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Hi! My name is Mira! I have been trying to live a more sustainable lifestyle for a few years now. And if you have ever tried it, you know how hard it can be.

But I truly believe the first step towards creating less waste is being well-informed on the subject, and being aware of the specific issues and problems. So I started researching online and sometimes the information could be truly overwhelming and rather gloomy. After I would spend some time reading, I would have no willpower to live, let alone take any action whatsoever. The other issue was the depressing manner in which a big part of the information was presented, so it didn't seem likely that anyone would want to share it with their friends or family in order not to ruin their day as well.

You can find my previous post about my zero waste comics by clicking here.

More info: Instagram | patreon.com | Etsy | Facebook | awareanimals.com

So I said to myself—what if there was a way to represent useful information about climate change, sustainability, and the environment in a funny, colorful, and most of all accessible way? An approach that focuses on solutions, rather than problems. So that people will hopefully laugh, learn something new, and pass it along.

And that's how the Aware Animals webcomics were created. Every week I draw a different situation. Whether it's dealing with mountains of non-recyclable wrapping paper and paper bills, wanting to pack a waste-free lunch, buying second-hand clothes for environmental reasons, refusing a plastic grocery bag at the store, turning down plastic straws over and over again, or trying to repair broken items to prevent them from going to a landfill—the possibilities of new and exciting topics are endless.

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    #3

    Trends

    Trends

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    brokenapollo
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I actually didn't know this. Did some additional research and will be more aware from now on. You've enlightened at least one person today..!

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    Most of the situations have happened either to me or to my super-supportive partner (you can probably recognize us as Mr. and Miss Fox) and others have been shared or suggested to us by our lovely community on social media.

    My favorite part about this process is how much I learn from it myself: once while I do my research and then again from the lovely comments and lively discussions when the comics have been posted. I'm constantly overwhelmed by the positive feedback we've received and very, very grateful. Our main message is that no action is too small to make a difference and that positivity and awareness will bring us further along than guilt or blame. So if you need more awareness in your life, feel free to join us on our journey.

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    #7

    My Sustainable Bag

    My Sustainable Bag

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    Amaranthim Talon
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yup! Carry bags- preferably canvas! to the shops. reusables straws at home. No disposable utensils, plates, etc.

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    #9

    Reduce

    Reduce

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    #10

    Not Again

    Not Again

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    Ryan Deschanel
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is the reason you have to tell people when you don't like their gifts. I know it might sound rude, but otherwise they will keep wasting their money, their efforts and some natural resources to give you things which don't achieve their objective : to bring you joy. For years, my mother used to buy lychees, and I ate them so they would not be wasted, but I hated it... and she kept buying them because she thought I liked them. So much pain, for so long, and for no reason...

    Indra Servo
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    make a youtube video of it like "1000ton press vs 100 snowglobes"

    Agnes Jekyll
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I guess, we should think about giving gifts like--food, something that is reusable, compostable, or thrifted

    Freya the Wanderer
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How to deal with all those: 1) Thrift store donation 2) Yard sale 3) Freecycle

    sturmwesen
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    We try to gift usefull stuff that the person needs or wants (personalized cutting boards or wine glasses, cake forks once since my friends did never have enough of those) or food :-)

    Aleksandra
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Regift them! To your friends. Or give away for free online, this way someone who wants it won't have to buy new one and create more demand for it. Also if you can, talk with your family about what gifts you really don't want to receive, or even ask them to not gift you anything at all - i have to do that with my sister, she just gives me cheap (really cheap and lowest quality) slippers and some cosmetics that i don't use x.x i just give such stuff to my mom then..

    shado
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    biggest reason I stopped shopping/buying gifts for anyone that I am not getting paid cold hard cash to do so for; those cheepo gift-card work just as well and are so much easier to re-gift - throw a few McD's gift-cards at people and they are good to go!

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    #11

    Shocking Fact

    Shocking Fact

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    #14

    The Greatest Invention

    The Greatest Invention

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    #15

    Super Powers

    Super Powers

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    #16

    My Sustainable Kitchen

    My Sustainable Kitchen

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    F. H.
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's all a matter of perspective. I have a plastic dish brush I have been using for ten years now. When it gets to dirty, I put it in the dishwasher. How long does a wooden one last. Also, coffee filtered through paper is more healthy according to recent studies.

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    #17

    The Specialist

    The Specialist

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    ADHORTATOR
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    We plan our meals, so shopping for the week is done in less than two hours and nothing is wasted

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    #19

    It's A System

    It's A System

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    Ole Peder Amrud Hagen
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    How is this relevant to consuming less? Also, it is the most ridiculous way of organizing books I ever see...

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    #20

    6 Things You Can Do To Be Happier

    6 Things You Can Do To Be Happier

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    cookie
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    sono una volpe means "i am a fox" in italian, in case anyone was wondering.

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    #21

    The List

    The List

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    Kendra Miller
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And this is why grocery stores put staples at the back and periodically move stuff around, so you will have to search to find what you need and hopefully (for them) find more than you wanted.

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    #23

    My Sustainable Bathroom

    My Sustainable Bathroom

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    Kendra Miller
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ear swaps should be struck from this list. Even if they feel great, they are terrible for actually removing earwax. Earwax exists to keep our keep our inner ears moistened so the skin doesn't dry and crack, as well as creating an acidic environment so bacteria can't survive. Your ears naturally clean themselves by using the motion of your jaw when talking and eating to shift older wax out. When you use ear swabs it shoves the wax deep into the ear and it gets stuck. Stop using ear swabs no matter if they are reusable or not.

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    #29

    Illusionist

    Illusionist

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    #30

    Jack-O-Lantern

    Jack-O-Lantern

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    No One
    Community Member
    3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    when our pupmkins get rotten, we yeet them into the woods.

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    #32

    Camping Enthusiast

    Camping Enthusiast

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