Green Daily

Even so, something still riled, and I finally figured out what it was. Not long ago, The Nation's Alexander Cockburn wrote an article in which he questioned whether or not recycling is worthwhile. The response was immediate and brutal, with Neil Seidman doing everything short of accusing Cockburn of counter-revolution and Trotskyite tendencies.

I'm not going to get into the minutiae of recycling; if you're interested, you might check out the articles. Personally, I recycle. I do so because it's an easy way to reduce my garbage and it makes me feel better about my place in the world. I don't know if it saves money or trees, or if it will improve the world at all. What I do know is that it reminds me that my actions have consequences and that I affect my environment.

I recently wrote a post about green impotence, the overwhelming sense of hopelessness and inertia that one gets when it becomes apparent that every solution to an environmental problem creates its own environmental problem. Tied in with this is the fact that, according to most of the experts that I've talked to, our individual green efforts really don't count for all that much. Except, perhaps, to us. After all, recycling bottles and cans won't mitigate the fact that thousands of miles of highway are currently being built in India and China, nor will it reverse the massive natural gas pipeline that is soon to be built from Alaska to Chicago. It won't take one Hummer off the road, restore the ozone layer, or stop my neighbor's litter problem.

On the other hand, recycling, minimizing gas usage, turning off air conditioners and generally reducing our carbon footprints will, perhaps, make us a little more aware of how our actions change our world. These activities might save a little money but, more importantly, they give a sense of purpose and responsibility. And, in the process, they keep a little more gas from being used, a little less coal from being burned, and a few more bottles from ending up in a landfill. It's a small difference, but it is a difference.

While all of the little green rules are important, it seems like the most vital aspect of the green movement will be the evolution of a new perspective. As we are learning, humans can't continue to occupy the earth like a plague of locusts; while the planet will survive, we most certainly will not. We must approach the world thoughtfully and deliberately, try to replace what we take and try to take a little less.

And, if your idea of living responsibly means recycling dog collar snaps...well, every little bit helps!