2017 is nearly here! It's a great time to do what people do this time of year: make resolutions. Since an ecofriendly lifestyle is something I feel strongly about, my resolutions involve devising new ways to think about environmental problems. I've come up with three "eco-challenges," for myself, which all involve little more than a shift in mindset. I've kept it simple because, as we all know, intricate plans become difficult to sustain as the months wear on. Here, ways I plan to enrich myself, and disseminate helpful info to the larger landscape:
1. Keep an open mind
As we get older, I think there's a tendency to think we "know it all." We find it easy to discount unfamiliar notions, especially from those younger than we are. I've been bumping up against new ideas recently, and feeling myself getting cranky. One of those ideas is about veganism. I have to admit, up until a few years ago, I hardly knew any vegetarians, but nowadays many folks are touting the personal and environmental benefits of not only a meat-free lifestyle, but an existence of non-exploitive animal practices. Translation: living without ingesting or utilizing things like red meat, fish, fowl, dairy, honey, leather or wool. Seemed harsh to me. I kept wondering how fruits and vegetables could possibly cover daily nutritional requirements of those who became vegan. I'm not gonna lie: I still wonder about this. That's why I've been making an effort to learn about what it means to be vegan. Among my environmental discoveries: To produce one pound of animal protein vs. one pound of soy protein, it takes about 12 times as much land and fossil fuel, and 15 times as much water. I'm not sure a vegan lifestyle is for me--or even a vegetarian one, if I'm honest--but I certainly can cut back on my meat intake. These are issues that need our attention.
2. Read more
I'm a big reader. Always have been. I've realized lately, though, I'm not devoting enough of my "reading time" to environmental issues and practices. An eco-related question will pop into my head--and then exit just as quickly, without adequate exploration. An example: I found myself wondering about the state of the ozone layer. I've caught snippets of conversations and news reports recently chatting up the issue, but I had no idea if the initiatives begun in the late 1980's to reduce ozone-destroying chlorofluorocarbon emissions have reaped any benefits. I remember the debates back then--my first real exposure to man vs. environment issues. I recall the culprits--things like aerosol propellants (hairspray comes to mind) and old-school refrigerants which spit vast amounts of the toxic chlorine cocktail into the air. Most of all, I remember the worldwide ban, a unique partnership between developed countries to safeguard the fragile layer of ozone shielding us from the sun's most harmful rays. Time to head to the Internet and catch up on some reading. Three credible sources--National Geographic magazine, Popular Mechanics, and NASA itself--all report good news: the hole in the ozone layer above the Antarctic appears to be shrinking. Apparently, the once 29.9-million-mile hole has shrunk to 24.1 million miles. While it's still a gaping wound 30 years after the initiative went into effect (the news sources report those chlorine particles have a shelf life of up to 100 years!) we seem to be headed in the right direction. Glad I read about it.
3. Disperse
Like sowing seeds into fertile soil, it's vital to share environmental news and ideas with others. Social media has made our very large world unbelievably accessible. With all the platforms available, we have no difficulty spreading information. Let's make sure it's the well-meaning, thoughtful--and thought-provoking--information that will benefit us all.
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