Philosophical Monday: Exactly How Does One Love Up on Mother Earth?
With Earth Day coming up this Wednesday, I find myself a little confused. Maybe you are, too.
I get that I’m supposed to be green and love the Earth and all of that, but one thing advocates don’t seem to be telling us in a straight-forward manner is exactly what we should be doing to show our earthly love right now.
For example, I recycle all of my plastic bottles. I tried (and failed) to get a water cooler brought in at my office. When I forget to bring a tote into the store, I ask for paper, and if that’s not available, I try to make sure that I use the plastic bags that I receive for other activities. I turn off lights. I drive a hybrid. I donate monthly to an environmental lobby — even though I don’t get a tax deduction for it, I think it’s better use of my charitable giving than giving the same amount to a non-profit.
So why don’t I feel like I’m doing enough? Is recycling my plastic bottles bad? Should I be carrying a water bottle everywhere I go instead? And what’s this I hear about plastic bags actually being better than paper, b/c of the it takes less energy and trees to produce a plastic bag? And speaking of trees, have you heard that soft toilet paper and tissue are bad for the environment, b/c it takes more tree power to put out a roll of soft tissue versus the scratchy, hard stuff*.
Seriously, if I was married to Earth, I’d feel like she was always complaining that I don’t love her enough and that the romantic gestures I do make are all wrong. But then she doesn’t communicate to me what exactly what she does want.
Here’s what I think we need. A simple top ten list of what every person in the USA should be doing for the environment. It should be issued by the EPA, taught in schools, and put forth as the bare minimum that any good citizen should do to keep the Earth livable.
I would start the list off with “Turn of all the lights in rooms that you’re not in and if possible, get solar panels for your home.”
But what would you put on the bare minimum list? Let me know in the comments, and we’ll throw up our own Fierce and Nerdy Top Ten on Earth Day, this Wednesday.
100% Resolute,
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I totally agree with you, theres always some new study that is telling us what we have been doing for the envirornment is now wrong. One thing i have found to be continous though is to reuse so that would be one thing i would want on that list.
I totally agree with you, theres always some new study that is telling us what we have been doing for the envirornment is now wrong. One thing i have found to be continous though is to reuse so that would be one thing i would want on that list.
Okay, I may get blasted for admitting this but I am just not the most environmentally friendly person. I mean I recycle, but only because my husband is a stickler about it. And I almost walys forget to bring in the totes when I do shopping. When my son was born I down right refused cloth diapers (no way) and we tried to use the biodegradable diapers but they leaked and I gave up. It is not that I don't care about the environment….I am just in battle between being a bit too busy and a bit too lazy to make it a priority! And all this green talk makes things sound so damn complicated. I think more people like me, who are sitting on the fence between make a difference and try not to do too much har, would join the fight if we had a simple ten point list like you're suggesting.
Okay, I may get blasted for admitting this but I am just not the most environmentally friendly person. I mean I recycle, but only because my husband is a stickler about it. And I almost walys forget to bring in the totes when I do shopping. When my son was born I down right refused cloth diapers (no way) and we tried to use the biodegradable diapers but they leaked and I gave up. It is not that I don't care about the environment….I am just in battle between being a bit too busy and a bit too lazy to make it a priority! And all this green talk makes things sound so damn complicated. I think more people like me, who are sitting on the fence between make a difference and try not to do too much har, would join the fight if we had a simple ten point list like you're suggesting.