How green are you? I’m not talking about the amount of green you have in your wardrobe or the amount of cash you have in your wallet. I’m talking about how green your life is. Do you treat the environment in the way it should be treated? Do you recycle? Do you use eco-friendly products? These questions probably got you thinking a lot and it should. If your environment is not in the best condition, are you in your best condition?
I’ve cared about the environment for as long as I can remember. I didn’t think it was passionate about it until my mom told me a story when I was in elementary school. We just learned what recycling was and how that simple act makes a ripple effect of how to improve the environment. My mom told me that I yelled at her for throwing a plastic soda bottle in the trash.
“MOM! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! YOU’RE GOING TO KILL THE ENVIRONMENT! YOU HAVE TO RECYCLE!”
She was surprised about my outburst and quickly set up a recycling area in our house. Looking back on it, that was my first revelation.It’s not easy to live a green life; it’s a work in progress. My anecdote is a jump start to what can be achieved. There’s tons of ways to save the planet, but there has been a lot of damage to it already. The ozone layer has holes in that leaks harmful gases into our clean air. Pollution in the air, water, and soil has stunted growth and improvement to the animals that live there and the environment. There are methods to reverse the effects, the cost turns people away from participating.
Big gestures are not the only ways to make a difference in a cause you care about. Something as simple as turning the light off when you leave the room or turning off the water faucet as you brush your teeth can contribute to a great change.
Nature has its own sense of beauty that many people overlook. Luckily for me, I’m not one of them. I see nature as a metaphor for us women as well. The trees, waterfalls, and mountain ranges are as gorgeous as they are strong and useful to the world. It’s called Mother Nature for a reason. Now, I have the chance to advocate for it on campus. I’m going to be interning for the Sustainability office at SUNY Oswego, with other students who care about the environment as much as I do. So, for this Earth Day, why not look up ways to start your green life. A little awareness goes a long way.