Words by Tess Becker
Most people try to live their lives a little greener these days, by recycling house plastics, eating organic vegetables, and carpooling whenever possible. But living an eco-friendly lifestyle can be overwhelming amidst a sea of options.
To make it easier, the organization, TheRoundUp, provides educational materials for “promoting environmental awareness and sustainability in our daily lives.”
“We believe that every individual has the power to make a positive impact on the world, and we strive to provide the resources and inspiration needed to take action,” they write on their website. “Our mission is to encourage a shift towards more eco-friendly habits and to foster a community of like-minded individuals who share our passion for protecting the planet.”
They help foster that passion for the planet with informative articles, tips, and multimedia, almost like a newspaper for eco-warriors. They want people to wake up to the climate crisis and the impacts that it will have as it continues.
“It’s been abundantly clear for some time that most of us have been living in a way that is not sustainable. But I feel it’s taken the world a long time to wake up and start to do something about it,” James Miller, the senior editor for TheRoundUp, tells Smiley News. “I still believe it is not too late, but there are no more second chances and we need to act now.”
With that mindset, TheRoundUp works to give people the tools they need to do just that - act.
“We need to change attitudes but not by preaching or telling people they are wrong. Instead, our approach is to present the facts about the damage certain products or habits do to the environment and human health,” James says. “Then we present an alternative, and weigh up its pros and cons. We leave it to people to decide for themselves whether they want to make a change based on that evidence.”
Since its creation they’ve had continuous growth, starting just two years ago, and they hope to keep that upward movement.
“Today we welcome tens of thousands of visitors monthly and have been mentioned in USA Today, Bloomberg, Discovery Channel and WSJ to name but a few,” James says. “I certainly hope we can continue to expand on the same trajectory so we can get the message out there and hopefully help people make positive changes.”
Much like Smiley News, TheRoundUp is proud of their positivity and the good that they work to do.
“I’m very lucky to enjoy what I do. Waking up in the morning and actually looking forward to my work is a privilege and I feel extremely grateful for that. The fact that it hopefully has a positive effect on people and the planet means it’s the perfect job for me,” James says.
Charity check-in
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
GLAAD. GLAAD is a massive LGBTQ+ advocacy group that helps fight for queer people across the US. Consider donating.
Lambda Legal. This organization helps fight in the courtroom for queer people. Find out more.
The Trevor Project. They focus on suicide prevention and mental health support for queer youth. Support them here.
