Who knew that today is World Oceans Day? I didn’t. Who knew that yesterday was the world premier of “Home” the movie? I didn’t. (Home is a movie about our planet and human impact on our environment. It is an extraordinarily well produced film and can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/homeproject) This is stuff I truly care about and I had no idea these two events were happening. I thought I was on the lookout for ways to engage and connect with efforts and causes that expand the dialog on our environment. But somehow I missed these two very significant events. If I’m missing these major events, how are these events and causes going to reach the hearts and minds of those who really need to be engaged? More to the point, how can an event or day or movie really change minds of those who don’t believe or don’t care? Many very well intentioned people and organizations spend tremendous resources on events and movies and publicity intended to sway public opinion. But how many people are really impacted by these efforts?
We participate in these events, we are moved by their messages, we chant for change. When it’s over, we go back to our lives and business as usual. Despite dire warnings and irrefutable evidence that our actions have already reached a point of no return, we all continue with our lives. It’s not that we’re resistant to change – in fact, we’re all open to change. However, there are some very difficult issues to overcome before change will become a reality for many people.
1) Inertia: Some of us don’t really understand how our actions contribute to the environmental problems we face. We’re just following the behaviors we were taught. Others don’t believe our actions have a big enough impact to matter. The inertia keeps us moving in the wrong direction.
2) It can wait, right? Since there is no immediate and dramatic negative consequence to our behaviors, change doesn’t really seem all that important right now. Let’s leave the change for another day when it’s easier, cheaper, more convenient, or required by law. Besides, why should I quit driving to work when everyone else is still driving? Many of my generation and older believe that it doesn’t matter – we won’t be around to see the truly significant problems our actions cause. So why bother?
3) How? So we’ve decided to make a change, what can I possibly do that will matter? There are so many causes, so many things to do, its overwhelming to understand where to begin. Should I change my light bulbs? Should I turn down my hot-water heater? Should I stop all airplane flights? Prioritizing my efforts and the efforts for my family is a full-time job. While there are many causes and initiatives intended to catalyze change, each has it’s own priorities. It is difficult to know how to prioritize my own life so we save it for another day.
4) Change is hard. The kind of change we need is going to be extremely hard. In much of the developed world, the changes we need will make our lives less convenient. There will also be a financial impact to the change we need. Is it even possible to balance our financial health with our need to change our consumption habits?
When taken together, these issues seem insurmountable. It seems like an impossible challenge to convince over 300 million people in the US and 7 billion people in the world that change is needed and it can’t wait. Let’s say you did get them all to decide to change – what would you have them do and how would you convince them to sacrifice their lifestyles for the future – the planet.
Okay, it’s a big challenge. We know that. Consider what you’d do if you wanted to lose 100lbs or quit smoking or stop drinking. If you’ve been faced with a challenge of will, you know how impossible it seems when you are forced to quit. But it can be done – one step at a time. The change has to start with yourself and the people you call your “family”. First we have to admit that we have a problem. We have to admit that our lives must change because we are living an unhealthy, unsustainable lifestyle.
This is where I am now: I’ve made a commitment that I want to change. I recognize that inertia is taking me in a different direction and that I don’t really know everything I should be doing. I also understand that this change will be hard. I also recognize that I’m not going to always going to make the right choices – I’m an imperfect person and I will always be drawn to take the easy way out. However, I know that I must change for the benefit of the planet. I’m moved to action by elephants in Africa, Coral Reefs, big cats in Asia and South America, and the beauty that I see in the mountains I see around me.
I don’t really know how the next steps will go, but I’m going to use the principals I used to lose weight and apply those to my lifestyle to make my life more “green”. I would encourage you to do this with me! I’ll update this blog with my steps and thoughts so you can follow them too. I’ll also twitter my progress and daily updates – subscribe to divernut on twitter. I’ll post my successes and my failures. I’ll tell you when I make a choice for convenience – even when I feel guilty about it.
Don’t say: “I’ll see how he does and then I’ll do it if it works for him.” This is an experiment, but that’s life! We try things. “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.” The learning is the trying. Learn what works for you and go with it. But you have to start somewhere. Start with me!
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