One Green Step at a Time

I recently had the pleasure of spending the holidays with my relatives, which were filled with both pleasantries and the much anticipated political debate, yet what I didn't expect was the stark realization of the vast differences in our thinking. This was most evident when I opened a gift from "Mother Earth" with a card thanking me for doing my part to keep my kin environmentally correct while finding a tube of Chicken Poop lip balm inside.

Okay, so I can take the occasional gag gift as well as the next girl. In fact, re-gift anyone? That's definitely a keeper for next year, but what surprised me most about receiving "the poop" was how hyper-aware I became of my families lack of concern for a subject that I view as somewhat detrimental. I mean, I really believe that our environment is in trouble. I really believe that we can all make it better or worse. I don't look at The Inconvenient Truth as mere political propaganda. There are polar bears drowning for Christ's sake.

So I spent the day wondering how I could educate and persuade a change of behavior among my loved ones who laugh away my actions without turning them off with too much lecturing. I certainly don't need the Monkey Farts lip stuff as a gift next year. Hence, my attempt at a little daily awareness. This blog is dedicated to the Uncle Gary's of the world who laugh away climate change while throwing out "nuke china" solutions with the wave of a hand. My hope is to plant a little seed that one day might become a sprout of understanding; a sprout of compassion for the world around us. So, with one green step at a time, a blog is born.

"The earth we abuse and the living things we kill will, in the end, take their revenge; for in exploiting their presence we are diminishing our future." - Marya Mannes