It's all the buzz! Going green.
Fortunately, in general, Americans are becoming more aware of the facts: we comprise a very small percent of the Earth's population yet we consume 25% of its resources. Oh, the waste generated in one single day in America! Incomprehensible!
There is a whole lexicon of green terminology nowadays. Used to express treading on the landscape, 'carbon footprint' is the new yardstick.
I was amused when recently Hillary Clinton, while in town campaigning, used those words to describe Oregonians. She declared Oregon 'the leader in sustainability with the lightest carbon footprint'. I have to give her credit for doing her homework!
Now comes word about BPA, a toxic chemical added to plastics. The Canadian government wasted no time banning its use, citing the evidence was strong enough to support such a move. Will ours follow suit?
I'm not holding my breath, but I am checking the plastics I use now. Just to be safe, I am switching to a glass water bottle. Why take a chance ANY chemicals may leach from a plastic bottle!?
It seems every other day, a new report is issued to warn consumers about another dangerous chemical deemed carcinogenic. Since the FDA is slow to mandate change, it is incumbent upon us to choose all that we ingest, carefully.
Let us no longer wonder why cancer is so prevalent. We may be making great medical strides in research, but industry and the economic engine driving our country continue to poison us.
Rarely do I watch Oprah but one day recently, I tuned in. There was a typical American family of four who enjoyed all the niceties our modern world has to offer.
Suddenly, the matriarch had a paradigm shift. Noting her family's grotesque over-consumption and waste, she decided "Enough is enough!".
Much to their disdain, the family became a 'green experiment'. For one week, they curtailed all TV and computer use, did not dine out, ate left-overs and turned off all unnecessary electrical equipment including most lights in the house.
No surprise, the first day was the worst. The kids whined heavily, slammed doors and refused to participate. But by day #3, something happened. All began to embrace the experiment. Instead of watching TV, they started reading together. The father admitted he needed to change his automatic electronic ways.
By week's end, the result was a complete make-over in consumerism. No longer are all the TV's running incessantly. No more paper towels or plates when cloth and dishes are within reach. Now they use a Brita water filter.
The green experiment this family took on proved, once again, what we already know: we are all creatures of habit. By repeating the same practices, eventually they become habits.
If we take a personal pledge to reduce waste, the list of green options is endless. All it takes is awareness, commitment and a little imagination.
Happy Earth Day!
