subject: We Must Learn How To Go Green [print this page] Although more and more people want to find out how to go green, there are still those who think that "all this global warming stuff" is very exaggerated or even one big lie. What those inclined towards the latter viewpoint often don't realize is that we really need to go green regardless of how much our CO2 emissions actually affect the environment.
Because an unavoidable fact is that the population of the industrialized countries has a consumption level that is not sustainable in the long run. It is estimated that 1/5 of the planet's inhabitants consume 4/5 of all the resources available. If the world's entire population where to live in the western lifestyle we would need the natural resources of several planets just to keep the system going. The unequal distribution of natural resources means that citizens in certain parts of the world have way too much while people in other areas barely have enough to get through the day.
It is clearly time for a change.
The decisions we make today will have a decisive impact on what the earth's climate - and thereby the life of future generations - will look like in the future. Although it is easy for any single person to feel small and insignificant in a grand scheme of this kind, the fact is that your personal choices does have an effect on both the environment and on the future of people all over the globe. This remains true regardless of if you choose to go green or not.
To that end, if you are wondering how to go green, here are five general areas you can start paying special attention to right now.
- Waste less precious materials
Buy new stuff only when you actually need to. Borrow or rent whenever this is a viable alternative. When you do purchase something brand new, try to choose recycled products. Get things that are durable, reusable and recyclable. Avoid products with excess packaging that isn't recyclable or biodegradable.
By reducing consumption you save natural resources as well as help reduce the pollution problems caused by production and waste disposal. Note that consumption and standard of living aren't one and the same.
- Consume energy wisely
By saving energy you help reduce the global need for electricity and thus also the need for increased worldwide energy production. Burning fossil fuels adds to global warming and nuclear energy comes with great security risks - not only in the actual power plants but in the fuel processing cycle as well. Choose a power company that offers electricity created by renewable energy sources.
Avoid using your car for unnecessarily short trips, use your bike to cover the shorter distances. Also consider public transportation wherever it is a practical alternative.
- Eat good food
The food we choose to put on our plates have a significant impact on the environment. Choose locally produced ingredients as long transportations means an increased use of fossil fuel. Try to add more vegetable dishes to your weekly menu and choose eco friendly produce as a rule. Do not throw away a lot of food, try to carefully estimate how much you need instead.
- Support Fair Trade
Although many fair trade products aren't locally produced, the Fair Trade system still has many advantages. For most westerners things like coffee and bananas are have to be imported anyway. But by selecting the Fair Trade alternative you guarantee that the producers actually get a fair deal for all their hard work. The Fair Trade certification also guarantees that the environment is taken into consideration better than in conventional production.
- Find out more
The above suggestions are only rough guidelines. Making specific choices will always require factoring in everything about that particular case. Sometimes the information at hand is incomplete and it may be difficult to know where something has been produced/manufactured, what exactly it is made of and so on.
It may also at times be hard to decide what you want to emphasize the most in your product selection. You may for example find yourself wondering whether the organically produced but imported apple is a better choice than the locally produced super apple?
This is all part of the process of learning how to go green. By doing a little bit of research each time you will learn how to progressively live a more eco friendly life. And when you have worked out the "greenest" choice on how to do something in particular, you can share your newfound knowledge with all your friends and colleagues.
