Many believe that when someone says their actions are “green” or that they are trying to benefit the environment by being “green”, that they are some sort of hippy tree hugger activist who are against technological improvements because they could cause serious harm to the environment. Many people tend to think of the most extreme example when this word is brought into conversation. While this may be an extreme form of living the “green” life, most people who want to live green just need to change a few simple things in their everyday life to avoid causing more harm to our planet. It is important to know the definition that is being expanded in order to understand the argument to be brought forth.
The word green originated before the year 900 A.D. and comes from the Middle English word, as well as the Old English word. Green also has German origins, in grün, which means to grow. The German form of green best fits the definition of green because it involves the environment. The dictionary definition of green in this context is, “environmentally sound or beneficial.” I agree with this definition, but it can easily be misinterpreted.
Those that are uninformed sometimes believe that in order to live green you must completely abandon your normal lifestyle, and make drastic changes in your transportation, eating habits and a variety of other things that would cause great inconvenience. When a majority of the population envisions green living they tend to think of families like that of Colin Beavin’s; this man, his wife, Michelle Conlin, and their daughter, Isabella, “went green to the extreme,” according to CBS News. This family lived for one year without using items that they considered wasteful, including toilet paper. So, for an entire year, they neither flew nor drove, to reduce the emitting of harmful exhaust, they only ate unpackaged locally grown food, and they did not shop for anything new. Many believe that in order to be green, you must be entirely green, like the family above, but this is not reasonable to expect from the average American family. Although Colin Beavin and his family are a prime example of living completely green, there are many ways that small changes in the household can be made to support green living.
According to National Geographic’s Green Guide to Everyday Life, there are a variety of simple things you can do that will help you to live more green. For example, “Reducing your speed to 55 mph from 65 mph may increase your fuel efficiency by as much as 15 percent; cut it to 55 from 70, and you could get a 23 percent improvement.” Another problem is the excess amounts of garbage due to packaging materials. A quick fix for this would be buying items in bulk to avoid all of the extra packaging. Also, “cooking just one more dinner and packing just one more lunch a week will have a big impact on unnecessary waste and will save you money.” Last but not least, National Geographic’s Green Guide to Everyday Life reports that much of the average household’s energy consumption goes toward heating and cooling the home. By hanging curtains or drapes over windows and installing weather-stripping you can increase your home’s energy efficiency. These may seem like straightforward things to do, but it is surprising how many Americans do not do any of them. These little changes can make a big difference and should be practiced. Going green should not be viewed as a bad or extremist outlook on life, because there are many benefits to be had by being more environmentally conscious. The purpose of going green is to make a positive impact on the environment, and there are many benefits that can come from doing this.
Although there are many benefits, and Going Green Hints lists five major benefits that come from going green; save the earth, save your health, save money, save the economy, and it just feels good. Saving the earth is obviously the most important benefit, and the site states that, “While our collective actions have done huge amounts of damage to our planet, it is those same collective actions that can save it.” This statement is entirely true, and should be taken seriously. Saving your health is a very important benefit. According to the website, household cleaning supplies and pesticides contain many harmful chemicals, but green products do not include these dangerous chemicals. Everyone enjoys saving money, and that simple fact makes going green very beneficial. There are green ways to save money on household energy costs, as well as ways to improve gas mileage as noted above. The economy will also benefit if the United States makes the choice to go green. The site suggests a way of promoting green living while at the same time giving the economy a much needed boost. “Looking at the world economy, it is very difficult for the United States to compete in many traditional areas like manufacturing. One of the best ways for us to “keep our edge” and continue to compete is by being the leader in green technologies.” Finally, going green just feels good. Knowing that you took the incentive and did the little extra to protect the planet that we live on gives you that feeling that you know you did the right thing.
All in all, green, or the phrase going green, should not be taken as completely changing your lifestyle, but instead making small changes to better and protect the environment. In other words, being completely “environmentally sound or beneficial,” should not be the goal, but small steps should be taken to create a healthier environment, and attempt to stop or reverse some of the harmful things that we as a human race have caused. Not only is it important to protect our environment, but it is our responsibility. As of now, we only have one planet to live on, so it is important that we do our best to care for it.
Works Cited:
“Green Guide for Everyday Living.” 17 May 2010.
“5 Benefits of Going Green.” 17 May 2010.
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