Sometimes it can feel like we are surrounded by negativity, and that the world is inevitably stuck on a downward trajectory that can only result in humanity’s doom. Rising threats of nuclear war, grave environmental concerns, and global problems such as world hunger and war seem to be ever-present. However, this is only one view, and there is still time to change. While there are definitely serious problems to be addressed in today’s global society, here we’ll discuss five radical ways you can start creating a better future for yourself and the generations to come.

Stay Up To Date

The news can be a bit overwhelming sometimes, what with a constant stream of mostly negative reports. Nevertheless, it’s important to stay up to date on current events; how else are you supposed to help? You don’t have to dedicate hours of every day trawling through different news sites, even just a quick glance at a page such as internationalbrief.com can give you a little bit of insight into what’s going on in the world around you.

Ditch Plastic

The Zero-Waste movement is starting to take off – and not a moment too soon. Thousands of people across the globe are taking the growing threat of pollution into their own hands and ditching plastics and other materials that destroy the environment. Once we are aware of how many pollutants surround us in everyday life, and the devastating effects they can have on the environment, it’s only natural to want to cut down your own impact. While this can seem overwhelming, people such as Lauren Singer have already dedicated most of their lives to living trash-free and created awesome resources to help you do so too.

Go Vegan

The next step can seem like a scary one too, but don’t knock it ‘till you try it. With January long gone, the chance to join in on veganuary has unfortunately passed, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still give veganism a chance. Many different studies have shown the numerous health benefits of veganism, as well as benefits of a plant-based lifestyle on the environment. A reduction in animal agriculture would free up space to create food to feed the hungry, while also drastically cutting down greenhouse gas emissions and leaving farm animals to live out their natural lives. A win-win.

Start Volunteering

Most of the things we’ve discussed so far don’t have immediate obvious positive impacts, but volunteering does. Even a little goes a long way and there are so many places that need volunteers. You can even use the opportunity to travel through websites like workaway that often show volunteer-run organizations in foreign countries that need help.

Practice Positivity

Lastly, practice radical positivity. The world we live in is filled with negativity; the last thing we need is more of it. While it’s not practical to expect yourself to be upbeat and positive all the time, it’s definitely possible to make a concerted effort to become more optimistic and positive. This energy you give out will not only enrich your own life, but enrich and inspire the lives of others, and is just another step towards a brighter, happier future.