It's hard to be a part of mainstream America these days without hearing about "Go Green" and "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle". 

   

Local grocery stores have racks of reusable canvas shopping bags for sale.  Many communities have been invaded by little blue boxes with the recycle symbol on its side. Bill Nye, The Science Guy is competing with Ed Begley, Jr. for a hit cable show on Discovery.  The Presidential candidates are talking about alternative energy sources such as solar, wind and hydropower during the national debates.  Urban communities are suing local municipalities for landfill hazards affecting their children.  Nickelodeon television has suspended programming and commercials in a Worldwide Day of Play to encourage children to get active.  Even the obscenely rich of Hollywood are wearing the same dress to more than one social carnival.

Environmental responsibility is being discussed around the campfires of the homeless and the marble dining halls of Hollywood.  World leaders are addressing global issues such as human rights and greenhouse gases in the same speech. Moms and dads everywhere are teaching their children valuable lessons in preserving precious Mother Earth and social responsibility.  The pendulum of global awareness is making its return swing from the side where the earth was flat.

         

 

Recycling is not a new concept.  The Native Americans and the gift of the buffalo is a familiar example.  The Eskimo and the whale is another.  The laws of the jungle that applied in the hunter/gatherer tribes are now reflected in our conservation laws.  Human history, from ancient to modern are filled with examples of conserving natural resources for future use, from the dried herbs of the caveman to the modern solar collectors.  Wind energy has been harvested from the grain grinding mills of ancient Persia to the windmills of Holland.  Hydropower has been a staple of electricity since the beginnings of the electric age. Humans have used nature for progress since the first nursing mother sat around a fire.

     

Today, we are bombarded with messages to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle from all around.   An extreme us vs. them attitude is reflected in the attitudes of suburban communities across America.  A greater awareness of the impact our individual actions have on a global community has come to light in this technical age of carbon footprinting and instant access to worldwide information through the internet.  The thirty thousand years of progress have brought us to a point where we must return to our beginnings and respect nature for the necessity to our survival.

I see mainstream America doing many green things. Breastfeeding and cloth diapering has become more common than it was thirty years ago.  Garage sales and thrift stores are thriving in a struggling economy.  The roadside produce stand is once again a popular option for providing food for our families where rich and poor can be found gathered around the same table.

       

What can you as an individual do under your current circumstances to contribute to a healthy future for our home?  Reduce, reuse and recycle. 

2.       Reuse and repurpose products that have already been manufactured.  Bed sheets still make good togas and any child can teach you the value of a cardboard box as a playhouse or grandmas costume jewelry for a game of dress-up .  Donating your unwanted clothes, furniture, appliances, toys and tools to organizations that distribute to the needy is an easy way to keep value in existing products.  Kitchen scraps, grass clippings and leaves can be used for compost.  Rain can be collected from downspout rain barrels and used to water plants. A wind chime made from old spoons sounds just as sweet. Fireplaces provide heat as well as aesthetic value. Today's arts and crafts project is tomorrow's masterpiece. Candles aren't just for romantic dinners anymore. Speaking of dinner, do you like your neighbors?  In the spirit of Stone Soup, host a monthly block party potluck supper.  One night a month each family would save the expense of producing an entire meal, and you might get to try some yummy new eats.

     

3. Recycle and renew through personal initiative.  Buy bulk products and consciously recycle packaging materials.  Choose products made from renewable resources and post consumer materials.  Plant a tree or landscape with native plants for your next outdoor project.  Carry filtered tap water in a thermos or stainless steel travel mug rather than a plastic bottle. Don't just buy cork or bamboo flooring, be sure it comes from a sustainable source rather than a company looking to make a quick buck through overharvesting.

     

Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something.  I think you find once you take the first steps toward becoming green, the next one doesn't seem so daunting.  Every effort made by every individual to reduce, reuse or recycle has a global impact. There is even renewed value in the statement "One small step for man, on giant leap for mankind".

 Thank you for everything you do.

GG