The Power of Action

Green. Everyone’s talking about it. Especially today, thanks to a little initiative called Blog Action Day, bloggers from across the globe are uniting to write about the environment.

 I’m talking about it, too. Here’s why: I’m inspired by the power of action. When people talk about green initiatives, they always say things like “a little bit helps.” And it certainly does. But a little bit times a lot of people helps even more. 

Now, I will admit I’m not the greenest person around. I suppose I’m what you might call “Light Green,” (you might call me this particularly if you are John Mayer).

 I drive to work (can’t avoid it in my sprawling metro.) But, I drive a car with good gas mileage, so, you know, I feel decent about that. I use eco-friendly lightbulbs, so that’s a start. I have a paper recycling bin under my desk, and I’ve even valiantly saved paper from trash cans of co-workers, on occasion. I may buy things that come in cans and jugs, but I try my best to set the recycling can out once a month on pick up day. I carry my Nalgene bottle, keep my own coffee mug at work, and have very firm spurts of total Styrofoam avoidance. I wish I could remember to take my own grocery sacks like we did when I lived in Germany. And we had to walk to and from the grocery mart there, so you’d think driving would make that easier, but somehow, it doesn’t. At least I’m trying on that one. 

But what I am doing is not the point. The point is, I could do more. Everyone could. Everyone should, even if they’re not into the whole “green” thing. Because it doesn’t cost that much to make a difference. Because it’s not hurting anyone to conserve resources. Because bottled water is not only a scam, it’s an expensive habit that doesn’t make any sense, except it’s convenient. Because being lazy is the stupidest excuse for not caring about the environment I’ve ever witnessed, but it’s most people’s hangup. Really. It’s mine.

 

How I see it is, green isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the sensible thing. It can save you money, which pretty much everyone I know wants to do. Hey, if that doesn’t sell ya, it could make you seem cooler to the kids in the office or to a client you’re trying to land. Who knows. So, even if it’s for selfish reasons, being some version of green is the way to go. And it will continue to be so, even after being green isn’t the cool thing anymore.

 

What will you do today to join in the action, to make a difference, to green up your life a little more? I’m starting by walking my soda can the 35 steps or so to the recycling bin – that’s one of my weaknesses: the trash can is right there, absolutely zero steps away. Maybe, on my way home today, I’ll finally make it to that health food store that sells eco-friendly home cleaners.

Because we can blog about it all we want to, but in reality, changing the world happens through the power of action. And action happens one choice at a time. In real life. Every day. No matter how much else is going on. So go ahead, green up. If you’re honest with yourself, you really have no good excuse not to.