It's Not Easy Being Green

Reading Michael Maniates' article reminded me of one thing: I am the greenest person I know. I consume as little as possible, recycle everything and reuse whatever I can. I take the stairs, ride my bike, use cloth shopping bags, buy local, and shut off the water that drips out random in leaky bathrooms. Most importantly I lead by example and try to influence others to live the greenest life they can. I eat, think, and even try to breathe eco-friendly. With all this said, the main point I can agree with Maniate on is that these efforts are not enough.

The one thing about the entire environmental movement that infuriates me the most is that I can never actually BE green. In order for me to live my life, as a normal, functioning American, I must simultaneously destroy the planet. Every time I turn on the lights in the morning, go out to eat, or even travel home to see my family for holidays, I am buying into the competition. I am supporting the industries which I hate the most... and it is killing me to kill the environment. In order for us to actually save this planet, the entire country must undergo a complete green makeover.

Don't get me wrong, individual actions are important. However, they are only a start. Yes, it is critical for us to all think with the environment in our best interests. For us all to keep a little green Jiminey Cricket on our shoulder whispering in our ear and telling us "No, you don't need that plastic bag to hold your Subway sandwich." However, after we have made this transition on the individual level we have to transpire it nationwide. We must rework our transportation systems, our city layouts, our education systems. We must think green in every aspect of our lives as a whole. I've said it before and I'll say it again, the environment is the only thing we all share. We all need to jump on the environmental band wagon because if we go down, we go down together.