Why Should We Be Going Green?

You might be wondering why on Earth Day I would have a picture of gas prices accompanying the blog which so obviously seems to be hinting at a rant on going green. Well the answer should be fairly obvious; we don't go green unless it affects us directly. In fact, we as a civilization rarely do anything unless the effects hit us directly and this is what makes the fact that we even have an official 'Earth Day' all the more distressing. Though it's not a holiday in the classical sense of the word, it is a day for many people who seek to conserve the one resource we can't easily renew and that's the Earth.

People will go on and on about how they recycle or reuse things or how they eat only organic foods or do whatever else the trend is to show that they too are concerned citizens of the planet and are doing what it takes to save the planet. Unfortunately the majority of us are very much Johnny-come-lately's when it comes to such actions. It takes something like Earth Day to shake us from our comfortable existance and get us thinking about how or what we can do for the planet. Who are we kidding? Most of us ask that question only if it affects us. Do you really think that the trend in rising sales of hybrid cars is driven by concern for the planet? I don't think so, I think it's driven by the fact that people are tired of paying $80 every week in gas just to go to and from work. No one likes spending that much, especially when we would rather spend it on tall, no whip, no foam extra skim soy milk mocha lattes rather than on a gas guzzler. Besides, we do our part for the planet when we drink coffee don't we? It's served in recycled paper cups most of the time.

Cheap lightbulbs that run longer and burn brighter for far less money still aren't flying off the racks like they could. How come? Because most of us prefer the soft light of normal bulbs. The change in scenery brought about by energy efficient bulbs is almost too alien for many people to fathom and so they don't even consider doing it. We tend to view people making small contributions to the environment as weirdos unless of course it's someone like Leonardo DiCaprio; then suddenly every teenage girl out there is inspired to take up the cause and do their part for the world. Maybe it's a shallow reason but hey, at least they are taking some action. I think part of the problem also stems from the fact that there's a subtle secondary message that's often bandied about when it comes to the environment and that is that every little bit helps.

If you see ads or see films like "An Inconvenient Truth", the catch phrase is always the same. 'If you only do activity X, then in time, the carbon emissions of the planet will be reduced. It just takes one person to start.' Unfortunately the majority of us figure why should I do it, someone else will. In this case it's like a warped version of the pay it forward idea where if one person does it then the next one will too. We don't want to take responsibility for it, we figure someone else will do it for us. That's a dangerous trend.

So what can we do? Little things add up but they have to be inspired by ideas that affect our pocketbooks and wallets. If you've got a long commute like me, start following the speed limit. You may think it ridiculous to see a sports car cruising along in the right most lane but I'd rather maximize my fuel economy rather than proving my ego is larger than the rest. Recycle whatever you can. Go to Starbucks often? Why get and waste their cups on one visit. If you're going that often, by a Starbucks mug and use that, they usually charge slightly less to fill up your coffee container than they do to give you a paper cup. Get off your butts. If you have to go somewhere close by, walk, run or saunter on over to your destination. We are a mobile society but unfortunately most of us have turned it into an automobile society. If you have the time, take the healthier mode of transportation, your feet. Sure things like the weather will drive the decision, but it can't rain all the time. Do a little and once you start, you'll find going green isn't all that hard.