So hey there, Simple Year friends. I’m writing this post with a kitten crawling up my arm. That’s not necessarily an important detail. It’s just that I’m trying to figure out what I want to say, so I’m saying what’s easiest first.

Which is that I have a kitten who is trying to help me type. I don’t want to complain, but wow, Bear is a terrible writer. She can barely even reach the keyboard.

Um…

I’ve been a little depressed the past couple of weeks. The United States now has a president-elect who doesn’t believe in climate change and is getting ready to dismantle the environmental regulations set up by the current administration. As someone who does believe in climate change and feels a personal responsibility-slash-stewardship for the planet, that’s been hard to digest. I mean, what am I supposed to do with that?

Like, what’s the point of trying to go zero waste? If we’re just going to roll back regulations on basically everything, what can I even hope to achieve over here?

I had a terrible shopping cart the weekend before the election — I have tater tots in my freezer, for pete’s sake. I let anxiety get the best of me and in that moment, I felt like giving up. I kind of did give up. (I also got barbecued chips. And yogurt.)

But just this Wednesday, sanity resurfaced in my soul, and I realized that giving up is not the answer. Because I cannot accept that there is nothing that can be done.

So I’ve been researching environmental groups, both here in Oregon and nationwide. I’ve been paying attention to the little victories that come each day: The gas station that scans credit cards electronically now so there’s no receipts, the barrel of cloth bags at the grocery store for anyone who forgot theirs, a borrowed kitten bottle. And I am recommitting to my zero waste project.

Because you know what? I really do believe that every bit helps. I can’t win the whole war by myself, but I can win a few battles — and it helps so much to know that I’m not the only one fighting for this. And together, we will make a difference.

I don’t know what else to say. I’m still here, and I’m still trying. That’s all any of us can do.