This is an AMAZING video. Period. Yes it is 20 minutes long but it kept me rapt.
I watched it on my new laptop that I had to have so I could write anywhere, while I sat on my new porch swing overlooking my new pond. Ok, the pond and the swing are not exactly the kind of "stuff" this video is talking about, but....just watch it. If you watch the whole thing I will pay you a buck...so you can go shop and be happy:)
We live in a nation of consumers who are wasteful and proud of it. To many, recycling, wearing clothes more than one season, buying organic, going vegetarian, is just too much trouble. Those of us who do those things are self righteous pains in the asses of those who feel guilty because they know what is best for the planet, but they are too selfish to inconvenience themselves. It's extremely easy to be the lazy consumer and not care about the cycle of consumption they are born into. Our children eat, make waste, beg for new plastic toys, and break them and throw them away without a thought. Show them a cute cow in the field on the way to McDonalds, but don't remind them that they are eating that cute cow for lunch. We don't want to burden them with responsibility or a conscience. They are taught to be this way by their parents. Parents who are more stressed because they have to work so much to buy all the stuff that their family "needs" like flat screen TV's and Ipods. Yes, housing for their homes that are twice as big as they were a generation ago costs more too. Plus we all need our own cars, maybe two, to commute to our jobs that are too far away to walk or bike. Then there is all the therapy to deal with the guilt and depression brought on by the toxins in the environment, trying to work and expect more than our bodies were designed to do, and not being happy with our empty lives. Sound familiar?
This wasn't meant to be a rant but it gets me pretty fired up, how lazy people are and how so many just don't care. They don't like to feel the guilt of not being responsible for the planet, so they adopt the "it's not my problem" attitude.
The government MUST INSIST that this cycle stops. Taxing the planet MUST STOP. We are running out of time. We are destroying our resources at such an incredible rate. I am amazed that the government hasn't put laws into effect to ensure recycling, sustainable production of goods and food, encourage reusing rather than disposal. I know there are some steps being made, but let's face it, they are half-assed, most people vote against them if they are going to cost the public.
So my advice?
Follow your instincts. Recycle as much as you can, eat organic, recycled packaging foods, humanely raised meat if you choose to eat meat at all, use things that you must have for as long as you can, and dispose of them in the safest way you can. It's really not that hard and your conscience will be lighter. And your children will see the example you set and be proud of you.
I will try to do these things as well, instead of ranting but not taking action. I always tell people if they are unhappy, they have no right to complain unless they are going to do something to change their situation. I will practice what I preach. Now, I am going back on that site to learn more about how I can make change happen.
