Every Day Better Choices As 'A Finger Up' To The World's Injustices

In the supermarket, I would check the label on the avocados. If they're from Israel, I will quickly put them down and buy another or do without - they're on my boycott list. Such a tiny insignificant action on the out-set - but collectively it can add up to be huge.

Truthfully, it is huge, because we can know that we are not complicit with Israel's genocide. It is a huge win in a world where the ability to speak out about the abhorrant behaviour of government and business is being squashed each year.

The world is feeling overwhelmingly unjust. Wars are raging all over the planet, powerful voices are silencing others, and profit outweighs compassion and justice. We should not simply despair, because this is useless. We need to take some action, however small they seem, because otherwise we'll feel even more powerless than we already do. We need to do it for ourselves, before we do it for others.

Each ordinary choice can become a quiet act of resistance. Such actions, such better choices, strengthen ourselves, and allow us in turn, help us to get to the main work of strengthening others - a finger up to the systems that profit from harm.

Talking of avocados, our food choices can be an act of power and of rebellion. Take Veganism. Being Vegan means taking action that supports the victims - those being abused - animals and removing some of the power from the abusers - the ones that profit from animal exploitation. Peace starts on your plate, and so does our ability to say 'not in my name'.

Every day that you choose Vegan saves lives. The impacts to animal is huge. The power is taken away from the companies that destroy our planet. There is so much joy to be found in doing what is right, in doing actions which cause less harm, in lifting up the voiceless in society. I have found in making these small every day choices has made me feel stronger.

Here are some ideas where we can get started

You can make an extra donation to charity, you can say a kind word, you can raise awareness, you can volunteer, you can plant a tree, you can enjoy more plant based meals....

.. You can put down the Israeli avocado...

Here are other ideas about how to get involved; https://bdsmovement.net/get-involved/what-to-boycott

Here are some of my personal favourites, ones that I try my best to do, though by no means am I perfect in all of these;

• Make a donation to charities that really matter to you - I have lots of causes which feel close to my heart, at the moment the horrors in Gaza - the daily killings and the forced starvation and malnutrition are at the forefront of my mind.

• I try to not use companies that are complicit with human rights issues for example I aim to replace Google as my search engine, I instead use Ecosia. Ecosia is a 'not for profit' and does a lot of good work for the environment. There are many reasons to not use Google to be honest, beyond their complicity with organisations that abuse human rights.

• I do not buy Coca Cola and I try my best to avoid the companies that they own. For example I recently found out that they own the brand 'Innocent' and now I will avoid buying this - I use to drink this quite often. This is not a huge loss for me, Coca-Cola was never a staple product for me.

• I have deleted my AirB&B account and my booking . com account because of their links to the Palestinian Territories - the Israeli occupied West Bank. There are plenty of alternatives - no hassle.

• I try to shop local and reduce spending money on Amazon. In fact I deleted my Amazon account fully after many years and I am no longer wasting so much money - good riddance. Where possible support ethical, fair-trade and cruelty free companies whilst choosing local and small business over corporations that fuel inequality.

• I try to buy more organic food - less poison being chucked on our soils and drastically reducing wildlife populations. Always choose plant based and low-impact foods.

• Reducing plastic, water, electricity usage.

• Quit social media, we don't need to support Elon Musk and Meta and their divisive, right wing politics. If we are on social media, then speak up - silence often sides with power.

• Contact your local MP about topics that matter to you.

• Enjoy a plant-based meal, its better for everyone, everything, all round. Ideally go Vegan!

• Sign a petition - check out the Government petition page and see if there's one that interests you.

• Donate stuff you don't want to charity, clear up that clogged energy from your house.

• Bank more ethically - I'm with the co-operative bank.

• Be kind.

I'm sure there are many things that you're doing already but why stop there. Each of these such choices is a light in a dark world - an act of resistance.

........

One of my favourite stories, is about a person walking along the beach shore, after a storm.

There are thousands of starfish washed ashore.

An old man, is throwing the starfish back into the sea, as people watch, amused.

A person shouts at the man 'Hey, there's so many starfish washed up, you're not going to make any difference! You can't save all these starfish!

The old man refuses to feel deflated and picks up a starfish and throws it back into the sea and replies; 'I made a difference to that one'

Stick a finger up to the world's injustices, by making a few better choices, every day.