As I was dumping my recycling this weekend, I couldn't help thinking..."Is this really making an impact?" Do my actions really count in the scheme of things?" The melancholy voice inside me came out and said, "You might as well be alone in your efforts, so many others are out there negating your very actions right now!" My very way of life, and all that I am striving to become and accomplish is threatened at times like these, when the enormity of the problem stares me in the face. And then I am reminded of articles like these by Michael Pollan. And then while strolling the global community that is the internet, I found encouragement at Girl At Play:
"Do. I can’t stress that one enough. Take action on your life. Make the change. No more sulking, waiting, thinking, reading, talking about. It’s time."
When we see problems all around us, and we recognize the need for change, we HAVE to change. As Wendell Berry said: “Once our personal connection to what is wrong becomes clear, then we have to choose: we can go on as before, recognizing our dishonesty and living with it the best we can, or we can begin the effort to change the way we think and live.” To deny this transformation would be to deny our very souls. Others may not see the importance of our causes. However, there will be those that will be changed to the core by seeing the passion of our hearts, and the action of our lives. I may not be able to change the world today, but I can change my own actions, and be a catalyst for others to do the same.
Monday, September 22, 2008
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4 comments:
So true! You never know who is watching and will start doing the same because of your actions.
Yes, it does! Even if you discount the environmental impact, consider the cost savings of recycled products versus finding new sources of materials.
You know how I know that my little bit is making a difference? By the amount of trash I'm putting out. Each week our trash can used to be FULL and now it's only half full! I know it's not much, but every little bit adds up!
going green mama: You are so right! That's why I recycle, it's just hard knowing that across the globe, people in China are polluting faster than we try to clean up!
heather b: I just love that we also have cut our waste in half. For us that was a savings, because our service charges us per can, and we used to have 2!
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