Going Green? Easy Shouldn't Do it

I have to agree with Maniates' article about the dangers of laziness in our environmental crisis. When I first started taking an interest in the "environmental crisis" I have to admit that I wasn't very interested in doing my part, however big or small (I still have trouble with it sometimes). But even I could see that books like The Lazy Environmentalist and It's Easy being Green are not going to be enough to motivate the American population to strive toward a greener future.


Interestingly enough, those who are most devoted and active in getting people interested and concerned with the state of the environment are also advocating simple and easy things that can be done in the home by every American to help the environment. This amazed me even moreso than the books on the ease and simplicity of going green. When the Environmental Protection Agency starts telling people that saving the planet is easy and involves only a few simple steps, then there is a problem.

I definitely agree that Americans are treated like children when it comes to issues where they should be concerned. The state of the environment is critical to survival of life on Earth and we should be treating this issue as such. This is our first home, we have an obligation to care for it, says Professor Roderick Nash. Not that we should consider it an obligation. Since we have no other planet to occupy yet we should really take care of this one. When gas prices went up, people were suddenly concerned with alternative energy sources and alternative transportation. That kind of hype should not depend on the price of a barrel of oil. It should be intrinsic to human nature.

Experts and activists can only do so much. They can spread the word and get the information out there. There their job ends. Then it is up to each and every person to take what they know and what they have learned and find a way that they can help save what is shared by all life on Earth.