ITS NOT EASY BEING GREEN
Kermie had it right when he earnestly declared to the world how overwhelming it is to be green. It seems like the world is finally sympathetic to our favorite little frog’s lonely ballad. As if out of nowhere, the mainstream has suddenly awoken to the dire consequences of global warming, over-consumption, toxic waste and carbon emissions. Our new daily vocabulary is strewn with words like: organic, sustainable and fair trade. Words that were definitely not given as much air time when I was growing up are now all the rage. It is not a trend to become more environmentally aware. Green is here to stay. Our society, known throughout the world for its individualistic and sometimes insulated doctrine of entitlement, is finding itself accountable and guilt-ridden. We as Americans have a lifestyle of extreme over-consumption. These habits chip away at the health of our planet's environment on an ongoing basis to a greater extent then any other country. Americans constitute 5% of the world's population but consume 24% of the world's energy. They eat 815 billion calories of food each day - that's roughly 200 billion more than needed - enough to feed 80 million people. The average individual daily consumption of water is 159 gallons, while more than half the world's population lives on 25 gallons. The United States, as an economic force to be reckoned with, has no choice but to face the facts. We know better. We have the education, capital and resources to find solutions. Read more at Eco Echo.
