|
This article is Lighter Footstep's contribution to Blog Action Day, a remarkable cooperative event in which some 15,000 blogs and websites will address the topic of the Environment.
The combined readership of the committed sites -- as measured by their RSS feed counts -- totals about 12 million. Most of the bloggers involved do not regularly address green issues. Of course, that's not the case with Lighter Footstep and its sister publication, ecoTumble. We talk about environmentally related themes all the time, which makes picking a topic for Blog Action Day a bit more problematic.
We face a bewildering series of challenges over the next few decades. In Atlanta this morning, officials will meet to discuss a previously unthinkable crisis: the city is approximately 120 days from exhausting its supply of fresh water. This same issue, the result of climate change and outdated management policies, will soon be faced by other major metropolitan areas, such as Mexico City and Beijing.
Water isn't the only thing in short supply: so is petroleum, the energy which powers virtually every aspect of our industrial society. The oceans are becoming vast whirlpools of plastic waste. By the time you finish reading this article, 430 acres of old-growth forest will have disappeared forever. The calculus of human survival is becoming increasingly complex.
But there's one thing -- a very simple thing, really -- that can turn it all around. And I've decided to share this secret with you for Blog Action Day.
The Big Secret
So here you go: We must reduce our consumption.
That's it, really. Technology will help. Policy will help. There may be new discoveries and unforeseeable developments which mitigate our transition to a lighter, more resource-efficient society. But we've left things a bit late to expect business as usual in the new century.
The era of single-occupant, six thousand pound vehicles is over. So is the expectation of limitless fresh water, productive farmland, and the energy to bring food and goods to market if we continue to apply yesterday's solutions to contemporary problems.
There's good news, though. People get it. In just two short years, the environmental movement has gone from being on the ropes to being on the front page. Green advocates and big business are working hand in hand.
 Step By Step Green Living
But it still comes down to individual action -- you and me, each doing what we can to reduce the amount of stuff necessary to run our lives. It's taking a bus or riding a bike instead of driving; swapping our lightbulbs for CFLs (or, even better, mercury-free LED lighting). Helping to reduce livestock runoff into our precious watershed by swapping a few meat meals for healthy vegetarian fare. Slashing unnecessary power use around the home. Recycling and reusing, rather than burdening our landfills. Choosing bulk goods over heavily packaged products. Taking our green ethics to the grocery store. Relearning skills pushed aside by thoughtless consumerism.
 It's often argued that all the individual action in the world won't offset the environmental damage caused by one dirty coal plant halfway across the globe, and there's truth to that. If there's one thing politicians are good at, though, it's getting in front of a parade. When people act, politicians follow. That's what they call "leadership." And we need to let them lead us exactly where we're headed -- toward the agreements we'll need to make sure the process of greening the planet fair for everyone.
You Can Help
Sometimes at Lighter Footstep we feel a bit like those politicians, running as hard as we can to keep pace a motivated and well-informed readership. I've always said that the best ideas for green living come from you. Over the coming weeks, we'll be asking you to step up and lend your experience to the cause. In the meantime, we'll renew our promise to make Lighter Footstep a unique source of practical and actionable strategies for green living. Thanks for participating in Blog Action Day -- and here's to a greener world.
At Lighter Footstep, we'll be donating the balance of today's advertising revenues to two of Blog Action Day's official charities: The Nature Conservancy and the National Wildlife Federation. Click on the links to explore the mission and needs of these essential organizations.
 Never miss another green living tip! Subscribe to to Lighter Footstep's RSS feed. Prefer email? Click here to receive our daily newsletter.
Readers have left 9 comments. 1. We can all help
Guest, Guest All of us can help make the world better. Even doing a little bit helps. Let us all strive to make the world a better place for us to live! Make the change today. 2. Esh
Guest, Guest Consumption is the inevitable conclusion of biological evolution. Reducing consumption only optimizes the problem. Population growth will invariably out class any optimizations that we make in our consumption.
Sustainable resource management has to come from a mandate from the government bodies so that we have "artificial" motivations for reducing our consumption (like it's illegal to be wasteful).
And then we have to work on managing our population sizes so that we don't have to go back to living with nothing. 3. population growth is the real secret
Guest, Guest Number 2. has hit the nail on the head!
You can throw as much technology and good intentions at the problem as you want, and don't get me wrong, we need to reduce consumption, switch to a low or zero growth economy and quit being so damn wasteful. But without addressing population growth, the long-term prognosis doesn't look very good for humanity. 4. Something's up in Congress...
Jonathan, Guest Chris
Great post here! And so true. It's a matter of each of us doing our own part.
I saw that story about Atlanta in the news. The two main sources of fresh water are drying up. And Atlanta is growing.
As for me, doing my part...I'm working with a coalition to make sure Congress sends the president a strong energy bill with meaningful changes for our environment and planet. They finally has a chance to pass meaningful energy legislation. The bill they are about to pass includes the best fuel economy standards ever (35 mpg by 2020) and a renewable electricity standard (15% by 2020) that guarantees the growth of renewable, clean energy. But there is a chance these two key advances won’t make it through to the final bill. The legislation would be a monumental step toward stopping global warming. Go to http://www.energybill2007.us and sign the petition. This is our chance for real progress, don’t let Congress back down! Thanks! And enjoy Blog Action Day! 5. Otsikko
Jari Sutinen, Registered I don't want to sound cynical...
Let's think about people in - for example - India and China. They have watched years how we live and then their economical situation gets better. They want all the stuff we already have.
If we go there and tell them to reduce consumption they will point a finger towards us. 6. Wonderful post
Danielle Brigida, Guest Wonderful post and blog! I loved how you talked about our individual impact and how we can make a difference. :) 7. let
Guest, Guest I'm absolutely right with the author of the last comment... we have to make the change today...
come and visit us www.energyislife.org 8. Reduce Consumption and Population
Crafty Green Poet, Guest Yes the previous comments are right - reducing population is as important as reducing consumption. Interesting how both are issues that a lot of people don't want to talk about. Great post btw 9. We can make a difference
Guest, Guest WIf we all work together we can save the environment and all live healthier. Better air, less polutions, imagine a world like that. |
Enter your email address: