About being "GREEN"

I've been a little concerned about something, lately. This rash of "green" marketing that's been ever prevalent in the last few months or so.

I am environmentally active within my life. For years I've recycled, cleaned without harsh chemicals, and given the option - opted for the more eco-friendly alternative whenever possible. I do my best and have integrated this into my lifestyle. I still do not do EVERYTHING I can do, but I try. I have slip-ups now and then, too. I still purchase plastics and still have a bottle of bleach below my sink (however, it's only been used maybe twice to clean our water cooler in the last 5 years). I'm human and a very flawed creature.

All that being said, I think that being aware and educated about what humans have done, and ARE doing, to this planet is very important. I know that if there is just one more person who is educated about the eco-friendly lifestyle and begins to live it, that makes a huge impact. Call me idealistic. So why am I concerned about "green" marketing? Let me explain...

Weezer is a great band in my opinion, but remember back in 1995 when everywhere you went, you heard "Buddy Holly?" At first, you might have thought, "Wow, this is a catchy tune." After about a week of hearing it every day, ten times a day (a small exaggeration), you might have been to the point of just singing and dancing along with it. Then the second week of replay, you were just done with the song and wished they had never written it. Every time it was on at a restaurant or bar, you wanted to tear off your ears. Well, this is how I feel people are going to start being about this new "green" trend.

Anything that's marketed like this tends to become tossed to the wayside after a few months. This trend is something that we cannot afford to forget, though. Concern for the environment is not "jelly shoes" or charm bracelets - gone, but only to reemerge about every 15 years or so. I realize that just by writing this I'm giving into the trend somewhat, although my motivations are way different. I want people, even the ones who learn more from this trend, to remember what they learn - even five, ten, or twenty years from now - and hopefully practice what they learn. We are running out of resources, and it's not just lip service from talking heads. We have to act swiftly and keep our stamina.

Almost every magazine I've picked up or seen lately, most of them reputable, has had "This is our GREEN issue" stamped across the front. Every website has been marketing "green green green." This is a good thing, and I'm not questioning that, but how long are people going to remember it? Why not make EVERY issue a green issue? Why not be educating people daily about the benefits of becoming more ecologically friendly? It has become somewhat second nature to me. It's not something I need to be commended for from strangers. I don't want to be "special" in this regard. I had a woman in the grocery store, yesterday, say "Good for you" when I pulled out my cloth grocery bag I carry around with me. I just smiled at her, but instead of feeling proud, I was feeling guilty about not having enough reusable bags for the other three plastic bags I had in the car. We're all still learning, but I just hope that people don't grow weary after six months of doing great - that they continue to educate themselves on this important issue. I hope they view it as just that and not like Hypercolor tights.