Happy Belated Earth Hour!

I've been thinking about the whole Earth Hour thing for the last few days. OK, I admit I didn't take it too seriously. I'm not much of a fan of symbolism. So yeah, I was going around Youtube posting smart-ass comments on people's pro-Earth Hour vids. And I didn't participate. At least, technically I didn't.

One of the things about me that has changed over the years is how I feel about the environment and humankind's effect on it. I've come to hate seeing trees torn down, to be replaced by ANOTHER mini-mall or overblown McMansion. I've grown disgusted at the sight of garbage along the roads, in the woods, everywhere. I detest our greedy gobbling of precious resources.

I wouldn't call myself an environmentalist-I feel no urge to stand in front of bulldozers or chain myself to an old-growth tree. But I have become a conservationalist-that is, I believe in less greed, more preservation, and sensible alternatives to land-rape. I think it's our responsibility to caretake the earth for those who follow us, not use the earth up and leave our progeny a messy, unhealthy, polluted planet.

I think we're at an interesting point in history right now. As of this moment, despite great strides in "sustainable living", it's still expensive to totally "go green". For instance, if every home in America were equiped with a solar electricity system, our need for generated electricity would fall by a shocking amount, and the environment would be improved immeasurably. But considering it still costs an average of $20,000.00 to convert a home, that's just not an attainable goal. If half our cars were hybrid or electric, we wouldn't need foreign oil at all! That is, if everyone could afford to spring an extra $5,000-$15,000 to buy the latest new fuel-misers. But we can't, so we don't.

However, technology keeps striding on, and I think the day will come (probably within the next twenty years) where more cars and homes will be powered by sustainable methods than not.

Until then, I do the best I can. One of my considerations in buying my condo was whether its size and layout were energy-efficient. For instance, it has smaller rooms that tend to be easier to light. When watching TV or reading in my living room, just one energy-saver light bulb is enough to make the room cheery-bright. My power usage is low, my energy bills are cheap, I am happy.

When I went looking for a vehicle this time, my eyes passed longingly over the spacious, full-sized Chevy Tahoes and Cadillac Escalades, and settled on a small Chevy Blazer. It gets better mileage, my gas bill is lower, I am happy.

I think "going green" means doing what you can, when you can. And I do think it makes a difference.