Today bloggers are joining together in Blog Action Day,
a day to emphasize the environment. The invitation proclaimed that all
opinions were welcome, so here I am, "green", but not fanatically so.
Green used to be just a color. It used to be the color of grass and tree leaves. It was a color in the crayon box.
Green is the current fad. If a flood happens, it's a green issue. If a hurricane happens, it's a green issue. If a tornado comes, it's a green issue. Transportation is a green issue. Fertilizing the lawn is a green issue, especially in St. Paul where the dandelions are just one more flower! Cows passing gas has become a green issue! There was even a green house at the Minnesota State Fair. And not to be forgotten, if you're not green, you're politically dead!
Care of the environment is important to me. Anyone who joined me in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area can attest to my fanaticism regarding destruction of that pristine wilderness. Drinking water from the lake was a privilege I intended to keep. Every small bit of paper, foil, twist ties, fuzz, etc., was carefully gleaned from our campsite and surrounding area. If someone else's trash dump was discovered as we foraged for dead trees, we hauled their trash out with us . . . on our backs.
I recycle. I recycle houses. I recycle lights. I bring my pop cans and water bottles home from places that don't recycle. Don't, however, expect me to carry my own mug (I'm already a packhorse!) or get on the E85 bandwagon. There are too many hungry people that could use that corn instead of my car. Carbon credits . . . not in my back yard! No way do I want the government getting involved in how many emissions I have in my life, and charging me if I go over the average! The next thing I know, they'll be measuring my bodily functions as well!
St. Paul recycles as well, and not just at the curb. A unique characteristic of St. Paul is its preference for retrofitting buildings rather than tearing them down. The St. Paul district heating plant is the largest in North America with all its incumbent benefits. The Minnesota legislature is moving forward with legislation designed to reduce emissions from fossil fuels over the next 43 years.
From my perspective, it's more basic. I keep my fertilizer on the lawn, not in the street gutters. If I empty it, I recycle it. If I can combine trips in the car, I do. If I can add insulation to make my house more energy efficient, I do. I turn off what I turn on. I keep my heat down.
Green is a choice we all make at different levels. The very basic level is where I operate. Whether I believe in global warming or not, doesn't matter. Conservation to me is my part of taking personal responsibility for my place in the world.
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