Every Little Bit Helps

Posted by Lorna.Doone on 1. December 2009 06:56

This Thanksgiving holiday, my little family packed up for a trek to Seattle, Washington.  Our plan was to visit some friends and see the beautiful home they've been building over the last year.  It was, in fact, magnificent.  There were soaring ceilings and slate floors and room for a recording studio in the basement.  

I had to laugh (silently), however, as our friend proudly showed us the compact fluorescent bulbs he had installed in our guest room.  I don't want to disparage my friend at all.  He and his wife have worked very hard to be where they are, and unlike most of us, they have actually built their dream home.  I am very proud of them.

It was a bit amusing, though, to hear him talk about "saving the earth" while standing in a 5,000+ square foot home with an 8-car garage, heated bathroom floors, and a specially plumbed, self-cleaning cat box.  I was thinking less-than-charitable thoughts as he bemoaned the fact that the CFLs took quite a while to light all the way up.

Later, though, I thought about the fact that no matter what lifestyle we choose to live, there is almost always something we can do to lessen our impact on the environment.  Sure, my friend's house is a bit extravagant, but that didn't preclude him from thinking about some of those small things.  After all, he could have avoided the inconvenience of CFLs by simply not using them at all.  Instead, he chose to make them a priority.

If each of us chose to make a few small changes in our lives, the overall impact could be quite significant.  Whether you're a poor working parent who chooses to buy organic food or a high-powered business exec who remembers to unplug your cell phone charger at night, there's always something that can be done.