{"id":599,"date":"2010-04-23T11:10:47","date_gmt":"2010-04-23T17:10:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/minkhollow.ca\/beckerblog\/?p=599"},"modified":"2014-09-12T11:52:35","modified_gmt":"2014-09-12T17:52:35","slug":"the-day-after-earth-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/minkhollow.ca\/beckerblog\/2010\/04\/23\/the-day-after-earth-day\/","title":{"rendered":"The Day After Earth Day"},"content":{"rendered":"Approximate Reading Time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

Yesterday was the 40th ‘celebration’ of Earth Day<\/a>. There were all kinds of\u00a0 self-affirming \/ damning (depending on which side you’re on) blog posts, articles, events, and news items.<\/p>\n

So today I ask, now what? Do most people go back to whatever they were doing the day before? How aware are people REALLY of the impact they are having on the planet?<\/p>\n

They buy their bottled water thinking they are doing something better for both themselves (because, of course<\/em> anything that we pay for must be better than something that is nearly free) and for the environment (the bottles get recycled, right? … RIGHT?)<\/object><\/p>\n

They believe that anything labeled “GREEN” is better <\/a>than anything not so marketed. Not so.<\/p>\n

So, how do we address the real issue? The fact is that most people want their lives to be easy – they don’t want to have to think about much of anything. For example, how do we get people to realize that tap water is WAY better for the environment (and you) MOST OF THE TIME, so stop buying those sexy-looking disposable bottles!!!! Buy a re-usable bottle, and bring water from home.<\/p>\n

How do we convince people that their food should be costing way more than it is, if we want to ensure that crops can be raised without the need for genetic modification, and so that animals can be raised with respect? Do you even think about the life of the chicken that produced the eggs you eat, or the egg white that helped grow the vaccines you get? Or of the calf produced by the cow that gave you the milk you are drinking or the cheese you are eating?<\/p>\n

How do we fight the drug and agri-business lobbies?<\/p>\n

I think education is the only answer, but how do we make it happen?<\/p>\n

What do YOU do to reduce your impact on the planet? Have you checked to make sure that the things you are doing actually make things BETTER? Do you think about what went into making that PRIUS you drive? Did you look at the impact of what happens to the car you left behind?<\/p>\n