While people often discuss the importance of making the community you live in a better place, they don’t always give attainable suggestions on how to do so. Picking up all the trash you find on the ground is unsanitary and running for a political office requires experience. However, there are plenty of much easier ways to make Greenville a better place to live.
- Vote in local elections. While many people always are sure to vote in national elections and are surely getting ready for the presidential election this year, local elections are equally important but often overlooked. While federal elections obviously impact the country as a whole, state and local elections impact cities as a whole. In order to make Greenville the place you want it to be, you have to vote for politicians that promote the policies you agree with. In November, Lindsey Graham’s U.S. Senate seat is up for election (and being challenged by Jaime Harrison), and Congressional seats in multiple districts are also up for election. In addition, there are numerous County Council and School Board seats that are contested. You can register to vote online, check your voter registration, or find your precinct and polling place here.
- Keep up with Greenville City and County Council. Stay in the know on what is going on in Greenville by following City or County Council on social media. Another great way to ensure you are up to date on what is happening in Greenville is to watch a City or County Council meeting once a month. These meetings are especially important during the current pandemic, as government and medical officials give updates on mandates that are being considered, as well as the current trajectory of cases, but are also important to tune into otherwise in order to stay up-to-date on Greenville’s current events.
- Be more sustainable. Making Greenville a better place environmentally is incredibly important, and one of the best ways to do that is by doing your part to reduce the amount of litter. Ensure that, instead of throwing trash on the ground, you’re throwing it away in a garbage can or recycling bin if appropriate. Another easy way to be more environmentally friendly is to avoid single use plastics, like water bottles or plastic coffee cups, and instead use a reusable water bottle or thermos.
- Support small businesses. Greenville is known across the southeast as being a hub for local, unique restaurants. The best way to ensure that Greenville maintains that reputation is by supporting those restaurants and other small businesses as well. Despite putting safety measures in place (like no inside seating or seating in general, and instead only providing takeout services), a lot of local restaurants are suffering because of COVID-19, so instead of going to a chain restaurant for dinner, find a small restaurant to support next time you don’t want to cook.
- Talk to someone from a different background. Greenville is a very diverse city, full of people from all different religious and racial backgrounds, sexual orientations, etc. Now is a critical time to sit down and talk to someone different from you to better understand what they might go through. The best way to be an ally is to actually take the time to understand what a person or group faces, and by taking the time to understand people unlike you, you’ll be making Greenville a better and more accepting city.
