Guys - I recently wrote to my MP about a B-I-G I-S-S-U-E even though I thought what's the point - he wrote me back! Twice! And when I invited him to a rally/march - he came! I'm sure I wasn't the only one writing him about this issue, but it made me feel a smidge more powerful. The small things do matter, it turns out. Thanks Leena!

"Pivoting my KZfaq channel to secretly be about the climate crisis even though you only started watching for books and rants about the royal family" - You got me there! 😂🙈

"That's how shame works" THANK YOU! I've been trying to understand why your advice has impacted me so much more than the activist so-called 'friends' I used to have, and this is it, this is the entire reason I'm no longer friends with those people.

Thank you for this. I always think about it like voting. If you think your one vote doesn’t matter, that mindset is contagious and that is cumulative to the point where it really matters that all these people didn’t vote. Same with small actions for the climate. Every little bit matters and can have a cumulative impact.

I think Shelby used to end her videos with "you can't do all the good that the world needs, but the world needs all the good that you can do", and that's kinda my mantra now. My parents' respond to any and all personal and systemic changes for the climate is "well, as long as China isn't doing enough, nothing we do will matter", and yes, big systemic change is a goal, but also isn't the ultimate goal for all our lives to look more sustainable in the not-so-distant-future? So if I do change something, surely it's still a step towards that goal?

"Seeing your part in something and choosing to opt out doesn't have to have a big masterplan behind it." 👏👏 Yes!! This is exactly how I feel when people ask why I'm vegan and have been for over six years. I just don't like the industry and what it stands for, so I won't take part because *I* don't have to - not everyone is as fortunate!

An extra tip: consumerism is ingrained in all of us at this point, and having a "no buy year" or even a "no buy month" might be just too much for many people (me included haha), but my fix to that is: shop small. Make yourself a goal that, for example, this Chrstmas you will only buy gifts from small businesses. Or maybe a goal to only buy certain things from small/local businesses, like jewellery, home decor, clothing etc. This allows you to still buy some things and get that serotonin kick, but at least you're supporting an indvidual's life and help them pay rent, and not just add another zero to a billionaire's account. Small businesses might be a bit more expensive than mass produced things, BUT you're making someone's day brighter, you're helping them survive, and on top of that you will also have a much more unique, special product that was created out of passion and love.

One top tip that costs nothing is to delete old emails and photos off cloud storage. They use a ton of energy being storeed in servers somewhere and not just a "cloud".

Yes! For me, it’s so much about self-respect too. If I don’t even act according to my own values, why should I - let alone anyone else - take myself seriously?

The same is true for amplifying and sharing the voices of those currently being bombarded by the apartheid and colonial state of Israel. Every voice, every like, share, click, comment and conversation loosens the hold that the Israeli narrative has over our governments and media. The struggle against colonialism and oppression is not an abstract, academic theory found in books to be studied in 50 years. It is living the very act of solidarity that we profess to care about. The struggle- of the environment, against racism, of the working class- has always been global. Free Palestine always and forever 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸

"Somebody made this jacket With their Tuesday In between their toilet and smoke breaks (If they even got them)" So well put Leena

Wow Leena, you expressed my experience with trying to go zero waste perfectly. Everything I do makes me want to do more. What started as trying to buy veggies that aren't wrapped in plastic has turned into becoming a citizen of the country I live in so that I can vote, and most recently, eating vegetarian. Thanks for being you and sharing your thoughts ❤

I have a name for this: Climate Kantianism!!! Maybe I have just taken too many philosophy classes. Still, this is how I think about it: even if my actions don't matter from a utilitarian perspective per se, I want to know that I am not contributing to a flawed world. Whenever overly cocky (mostly) men try to spark this debate with me, I just whip out Kant as a backup in case they aren't listening to what I am saying. ;). Highly suggested for anyone else struggling to explain their position!

Last year I was living my normal consumer-filled life. While there were small moments of interest in sustainability, for the most part I ignored them. I think a part of me was overwhelmed and another part thought it was useless. Then I came across your channel and my mindset slowly started to change. I joined the gumption club, gave up fast fashion, and began limiting meat. I still have a long way to go in my sustainable journey, but you have helped me realize that every small step counts. Next on my list? Buying a sewing machine! Thanks for bringing us along on your journey, Leena!

This reminds me of a phrase my therapist and I collaborated on, "My part is a worthwhile endeavor". We were talking about social issues and how I can't fix all the world's problems. And that's okay. It's good actually because that means it's not all on me, it's a community effort. I am a link in a chain and my job is to be that link. I have never cared about anything first, and I won't be the last. My job is just to be a part of a larger movement. I believe that every positive action creates a better world (like in that instant the world is a better version). A better utopia isn't going to show up overnight. It gets built bit by bit and everything counts!

Thank you for "pivoting your channel towards talking about the climate crisis". I DID start watching for the book content, but you've really encouraged me to make the changes I've wanted to do for years but kept putting off. ❤

My small change thing that makes me feel better about pretty much everything is taking my compost to my local kindy who run a community garden that grows veggies and herbs for anyone who needs it (they also provide bread that anyone can have who needs it) and in addition to supporting this wholesome community I am generating less landfill waste and usinh less plastic rubbish bags 🤗💜✨

I am here for the climate and ethics content. I joined for the closet clear outs and fashion challenges.

I find the fact that my small actions "mean nothing" somewhat comforting as someone who went very hard at zero-waste in 2019 (I used to keep a tally on my phone how many disposable takeaway cups I used). My perfectionism led me to be really hard on myself and feel terrible if I accidentally generated any waste at all, bearing a lot of shame and guilt about my impact on the planet, when really it is those large companies who have the biggest impact! This helped me to relax about my day to day a little bit; not that I stopped caring about the waste that I generate, but that I can have some grace with myself and not overstate the impact of buying my milk in plastic cartons or the occasional plastic fork that I use etc etc.

great point about ‘it matters to ME’ with the example about only one person dying one day and also a great example with the emotions around the knowledge that a real person made an H&M t-shirt….these emotional (and knowledge-based) reasons are often my reasons why some climate-hurting behaviours are unthinkable for me (personally) nowadays

I have made small changes over the years and this Xmas I’m giving sustainable gift boxes to my family. I have done homemade gifts for years. This year they get cloth napkins microfiber wipes non toxic cleaner tabs in reusable glass spray bottle. Reusable silicone baggies and 1 roll recycled paper towels and bamboo toilet paper with a note that every little thing helps

I'm enjoying reading the book Joyful Militancy which discusses the concept of rigid radicalism and joyful militancy being essentially opposite to that. It's helping me feel more confident in being part of something, small actions lead to more and that has a great impact and things don't have to be done in some perfect way!

That is such a gentle and empathetic video! I love these points, I totally agree with them! And now that an other eloquent human nicely put them in understandable sentences I feel more confident in sharing them!

Love you for doing what you do the way you do it. It’s a serious issue but that’s no excuse for people being sanctimonious pricks about it. Carry on taking it the right amount of serious!

Leena I love this, and I absolutely agree! Every small thing you do to reduce your impact on this planet, or to improve your local community is a good thing and it feeds your soul. That numbness you talk about, it's so real - I was there before covid, but once you break away from it you can't go back.

Because it popped into my head when you were talking about the scalable impact thing: I'm currently learning Japanese, and I can make easy sentences, like saying what I like or do or have done, and build an "A because B" sentence. So in class when we did an exercise talking about food I created the small and easy sentence "I don't eat meat because I like animals". And while this sentence was so simple because I can't say more complex stuff yet, it also perfectly encapsulates the point: I don't want to eat another being. I've started using that sentence in English and German as well, when people ask me why I'm doing that vegan thing.

LEENA, you are so good at finding the words and I just love and appreciate this video so much. Your content is a balm.

"scalable impact isn't always the point" repeating this as a mantra until I die

This was so good and thoughtful and useful. Especially the part about feeling small and lacking confidence. It means a lot of me to hear that.

When you start living in line with your values, you gain clarity and confidence you didn't even know you had before That's what I always tell myself anyway!

Thank you so much for this video! I have been feeling paralyzed lately between all the huge horrible things happening in the world (carpet bombing in Gaza, climate, shootings...) and also all the tiny little piles of mess in my own life. I barely have energy after getting Covid and it's hard enough to just make myself food, much less call representatives and research... but each little effort I can make is one more step towards a better future. So thank you for this little dash of hope and motivation to keep going.

For anyone looking to eat plant-based and don't know where to start. Deliciously Ella has been my saviour! Her recipe books and app are incredible. The meals are tasty, balanced and healthy and I feel the best I have ever been. Absolute game changer for my diet personally! ✨

Leena, thank you for this video. Without getting too personal, I've been struggling a lot the last week just getting out of bed, because what's the point? My mind's been like a hornet's nest, and the feeling of hopelessness and devastation has been overwhelming. Your insightfulness, optimism, and intelligence are so, so important and valuable, and most of all contagious. Thank you for bringing me hope, and getting me out of bed today

I am very much enjoying the sneaky pivot happening on this channel, you always manage to talk about these somewhat hard topics and keep it real while still not losing hope and sometimes even making me shed a little tear

I love the concept of "it's going to happen anyway so I am preparing myself ahead of time". I used to be in the class of people who was very able to do a lot of things on a personal scale that helped me feel like I was doing something for the climate. I was able to work, and had the capacity to shop locally, visit my local zero waste shop, walk everywhere and clean only using vinegar and baking soda and use shampoo bars etc. I used to be vegan, and I used to be able to do a lot more in terms of organizing and activism in my community. I used to volunteer at a community food garden and visit the local repair cafe. And it's taken me a long time to accept my disabilities, but in the realm of climate justice it really took the longest to learn and accept that I can't do everything I used to and want to be able to do. And that's okay. For a little while I gave up entirely. But now I do what I am able to do. Even if on a personal scale it's not a lot of not even close to what I used to do. I still eat meat because of a B12 deficiency but no longer consume dairy, which I'm allergic to but was told by my doctor I could get away with having it. I took it as an opportunity to work towards less animal products even if I can't be vegetarian or vegan. Honestly not going to list every ailment I've ever had and why it means I can't do XYZ of what I used to do but I'm really glad you've made a video talking about the nuance and being considerate in your wording around it too. I guess I used to see videos like this and think I should be doing more, but the key word is if I'm able to. So I do, I do everything I am able to do and I don't care if that seems like I'm a hypocrite. I've had to accept some unfortunate things I cannot do anymore, like eating meat. I've had to reckon with the emotional toll of eating a somebody. Most of the time I'm okay, but sometimes I still get half way through my chicken and my stomach just turns thinking about it. And it's silly when you think about it, being all or nothing about small changes. When we say "it won't make a difference, because noone else will make those changes", we recognise that it isn't about that. So why shouldn't that apply for making changes in your own life, even if you can only do some of them. They might not change your life, but it's one step in the right direction! No time is wasted learning new skills, seeking community and self sufficiency within that community for the benefit of us and the planet. 💚

Wow! I really liked the idea about buying fast fashion and how it disvalues smother people’s time… that really resonated with me being someone who works hourly. So much for my brain to chew on!

And it's not too emotional, it's too compassionate. People are literally shaming you for being compassionate and thinking about your choices. It's effed.

BLESS YOUR CHANNEL! You say the things I feel but am unable to express in words

This is such an amazing video, Leena, thank you so much!

Consumer choices do more than people think they do. For people wanting to start, when you need to run out of something thats disposable, buy a more reusable/nonplastic/more robust/less waste kind if possible instead (like safety razors, silicone ziplock bags or boxes, bamboo toothbrush, wild deoderant, scrunchies instead of thin hair ties, using old shirts as kitchen cloths) . Over time, you will find that your plastic consumption hs gone right down and you are actually saving money in the long run by not having to buy it frequently.

I started with the “invisible” things I can change that are on autopilot. I opted into renewable energy from my utility provider because it was a small amount extra that didn’t make a difference in my budget. I don’t own a dryer and have to line dry my laundry. I use the dishwasher and my washer on the eco setting. I’m now making some more active decisions like taking my keepcup when I get a coffee, bringing my water bottle with me everyday, and only buying natural fibre second hand clothes for my casual wardrobe. It’s a process, and I know the biggest impact I can make is by voting and writing in to my representatives to pressure them into making eco conscious decisions. But the small stuff counts too!

Loved this! Would you consider doing a video on how you find clothes on Vinted? Like taking us on your journey of buying a few things? I never know how to find anything I love on there! 💜

Yes, and don't put pressure on other people for not being able to do individual changes, do as good as you can as an individual and then use that to motivate you to work towards systemic change rather than harassing particularly already marginalised individuals with infinitely more barriers to making those changes

this, dear lena, will be the perfect christmas gift for my sister "who made me vegan" and my friend who has been on the whole "vegan journey" with me - they definetly earned their batches! love from germany

Leena, this is a WONDERFUL video. Gentle and hopeful and reasoned and kind in a way that i really needed today and made me a lil teary. "Hope is a discipline" and you are keeping me disciplined.

I used to have a huge aversion to eating meat as a teen. I convinced myself it was a phase and because it was becoming a problem for the people around me, I ended up deliberately desensitising myself to it. Watching this video has made me reasses and realise that i actually dont enjoy it and maybe i should start cutting down/removing it from my diet completely before i end up doing the same to my daughter that i did to myself. Maybe I should be able to ...shock horror... ENJOY what I eat, guilt-free!

This video brought the fact that individual cars might not be available in the near future. I live in the U.S. and oh boy our public transportation is abysmal when it comes to living outside of a city. I live in the second largest city in my state and yes we have buses that go into the city but if you need to go north or south of the city; good luck. It's something I'll have to keep in mind.

Wow Leena... Thank you so much for this video ❤ I tuned in early, as I often do, even though I've really not been doing good at the moment, mentally. I had shame and guilt building up throughout the video, but honestly, your last part on 'stop pretending' had me straight up bawling for the rest of the video - in a good way though, I promise ! I felt so understood, and less alone, in a way. I felt an undescribable sense of relief, so I really want to thank you for that part in particular. I've had to prioritise my mental health for a few years now, and as I am currently trying to reconnect to the world, I have to deal with its nonsensical state of being, and it just feels like a brutal sh*t show most of the time... Anyway, your video (and your whole channel, to be honest) feels like a breath of fresh air and a warm cup of tea. Thank you for sharing your perspective with us all, it is deeply appreciated ❤

Little changes do make a difference. Some folks just like to naysay because they are scared, ignorant, or feel so impotent they need to pee in everyone else's cheerios. They're terrified. It's sad.

Something you said in between reminded me of a Maggie Nelson quote -"Freedom is the process by which you develop a practice for being unavailable for servitude". These have been powerful words that have changed the way I think about who the despots are that sit in my head and stop me from being the person I want to be/making the choices I want to make while reminding myself that it is an ongoing practice - I can start small, and I can face challenges along the way, face an upset, but then carry on.

I've always been somewhat mindful, but over the past few years (and partly due to your videos!), I've been striving to do more. I have had comments and wondered to myself occasionally *why* am I doing this as I am just one mere little human. This video has helped knowing it's not just me having these thoughts. 🖤

I recently switched to period underwear instead of using pads ... sooo much more comfortable for me personally and wished I'd switched sooner especially since I'd feel bad about all the disposable pads I'd been using

Really love the idea of preparing ourselves mentally for the change that is coming. ❤

Dear Leena, I was in the whole process of buying a "no books on a dead planet" patch. But sadly one seems to need a credit card for payment. I'm not "rich" enough, to be allowed to own a credit card by my Dutch 🇳🇱 ING Bank & Social Services. So no patch😔 for this very willing 🇳🇱 fan.

I used to get pretty intense eco anxiety thinking about the climate crisis. But I remember in one of your videos you saying something along the lines of we're all going to have to change so I just want to get ahead of it now, and for whatever reason that's completely shifted my mindset on the world ending. I'm just like oh yeah... The liklihood is, I'm only 25 now and I'll get to live through the fading out of fossil fuels and the meat industry and see pollution drop and car-less city planning. Because the alternative is the planet will die, and I just don't think we'll do that as a planet- we will likely put it off until the last possible minute, but it just doesn't feel very human I guess? And anyway, if I am wrong... Well I won't worry about it for very long 😀

My small step: I switched banks, i now have an account by a 'green' bank. A small step, but if enough people change banks, it will really help.

Learning how to cook differently is really hard. Curries are amazing for vegan/vegetarian adaptations. And (firm) tofu, if you freeze it and dethaw it can add more interesting texture. I actually tried it breaded and fried with an orange sauce recently, so good. Just a non beige suggestion :)

Love this Leena, thank you so much!

Leena I love you. Honestly, every video and essay is just so spot on. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us!

My focus for this year has been to try and buy as much of my clothing secondhand as possible, I did pretty well last year but wanted to improve on it and I have! BUT I’m not perfect I have still bought a few items new when either A) I really wanted it and couldn’t find it secondhand B) didn’t have the time and energy to research where to get it (yay chronic illness) and C) I just didn’t want to buy it secondhand (underwear). So yeah you could argue as 10% of my purchases were new and some of which were probably avoidable to an able bodied person I failed but to me I think of all the people who didn’t have to make a new item of clothing for me everytime I bought something secondhand and I firmly believe that’s better than nothing :)

Important subject and I completely agree with you. I am now trying to go vegan 2 days a week. :) it's not that bad. And I has to relinquish my fear of carbs. Rice and pumpkins soup, and avocado toast, pasta , jam and soy yogurt. I need to level up to lentil stews. Unrelated. Your lipstick gorgeous fall color. What is it?

We had a long discussion at work about this. Until one coworker said "Well, I recycle because it makes me feel good about myself." There isn't really an argument against that.

Leena, you empower and inspire me. Thank you so much

The need to jive around while you're thinking and talking is so real 😂

I love this video. All your videos are impactful but this one in particular hit at just the right time. I'll remember this for future conversations!

I just adore you, Leena! So spot on.

Without sounding too redleft, Karl Marx said that late stage capitalism's ultimate downfall would be a direct result of alienation!!! I feel like because a lot of people do not connect with where their things come from capitalism has made it so much easier to be apathetic

This makes me feel so much better, thank you.

this is so important, I want to show it to everyone

Couldn’t me more excited about the pivot!!

Every video of yours I watch, I come out of it with a bit more hope and a bit more energy to change for the better

Started watching the channel because of the book reviews, stayed watching the channel because I find relatability and community in doing little sustainable things like crocheting and knitting and mending and bringing my own bags to the supermarket and all the other little tasks that people say won't matter. Jokes on them, when they invite me to a conversation where things "don't matter" I'll do my damnedest to help them realize that things they do are important and if everyone makes little changes, it can amount to bigger changes.

you said, "jump in, the water's fine" and i must now quote Incubus to you: "Floating in this cosmic jacuzzi We are like frogs oblivious To the water starting to boil No one flinches, we all float face down" this is as helpful as i can be in this moment.

Change is the only sign of life, so make your changes worth your time.

the two things that help motivate me with this stuff are 1) something timothy morton said in a lecture (on romanticism, actually, i found it via itunesU) - if you saw a kid on the street about to run into traffic, and you were close enough to have even a small chance to stop them and therefore save them from injury or death, you are morally obliged to try. if you were there, and you saw what was happening, and you let that kid run into traffic without trying to save them, you are partially responsible for the consequences. the same is true of climate change. you know what is happening, therefore you are responsible for your actions in response. 2) something from a climate adam video: the metaphor he used was that someone is being punched over and over - you wouldn't say "oh well, i won't bother stopping you from being punched again because you've already been punched so much it hardly matters now", you'd say "ok, let's stop you being punched" - we can't change the past but we can do whatever we can to stop it getting worse! for me this resonates when i think about those small decisions - buying fairtrade chocolate won't solve slavery, but *not* buying the fairtrade chocolate is actively (even if only in a small way) supporting slavery - i can't undo the punches that have already happened but i'm not going to add a punch of my own for good measure!

Thank you for this excellent reminder!

"the spending power of a pigeon" I won't lie that made me cackle

I feel called out in the best way. I needed this reminder Thanks!

this inspired me today, thank you! great way of looking at small changes because i definitely have that voice saying it doesn't matter!

this cow print jacket is a gem wow

Honestly Leena, your videos are such a breath of fresh air surrounding these topics. I've been vegan for a couple years now, and it's difficult to explain to a society obsessed with numbers and statistics (even when those numbers and statistics are actually favoring veganism) that my choice to not eat other beings' bodies is an emotional one. And that feelings aren't very wrong or un-helpful or dramatic. And like you said, even if my going vegan isn't going to systematically change big things, I sleep better knowing I at least am not part of that specific problem anymore. (although as you've pointed out in many videos, I'm sure I'm still doing much harm by simply existing and consuming, I know it doesn't absolve me from any other work or feeling angry at the big corps!)

Love this!

God I love and needed this, thank you Leena! ❤

I like your climate videos, and I especially like your sustainable fashion content. You make reducing fast fashion seem doable and fun. I would certainly enjoy food and cooking content that makes vegetarianism or veganism seem manageable and even fun, especially for those who are just starting to make changes in what they eat.

All of my thoughts and feelings in one video 😭Thank you, Leena

This is the video I didn't know I needed.

Love love these videos, they keep me motivated

When somebody tells me there's no point in doing all the eco-friendly things because I can't do much difference in the scale of things, I always tell myself that the fact that it's the matter of ethics: just as I wouldn't go stealing things just because other people do so, I shouldn't pollute the environment and waste resources just because rich people fly to get a coffee.

I have been vegan my whole life and I have never heard the reason why I don't eat animals expressed so eloquently, it's making me cry!

Great vid, thank you!

Love it!

i recommend Rainbow Plant Life for some good recipes for vegan life.

Ooooooh I actually just went to a youth Poetry slam and this perfectly adds on to that 🥰

Just wanted to say thanks Leena for posting a vid on my birthday!!😊

This was such an amazing video, thank you! I can't go fully vegan for various reasons, but I am vegetarian, try to use public transport as much as usual and try not to buy fast fashion as much as possible. I'm not perfect but I am trying my best. I enjoyed watching this video tremendously.

Also, small positive steps just make you feel better yourself in an, 'At least I'm trying' kind of way. And just maybe, you need to get Madhur Jaffreys Eastern Vegetarian Cooking out of the library. It's a classic. They'll have it fo sure.

The violence point was really interesting. It's like if someone told you that not being racist isn't gonna stop systemic racism lol. Like sure...but that doesn't mean I should be racist???

You think a lot like me. We were honest with my kid since he was little and he recently told us he "doesn't want to eat creatures" and we figure we'll become vegetarian slowly as he gets stronger feelings about it.

Leena! I read Once There Were Wolves on audiobook at your recommendation! Thanks so much I really enjoyed it :)

positive panic is the way to go. maybe the only way, tbh