All I've Got

I overheard two co-workers yesterday laughing at our trainer because she buys re-usable grocery bags so she won't consume unnecessary plastic.

"Why do people do that? I don't get it - it's so stupid; it's just a trend."

"I know, like remember when recycling became popular when we were kids?"

"Well, we never recycle, and I don't feel bad about it. Sorry, Earth."

There were several aspects of this conversation that disturbed me. One was there eagerness to laugh at someone who felt that she was doing her part to minimize the impact on the environment.

Second, was the cavalier attitude that recycling wasn't important, wouldn't make a difference, and she didn't even have the sense to hide it. Environmental conservatism is an important subject driven by people who are passionate about biology and the earth sciences, and committed to what they feel is the protection of our non-renewable resources - remember learning what non-renewable resources means? - and the future of our planet and all life dependant upon it. At least if there's something I don't recycle, I at least feel bad about it.

Third, and most important is their misunderstanding of the movement that is environmental conservatism, and the fact this movement does not represent a trend so much as it represents a shift of conciousness and raising of awareness. I found the affirmation I was looking for when I came across a particularly long but poetic and inspiring article in Yes! magazine that talks about this.

Recycling, environmental awareness, and going green are so much more than a trend. I hardly believe companies (like State Farm) would shell out so much money to permanently change their image simply for a "trend" that will change or go away. Hard science speaks in statistics and numbers, but we see the evidence as dissapearing species, ice shelfs that have existed for ages collapsing (see the Wilkins Ice Shelf in Antarctica), and global biological epidemics affecting both humans and other animal species alike.