I used to drive an SUV, bought plastic water bottles by the case at CostCo, and always chose plastic over paper at the grocery store.
Thanks to my clients who practice corporate social responsibility, Twitter feeds that provide a plethora of resources on sustainability, my children who encourage me to make smart choices around the house, and my newest network of friends from Opportunity Green, I have truly been inspired to think about my choices and act responsibly. One-by-one-by-one, as Mother Teresa said, is the way we will get it done. It doesn’t start as an entire corporation all at once, it starts with one energetic, committed employee fighting internally for an increased awareness. It doesn’t start with an entire city restricting plastic shopping bags, it starts with one local advocate who realizes the damage these bags can cause in our waste stream, and it may not start with an entire family, but one member taking interest on behalf of the entire household. It starts with one. It starts with me.
I used to drive an SUV, bought plastic water bottles by the case at CostCo, and always chose plastic over paper at the grocery store.
Thanks to my clients who practice corporate social responsibility, Twitter feeds that provide a plethora of resources on sustainability, my children who encourage me to make smart choices around the house, and my newest network of friends from Opportunity Green, I have truly been inspired to think about my choices and act responsibly. One-by-one-by-one, as Mother Teresa said, is the way we will get it done. It doesn’t start as an entire corporation all at once, it starts with one energetic, committed employee fighting internally for an increased awareness. It doesn’t start with an entire city restricting plastic shopping bags, it starts with one local advocate who realizes the damage these bags can cause in our waste stream, and it may not start with an entire family, but one member taking interest on behalf of the entire household. It starts with one. It starts with me.
My 13 year old son said to me, “our generation has to clean up the mess that your generation made.” Now that’s a heavy load to carry. We live in a closed biosphere. We all live in only one planet, and our individual choices make a difference, small or large they do make a difference.
I’m now driving a hybrid, using refillable bottles and reusable bags at the market and making a conscious effort to base my decisions on sustainability. I feel good about this, but there’s room for huge improvements in my practices. I can’t get overwhelmed. I can do my part each and every day, one decision at a time in the office and home. It’s a ripple effect. We need to start small and build. But we need to start.
We all live different shades of green. It is important to at least be some shade.
