Word Doc

Print

Email

Today’s most compelling battle cry is not sounded in the trenches of war; not on the fronts of invading forces nor of peace keeping armies; no, today’s most compelling battle cry is “GO GREEN” and it is sounded every day on the fronts of our own day to day lives; it is perhaps the most important message that humanity has to hear and needs to act upon if we truly value our lives.

No longer the exclusive enclave of the granola crunching crowd, going green is beginning to sink into the consciousness of most everyone and ever so slowly, the wave of action to save the environment from destruction is lifting off of the ocean floor.

And what a wave it is!   Every day we are met with attention grabbing headlines on:

-         global warming
-    toxic waste in our waterways    
-         waste plastic
-         recycling
-         deforestation
-         poisons in our homes
-         mineral depleted soil
-         nutrient starvation

and the list goes on.  It is enough to get sucked into the vortex of overwhelm! 

We all want to do the right thing, but where do we start?  The onslaught is like a tidal wave and it is easy to be overcome with a feeling of helplessness … “How can I, just one person make a difference?”

But I, just one person, can make a difference.  Everyone has read or heard of the Power of One.  Battles have been fought and won, because of one.   The challenge is to choose your battles – some are beyond your control, some are within your grasp.  Here are just a few tips for going green:

Reduce Carbon Emissions:  The bete noir of carbon emissions , hands down, is our love affair with our cars.  With just a little bit of planning, you can significantly reduce the number of miles you drive each month:

-  take public transit where available
-  plan your errands around one trip  
- car pool, if buying a new vehicle choose a hybrid
-  cycle if visiting nearby
-  walk to short distance destinations. 

Mother nature will thank you, your body will love you and your wallet will get fatter.

Keep our waters free of toxic chemicals:  Did you know that common household products contribute more poisons to our waterways than all the all oil spills combined?  Ever?  Laundry and dishwasher detergents are the biggest culprits, but  even our personal care products such as shampoos and soaps are made with harmful chemicals and every time we use them, they end up going down the drain and pollute our lakes, rivers and oceans.  When shopping ask yourself:  “When I use this, does the residue go down the drain?” – if it does, go for a green brand.

Recycle.  We’re getting pretty good at recycling but a lot more can be done.  The biggest challenge is plastic.  Much of our plastic ends up in the dump where it will take a thousand  plus years to decompose, but more of it – over 60% - finds its way into our oceans.  Islands of soft plastic have been found floating in the Pacific.  Hard plastic on the other hand becomes peletized and fish, mistaking it for plankton, eat it.  Those same fish are caught and served up at our dinner tables. Take your own reusable shopping bags to the store.

Buy Organic.  This is a tough one.  What qualifies as “organic” is not universally standardized and therefore is left to interpretation but here is what I would like to see; I would like to see crop rotation come back as a standard for responsible farming.  If all we grow is corn, that corn leeches the soil of nutrients it needs to be corn.  Over the years that soil is depleted of critical nutrients.  What about the fertilizers?  Do they not put nutrients back?  Yes and No.  The very bare minimum in nutrients is returned to the soil with fertilizers — just enough so that the corn continues to look, taste and feel like it is supposed to. Taste becomes somewhat debatable.  The corn of 40 years ago not only packed more good nutrients but it also tasted so much sweeter. There is much wisdom in the old way of farming - rotating crops and letting the land lay fallow for one year.  

Buy Local, Buy in Season.    There is a movement afoot to buy produce and goods that are grown and manufactured within a hundred mile circumference of where you live.   This is neither practical nor desirable for all goods, but it has its merits.  Buying produce grown in your own backyard reduces the carbon footprint that is needed to transport food from distant lands.  Food  grown for the local market is allowed to ripen before being harvested.  Bonus time?  You Bet!  Frutis and vegetables that taste like they should. Yummy and healthy too!

Comments