Finding Your Green Passion
What does it mean to be green? And more pertinently, what does it mean to you?
For years I was somewhat hesitant to make changes for the betterment of society, not because I didn’t care but because I felt there was so much to do that I couldn’t possibly make a difference. I couldn’t give myself to any one cause because I felt that every cause deserved attention and care. So I was left waiting to decide what to do. (I have a feeling I’m not the only one who has ever felt this way.)
Then one day last fall, I happened to hear someone recite the Helen Keller’s famous quote, and it really made an impact on me, “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
And this got me thinking - a lot of little somethings add up to pretty big things. I realized, you don’t have to change your entire lifestyle in order to make a difference in the environment. Pick something small and run with it.
Reel Mower. When my fiance and I moved into our new house, we bought a push reel lawnmower instead of a traditional gas-powered lawnmower. It’s one small change we’ve made in the effort to reduce ozone-depleting emissions. It’s a little more work but hey, it’s my exercise for the day and it saves us money!
Recycling. Yes, it’s nothing new, but are you sure you’re recycling everything you can? The Louisville government website lists acceptable materials to recycle, some of which I didn’t realize I could recycle, such as magazines or Solo cups.
Car time. Do you really need to drive a mile down the road to run an errand? I enjoy walking to ValuMarket from my house. It reminds me of when I lived in Sicily without a car and had to walk everywhere. Bring a clothe bag and only buy what you can carry comfortably. Again, it’s exercise for the day and you’ve cut emissions and reduced wear on your car.
It’s ok not to help with everything and with every cause. I’ve learned to find small changes that are easy for me to make. If we all put in a little extra effort, we can impact our world in big ways!
By Sara Baumgarten, program assistant, Leadership Louisville. Sara is an active member of YPAL’s PR committee.
