthetic value. I am often reminded that there is little most of us can do to protect the world’s forests, as we are not logging executives, timber importers or foresters.

Simultaneously, however, we continue to consume forest products at home, at work, in school or college etc., without a thought. I am always surprised at the number of people who have never heard of the Forest Stewardship Council and its role in certifying sustainable wood products. Checking for the FSC logo on paper products from tissues and toilet paper to packaging and labels etc., offers each of us a ridiculously simple platform to do the ‘right thing’. 

Equally, we can ensure that where possible we opt for Fairtrade products from coffee to chocolate to cotton and bananas. While Fairtrade is by no means a panacea for the ills of international trade, it offers better options in terms of human rights and employment conditions. Certainly better than those offered by unfair trade.

And again, it offers us a supremely easy platform for doing the ‘right thing’ and it has the added advantage of getting us to think and consume that way.  It is the beginning but not the end of our individual and collective journey.

From there we have the option and opportunity to expand our journey into areas such as fashion especially through platforms such as the clean clothes campaign, to general sustainable shopping to stopping food waste etc., etc.  And all without even breaking sweat.

We could then logically go on to the more serious stuff of not just doing the ‘right’ thing but actually challenging the ‘wrong’ thing. And that would involve us in thinking about what’s ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ and on what basis we decide such things. This stage might indeed incur some sweat when we encounter for example misogyny, blatant corruption, or racism.

Moving beyond our own individual behaviours and actions into something more collective offers yet another set of opportunities and agendas. We all inhabit associational life in our trade unions, professional associations, churches, band and sports clubs, workplaces, and schools etc. 

These places offer each of us opportunities for exploring what others are thinking and doing on a whole host of topics and agendas.  They might even offer the chance to become involved beyond our own selves…but then the limits could become limitless posing even more questions.

On their own, none of the agendas or behaviours briefly touched on above will resolve the challenges we face, nor will they automatically change the world for the better. But they might just change us and our way of looking at and interacting with that world. 

There is really no other place to begin, especially as we face another year of doing…or not doing.