One of the difficulties of being a writer is always originality. There are very few topics left undiscussed, even moreso in the age of citizen journalism and citizen reserachers.
So last December when we cobbled together our year-long editorial calender for the magazine, we opted to make the November-Decemeber issue a green issue.
Because there is a topic we haven’t discussed ad nauseum.
I started some basic research today with no idea how to present this issue any differently. The Democratic National Convention is holding a green event. I snagged a few tips from their site.
Al Gore. Yeah, he’s got a thing or two to share.
What else? How do I repackage this information to be pertinent, useful and above all, interesting to my audience?
In my own life, I can see the green message is taking root. I’ve always been a fan of recycling. Now my neighbors are as well. My Aunt Connie for years has sewn her own bags to carry groceries home from the store. Today, the grocery store will gladly sell you the canvas bag to transport your milk. Ride sharing, fuel-economy, the growth of the local produce industry, bee keeping, there are so many ways to add a little more green to your life.
What I don’t know is just how impactful these measures are. Has it really made a difference? And if so, how? What else can we add? If it’s as easy as carrying a bag or two for purchases, then we can all participate. If we have to start biking to work, I don’t see that happening. What I want to know is, how can I really, truly make a difference and by how much?
I popped over to earthlab.com and measured my carbon footprint. Overall, not too bad, I’m lower than the national average, much lower than the Missouri average.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m still slowly killing the whales with my gas guzzling SUV, but that damn low-pressure shower head makes all the difference in the world.
1 comment:
The big problem with going green is that our cities are fundamentally designed in an irresponsible way - our work is just too far from home, so of course we drive. I don't think we're going to tackle these issues until we look at how interconnected the bits and pieces of our lives are.
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