being Green. Truly. Even with bills being bandied about on the floors of Congress; even with everyone from Whole Foods to General Mills getting on the "organic" bandwagon; even with everyone from Seventh Generation to Clorox hopping on the clean "green" path.
Those are easy baby steps to "Greenville." But the hardest part is yet to come. The hardest part we might not ever get to...because the hardest part is to view our society in a completely open and honest and brutally direct way.
Yeah...there's more if you're willing.
I know...I know...."doom and gloom" some would say, that's not the way to get people "AMPED up and EXCITED about helping the Environment!!!!!!!! Yeah!!!!!" Well...true enough, but I don't really want to be a cheerleader TO a cause, I want to work FOR a cause. I would rather get into the dirt and work to address some issues and hopefully find some solutions. Such as, you ask? Well...
Being present. Sounds simple enough, but most of our society is not clued into what is actually happening in the here and now. My favorite case in point is the time I went to see Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth." The theatre was packed with mostly "green" thinking progresive folks judging from the applause and comments overheard. And, as is my habit in packed theatres, I wait until the herds to get out die down. As I sat in my chair, watching the movie credits roll by and listening to the very positive reviews of the movie, I started looking around at the emptying seats and realized how much trash was being left behind on the floor and in the seats. Popcorn tubs 1/2 way eaten toppled, spilling the contents on the floor. Soda cups with tops and straws all akimbo stuffed into the arm holders. Candy wrappers dropped along the aisles. It wasn't as if there were no garbage cans in the theatre...there were two huge containers standing watch at the doors...one could plainly see them when you came in, well, I take that back, apparently only a handful of us bothered to notice them, the rest of the crowd was oblivious. These Al Gore believers chose to trash the theatre. And, really, if one can chose to trash one environment, albeit indoors, how can they preach to others not to trash the outdoors. Being congnizant of one's surroundings. Noticing changes in one's surroundings. Acknowledging bad behaviour and modifying that behaviour for the betterment of the world, or in this case, the betterment of at least the audience for the next showing. Being present. Apparently, it's not easy.
Knowing where waste goes. I've always said that the most important folks in any town or city are the garbage collectors. They haul away the reality of modern life, leaving behind a pristine fantasy that we are accustomed to living in. Would we be so oblivious to reality if we were forced to confront it? Do you know where your garbage goes? Do you know where your landfill is? Do you know what goes into your landfill? Do you know how much space is left in your landfill? Many cities are being confronted with the problem of landfills nearing capacity and finding ways to ship it off to be someone else's problem. The visual of a landfill can often bring home the fact that we waste so much stuff. We toss so much stuff. We buy so much crap. Apparently, walking by that plastic Chinesemade doohickey, that we never used but bought because it was cheap, is not easy to do.
Knowing where your energy comes from. A flick of the switch and voila...lights. Well, that's what we usually expect. But, how many folks really know where that energy is generated (other than those power lines, of course.) Is your energy wind generated? Nuke powered? From a dam? Warmed by the sun? If we protest Nuke power, as I have and still do, we have to have alternative suggestions. Being in California, I am still at a loss as to how we can have so many sunny days, and so few taking advantage of harnessing the power. Apparently, requiring big box stores or major developments, with plenty of rooftop space, to install solar panels is not easy.
Knowing where your water comes from. Turn on the tap and we expect water to come out. But, where did that water originate? How did it get your your place? Did it arrive via copper pipes...clay pipes...plastic pipes? Are there any other states or cities that share the same water supply as you? Is your water source dependent upon snowpacks melting or rain falling? Do you know your average rainfall of your area or the area where your water originates? Do you know what sort of chemicals and/or pharmaceuticals are in your water? Apparently, these questions are not easy for most.
Knowing where your food comes from. We are blessed here in Santa Barbara to have amazing Farmer's Markets. We get to put a face and name to the produce we purchase. Not many are so blessed. They get their foodstuffs shipped in. But, do you know how many miles your food has been shipped? Do you know how much gas and energy was used to produce it? If is labeled "organic", do you really know that it is? We have a relatively new store/cafe here in town that advertises itself as trying to be as organic as possible. I noticed some tomato juice and orange juice labeled as organic but produced in Russia. Sure it may be organic, but how much pollution was generated getting it here? And selling Russian orange juice in California, home of many orange groves? Boggled my mind, especially when I walked out the door and noticed an orange tree right outside...with a good selection of fruit on the branches. Apparently, knowing what you put in your mouth is not an easy thing to do.
Acknowledging people who are not in the same tax bracket as you, not the same race as you, not from the same Country as you. Environmentalism should be for all folks, not just those who live in the "well heeled" parts. It should be even more important for those who are the poorest because they get the brunt of the problems. They are the ones who live near toxic waste dumps. They are the ones who are affected by living in heavily polluted areas. They are the ones who can least afford getting sick from their sick environment. And yet, it's an easier sell to most to help "clean up Lake Tahoe" (with all it's pretty pictures for selling the idea) than it is to help clean up parts of Los Angeles, Houston or any other big city. It's an easy sell to most to help "clean up our National Parks" than it is to help clean up parts of India where our electronic devices often ultimately go to "die" a heavily mercury toxic laden death. It's an easier sell to protest for environmentally safe requirements here in our Country...in our towns...with "our" people...than it is to protest for environmentally safe requirements in other Countries. People are people and all deserve the same healthy environment so all can lead healthy, productive lives. Being green is not just a wealthy way of living...it should be THE way of living. Apparently, class warfare often plays into it...it's not easy tossing out those outdated modes of thinking.
Knowing what is happening in the next city, the next county, the next State, the neighboring Country, the world. What happens in one area does not just affect that one area anymore. Polluted air does not just stay in one fenced in area over a certain geographical point on the map. Oceans don't habor their pollution on the Atlantic Coast or the Pacific Coast and their toxins often end up on our plates and not just the "hoity toity" 5-star restaurants, but in the seafood taco stands you run across here and there, in grocery stores, in mom and pop restaurants and in fast food joints. The world's need for mainstay ingredients used in everyday products can have an environmental impact of disasterous proportions. Diablo Canyon Nuke plant resides in the next county up from Santa Barbara, but what happens there, afffects us here. Toxic clouds originating in China ended up floating over Florida and parts of the mid-West. It may have originated there, but it certainly affected us here. Mexican farmers are pulling up their somewhat drought resistant agave plants (can you say Tequilla) to plant water sucking corn fields because they will get more money for Ethanol and Biodiesel needs...but can they really afford to do so with their lack of water? The Colorado River used to end up in Mexico, making for good agricultural land. It no longer does. Apparently, curiosity about the world and goings on isn't easy.
The key is education. Not the "teach to the test" sort of stuff that is passing as "education" these days, but hopefully instilling intellectual curiosity. Educating people everywhere about the natural world, about science, about companies, about toxins, about food, about politicians' platforms, about health, about chemicals, about cause and effect, about consequences, about facts, about life, about asking pertinent questions and not accepting a blanket "talking point" response. Education takes some effort. Education takes some time. Education takes fortitude. Education takes some "homework"...and sometimes, it is downright hard.
Being green is not about bringing your reusable shopping bag to the store after driving 1 mile in an SUV.
Being green is not about changing your lightbulbs in your 6 bedroom house for 2 people.
Being green is not about buying a T-Shirt made in China from chemically enhanced cotton and printed with a "green" slogan.
Being green is not building Eco-Homes in the middle of a desert where constant air conditioning is required.
Being green isn't about signing up for the Sierra Club to get a stuffed animal made in China or a sticky calendar to put on your computer keyboard or even getting bombarded with a bazillion pieces of mail to remind you to renew.
Being green is sometimes inconvenient. Let's be honest.
Being green is not about cheerleading on the sidelines to green causes...it's about, well, truly working on being green. Real green. And, Kermit is right...it ain't easy.
If you are interested in environmental issues, please join DK GreenRoots, a new environmental advocacy group created by Meteor Blades. DK GreenRoots is comprised of bloggers at Daily Kos and eco-advocates from other sites. We focus on a broad range of issues. We alert each other to important eco-stories in the mainstream media and on the Internet, promote bloggers at one site to readers at other sites and discuss crucial eco-issues. We are in exciting times now because for the first time in years, significant environmental legislation will be passed by Congress. DK GreenRoots can also be used to apprise members of discussions and strategy sessions happening in Meteor Blade’s Green Diary Rescue thread, which is also our workroom. |
Schedule for DK GreenRoots week.
All listed times are PDT.
Sunday June 28:
11 am: Devilstower
3 pm: jillian
7 pm: Patriot Daily
Sunday Series:
Overnight News Digest (Science Saturday) by Neon Vincent; Sunday Talk by Silly Rabbit aka Trix; The Week in Editorial Cartoons by JekyllnHyde; Free Food Foraging by Wide Eyed Lib; DKos Travel Board by Laughing Planet
Monday June 29:
11 am: billlaurelMD
3 pm: jeremybloom
7 pm: Jeff Biggers
Monday Series:
Cheers & Jeers by BiPM; Science Tidbits by possum; Meatless Monday by beach babe in fl; Got a Happy Story? by Eddie C or Carnacki (tentative)
Tuesday June 30:
11 am: TBA
3 pm: TBA
7 pm: Magnifico
Tuesday Series:
Healthy Minds & Bodies by RLMiller; Top Comments by Elise; Overnight News Digest by wader
Wednesday July 1:
noon: FishOutofWater
3 pm: Asinus Asinum Fricat
7 pm: Mark H
Wednesday Series:
Bookflurries: Bookchat by cfk; Siglines! by Wee Mama; Books by Kossacks by sarahnity
Thursday July 2:
11 am: Muskegon Critic
3 pm: Bruce Nilles
7 pm: Jill Richardson
Thursday Series:
Morning Feature by NCrissieB; Thursday Night Health Care by TBA (contact: TheFatLadySings); Top Comments by Elise; Write On! by SensibleShoes; Overnight News Digest by Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse
Friday July 3:
11 am: Meteor Blades
3 pm: TXsharon
7 pm: Land of Enchantment
Friday Series:
Morning Feature by NCrissieB; Mojo Friday by TexDem or rbutters (TBA); Frugal Fridays by sarahnity; Friday Night at the Movies by Land of Enchantment; Top Comments by noweasels; Overnight News Digest by Oke
Saturday July 4:
11 am: Jerome a Paris
3 pm: buhdydharma
7 pm: TBA
Saturday Series:
Morning Feature by NCrissieB; Dawn Chorus Birdblog by lineatus; Saturday Morning Garden Blogging by Frankenoid; Saturday Morning Home Repair Blogging by boatgeek; Top Comments by carolita
Plus there'll be music on environmental themes in jotter's High Impact Diaries every morning, along with schedule updates. The TBAs will be filled in from amongst the following: A Siegel, DarkSyde, faithfull, The Cuntator, and Turkana - kinda like musical chairs?