There was an interesting article in the newspaper recently.
It was about how celebrities are lending their name to green causes – yet they are coming under attack for not living green
themselves. Some examples listed in the article were outrageously large houses, multiple houses for that matter, multiple cars or private jet flights. I was a little sad at all the finger pointing. Aren’t solar panels on a large house or all your houses better than no solar panels at all?
I’m happy that celebrities are willing to lend their names to the cause – the word still needs to get out there. Just taking a walk in our neighborhood yesterday evening, I was shocked to see a trashcan full of recyclables, while the recycling bin sat half-full. I saw rivers of good water running down the gutter, no longer usable. So many people still need to get it – even the celebrities.
It is up to us to change.
One thing I am realizing about living green these days is that you are likely to have to be your own champion. There is really nobody out there that is going to make it easy for you. Not your family, not your friends, maybe not even your husband or children. Are you sitting back and waiting for a hybrid that fits your needs (I admit, I am), are you waiting for the government to start pushing green lifestyles – government style (water and electricity regulation, taxes to discourage use)?
If I really must change my life for the benefit of our Earth – I’d rather it be by my choice and the changes I make be my choices.
More recently, I was able to read the printed responses in the newspaper to the previously mentioned green celebrity article. One man, who had been supporting the green cause for 25 years with his organization, just folded his efforts. He felt that the earth was at the “no turn-around point” and there was no longer a reason for him to fight. According to him, there is already too much CO2 in the atmosphere. He feels that we are dedicated to a certain amount of warming, and the earth’s temperature will reach an inhospitable point, whether we (including celebrities) all drive hybrids tomorrow or not.
I am a Mother Fighting For Others and I am going to keep up my fight. I hope you will join the fight!
[...] Hakim wrote an interesting post today on Acting GreenHere’s a quick [...]
Something I find slightly comical is how so many people will say that it isn’t worth it to add
solar energy to your home because it takes too long for the system to “pay itself offâ€. If you
save up the money and have a system installed you suddenly have a tiny utility bill, if any
bill at all. To me it’s a simple cash-flow equation.