Comments on: My Greener Every Day Journey http://greenereverydayconsulting.com/my-greener-every-day-journey Helping People Turn Over a Green Leaf Wed, 16 May 2012 02:26:56 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Eric Olson http://greenereverydayconsulting.com/my-greener-every-day-journey/comment-page-1#comment-10 Eric Olson Thu, 11 Jun 2009 20:35:33 +0000 http://greenereverydayconsulting.com/?p=571#comment-10 On the subject of old habits, I like to bear in mind a bit of wisdom from the Unitarian minister that preached at my parent's church in Rochester, NY, for decades (and presided over the wedding of my wife Naomi and me): "We are all hypocrites. The goal is to _minimize_ one's hypocrisy." Its not an excuse, but it is an explanation for why even the most committed of us fall short of our aspirations at times. Another point to bear in mind about the great challenge of green living is that we are all embedded in a vast world economy that for centuries has been based on certain assumptions, including that we all have a "Right to Combustion" and a "Right to Emit" the resulting gases, with no price attached to these actions. For the first time in history there are legal structures proposed that would put a price on those emission. The price should start low but inexorably rise, favoring a transition to renewable energy sources like solar and wind along the way. US Rep. Ed Markey, right next door in Waltham, Lexington, Belmont, and other towns, has introduced just such a bill, and it deserves our support. We can't go it alone, governments need to put in place some new assumptions that will change the very framework our our lives. Have a look at the provisions of Markey's "Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act" and maybe let him know what you think about it. http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-6186&tab=summary Eric Olson On the subject of old habits, I like to bear in mind a bit of wisdom from the Unitarian minister that preached at my parent’s church in Rochester, NY, for decades (and presided over the wedding of my wife Naomi and me):

“We are all hypocrites. The goal is to _minimize_ one’s hypocrisy.”

Its not an excuse, but it is an explanation for why even the most committed of us fall short of our aspirations at times.

Another point to bear in mind about the great challenge of green living is that we are all embedded in a vast world economy that for centuries has been based on certain assumptions, including that we all have a “Right to Combustion” and a “Right to Emit” the resulting gases, with no price attached to these actions. For the first time in history there are legal structures proposed that would put a price on those emission. The price should start low but inexorably rise, favoring a transition to renewable energy sources like solar and wind along the way. US Rep. Ed Markey, right next door in Waltham, Lexington, Belmont, and other towns, has introduced just such a bill, and it deserves our support. We can’t go it alone, governments need to put in place some new assumptions that will change the very framework our our lives. Have a look at the provisions of Markey’s “Investing in Climate Action and Protection Act” and maybe let him know what you think about it.

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-6186&tab=summary

Eric Olson

]]> By: Carline http://greenereverydayconsulting.com/my-greener-every-day-journey/comment-page-1#comment-3 Carline Sun, 10 May 2009 04:43:11 +0000 http://greenereverydayconsulting.com/?p=571#comment-3 I am going through the same process and have arrived at the conclusions as you. As yourself, as hard as it is to stop old habits, I believe it is worth it and it's time to set a good example for the kids. treehugger.com is a good source if you are not aware. And toolzdo.com helps you reduce and reuse using different methods. It's a new service that is launching this week and I think you'll find useful as well. I am going through the same process and have arrived at the conclusions as you. As yourself, as hard as it is to stop old habits, I believe it is worth it and it’s time to set a good example for the kids. treehugger.com is a good source if you are not aware. And toolzdo.com helps you reduce and reuse using different methods. It’s a new service that is launching this week and I think you’ll find useful as well.

]]>