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Every week or maybe every other week I’ll be posting a more personal blog post about what about the world/environment keeps me up at night. I’ll try my best not to rant for too long and keep it to 1 or 2 shortish subjects.
Something that’s really been on my mind lately has been the absolute closed mindedness of many people on the internet with regards to beliefs that aren’t their own. For example the other day one of my stories was on digg.com asking, "What have you done to go green?" I got a comment back saying, "Nothing I refuse to change my life over 0.7 degrees Celsius." The only thing that really bugs me about that is that I wasn’t particularly talking about global warming because especially to the public who doesn’t pay attention that’s a hard subject to convey. I was looking for answers like, "I started recycling all the waste I could." or "I no longer drink bottled water." Small changes I guess is what I was looking for in normal everyday live your life people. To completely disregard that there is a problem with our environment and be so hard headed to refuse to change because "thermometers haven’t rise all that much anyway". Is pretty close minded and not to mention a little silly. What’s so hard or bad about being a little less damaging to the earth even if you don’t believe global warming is happening? It really won’t disrupt your life and it may even make your kids or your friends kids have a better place to live later on or at least have less of a fight on their hands when it comes to the environment.
This all leads me to the biggest thing that’s kept me up at night lately. When was the last time you walked to the park or around the block and didn’t see a piece of trash on the floor? I had this discussion with my mom the other day because it was bugging me a bit. When I was a kid (feels like a long time ago) we used to go to parks all around town and we could play and run around. We didn’t have to worry about much of anything. The times we walked to the park or the school to play on the playground there wasn’t trash all over the ground. The only thing parents had to worry about kids trying to eat at a playground was bugs or maybe a couple rocks. Now a days you gotta watch your kids because they may be putting someones bottle cap in there mouth, or even a cigarette butt. It’s just nasty out their because people stopped caring if they missed the trash can at the fast food joint or if the wrappers flew out the window.
These things are why I stress knowledge and awareness so much. If people knew how much nasty plastic was in the ocean or what kind of trash is littering the streets then maybe they’d think twice about tossing something on the floor. Maybe they’d even recycle it if they knew what it took to make it in the first place and what little energy it takes to turn that bottle into something else.
Phew, that was good to get off my chest, but I’m sure it’ll still keep bugging me until I see progress. I’d love to hear your stories about how things in the environment bug you. You’re welcome to join in the discussion just add your comment below.
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6 responses so far ↓
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Richard @ Rain Barrel page (Check me out!)
// Apr 18, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Hi Jason,
This irks me too about people who tend to look at the bigger picture but in the completely opposite way. It’s the thinking that one person won’t make a difference in a widespread problem. But the thing is, change of any kind begins with the self. Having to stop thinking so globally might actually be a good thing for most to see that it’s the simple little things that accumulate over time that makes a difference.
For myself, it was only a few years ago that I decided to stop drinking bottled water. I keep one and use a water container at home which I refill at water vending machines. It was around this time that I also made sure to recycle all recyclable trash such as soda cans, trash paper and the like. And though it didn’t become a habit, it’s just an obsessive compulsive nature of mine to put things in its proper place. When I’m next to a trash bin and see missed trash around it, I’ll clean it up. It’s sort of a pet peeve I suppose.
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Hey Richard,
I’m glad I’m not the only one that’s irked by that mindset. You make a great point about how some have to stop thinking so globally and to think more locally. After all if everyone cleaned up their business and way of living in there local community the world wouldn’t have nearly as many problems.
Thank you very much for sharing and for doing your part. I love the store by the way you guys are doing a great job.
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Rob (Check me out!)
// Apr 18, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Really nice post you made here. I like how you really put your personal opinion and thoughts into it. You really caused me to think twice about it. Very nice post, I like your blog. I think I am going to subscribe.
[Reply]
Thank you very much for the compliments and for the subscription. I’m glad I made you think twice it’s what I’m trying to do with this place. I don’t expect and believe that everyone will jump on board and fight global warming, but they probably will be more ecofriendly if it means saving money and cleaning up their neighborhood.
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Evita (Check me out!)
// Apr 19, 2008 at 6:30 am
Hi Jason
Oh where do I begin…I feel the same frustration as you when it comes to the environment and people’s health. As humans so many of us are so stubborn to change or try something new, or heaven forbid follow others good examples and then things go bad and people cry and complain and blame God…but where did accountability go?????
When I was reading the example you gave someone wrote to your question, a small stab of pain went through me as I can totally relate to that closemindedness.
As a science teacher I have the pleasure of teaching today’s teens about all these environmental issues and you would be shocked at some of their responses. But I continue, and I do not let it get me down, because even if we open the eyes of 1 person to change for every five that refuse to change, we are still I feel making progress!
Keep up the great work and I love the new look to your site!!!!
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Hey Evita,
It’s great to see again that I am not the only one who feels these frustrations, but at the same time sad that they’re around. I am so happy that someone like you is teaching the next generation of kids science of all things. That is a job that deserves so much more credit then it gets so from me to you “Thank you” I know it’s not an easy job.
Thank you for the compliment on the site. I’m very glad you like that the changes I made to the site and I hope to keep improving on it.
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