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Mountain Mom's Story
We live up in the Rocky Mountains where we
need a little more heat in winter, and get
more warmth from the sun. We need to drive
a little farther to get supplies, and almost
everything is more expensive here. So going
Green hit me here sooner than it might where
you live. The cost of living is only going
to get worse, and our resources are only
going to get more scarce. I started by recycling
everything, driving a teeny weenie car and
passing out jackets to the family to keep
the heat down. Well, that didn't work very
well because it was too much of a change
and too difficult.
I took a step back and the family
breathed
a sigh of relief. Now, I've thought
about
how to do everything just a little
different...and
easy. The idea is to get the
most bang for
our buck, to do the most good,
and not suffer
traumatic lifestyle changes.
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I developed my own rating system on my Green List based on how much effort, money or results
my suggestions involve. For example, for
a no-brainer like a programmable thermostat,
the expense is small, the effort is near
zero, and the results are substantial. A
project like composting does a lot of good,
but the effort is great and the results aren't
felt too far beyond your own back yard. So
if it's really worth trying, it get 3 trees
 . But if it's something that gives a smaller
payback for the effort or expense required,
it gets only 1 tree, .
I don't have the time to be an environmental
activist (but you might), but once in a while
we get a chance to vote in ways that can
make a difference. Our local utility is a
member-owned electric co-op, and they have
done well to keep electric rates low. Voters
were recently passed a ballot to require
utilities to get 20% of their electric supplies
from "alternative" sources (wind,
hydroelectric, solar cells, etc.). Our co-op
was able to opt-out of the requirements.
However, they still need to come up with
new electrical supplies, and yes, that means
new power plants, and so far they are favoring
coal as a fuel. That concerns me since just
in the last few years, the ultra-clear vistas
we used to enjoy here in the mountains have
become noticeably more hazy, and we're told
it's due to the power plants upwind from
of us.
I know the phrase "Think Globally, Act
Locally" seems trite, but to not consider
it seriously pretty much guarantees that
the environmental sled we're riding on will
continue to slide down hill faster and faster.
There will be a day when each of us will
start asking ourselves, "why didn't
somebody do something earlier?" Well,
I am, and I hope you'll consider taking just
a tiny baby step today, so that it won't
become a giant leap needed in the near future.
Oh, and leave something for the kids, besides
debt.
I hope you find my "Mom's Green Tips",
like the one above, useful. If you have one
that fits my different way of looking at
Going Green, I'd love to hear it.
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