This was my first email to subscribers, kicking off Offline October. Want to get in on the fun? Sign up for emails here: CLICK HERE TO GET EMAILS!
I’m sending my husband and kids off to Michigan this weekend.
I’ll be here, sifting through the years of accumulated STUFF. It’s time to confront the fact that we have been trapped in the culture of consuming and collecting. We try to be more conscious with the way and rate at which we bring things into our home now, but that’s not always been the case.
So, here I sit, planning to spend my first weekend of #OfflineOctober – which, you may remember, I also dubbed #OutsideOctober – INSIDE my house. At least my kids will get some outside time in the mitten state.
I hope that YOU will spend some time outside for me. Okay? Deal.
Here are some fun ideas to try this weekend:
1. Go for a walk. This one is really simple, but effective. Walk around your neighborhood, go a local park, or get adventurous and hike a little. This one is easy because you can do it anywhere, with anyone. Just go outside and walk around.
2. Bonus: Pick up trash while you walk. Take a bag and some gloves. Look for litter and get it off the ground. This will keep it from ending up hurting an animal, polluting our waterways, and being a general nuisance. Thanks for your help.
3. Look for leaves. They’re starting to come down around here, and this activity is especially good if you have kids. Collect a bunch and compare sizes, shapes, and colors. Get a book or look online to learn about why deciduous trees shed their leaves in fall, and why some are red instead of yellow. (The science nerd in me loves this stuff!)
4. Sit in nature. This one is even easier than a walk. Just go outside and enjoy the weather. Find a forest or a stream, and sit and enjoy it. Put your phone down, and just soak it in. Have a picnic, stare at the clouds, close your eyes and listen to the sound of the wind. Allow yourself a few moments to just be grateful for the beautiful planet we live on, and express that gratitude with joy.
Please let me know how you choose to celebrate Offline/Outside October this weekend, and in the meantime, check out these articles below for more ideas and encouragement!
I wrote a blog post about my experience with Secondhand September this year. Check it out HERE.
I also wrote a blog post about what Offline October is all about and why I needed a social media break. Check it out HERE.
A fun article about “plogging”, a Swedish trend to collect trash while jogging. (I walk instead of jog, but the idea is the same.) Read it HERE.
Even Time Magazine has picked up this Japanese trend of “forest bathing.” (Isn’t that beautiful imagery?) Read the article HERE.
I’ll be back next weekend with more fun, and to let you know how the cleaning spree goes! Now go outside! Happy Saturday!
Hi! I’m Leah, and I’m passionate about helping people figure out small ways that they can make a big difference in the world! I focus on making easy changes to your life that can save our planet and the people who call it home!
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Living Lightly in the Suburbs 