When Old Hippies Go Green

(Author: Wayne Ouellette Sr | Article Views: 22 | Word Count: 563 | Published: May 21st 2008)

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By Rick London - A lot of my friends and relatives know I am trying to go green. This is really not my first stab at it. I started recycling many years ago, and other than taking organic vitamins and trying my best to eat natural foods, that was about as far as I went.

I woke up the other day and realized, not only am I over half a century old, I had been a part of the worst generation for this planet. The guilt started setting in like snowflakes gathering on a Chicago windowsill in December. I am a baby boomer. I was a part of the peace, love, free sex generation. Other than learn to talk back to our government (which actually turned out to be a good thing), we didn't do a lot for the planet. We smoked (and sometimes not just cigarettes). We drank too much. We drove big engine cars which had no pollution devices. And we thought we were "saving the planet"??? It simply shows how delusional one can become, if one gets involved in "a movement". And though, I must say some very decent music came out of that generation that is often copied, never duplicated, most of us didn't contribute a lot.

My point is, we didn't do a lot to make the planet cleaner, more efficient, more sustainable, or anything else. So what in the world did we do to help? Well, I guess the best we (the males) did was not dirty up the barber's floors with hair. Not much else that crosses my mind.

My early college days consisted of eating a lot of sardines, peanut butter and Big Macs. And we were saving the planet? Not quite. We were clueless. Consider though we were doing the best we could given the tools we were given (which were dismal at best) . I am sure our parents, professors, and other elders were more confused than us as to what was happening to our planet. There were no cellphones. There was no cyberspace. Sometimes I wonder how we didn't become extinct.

So my question is, what now, can I, as one human, do to make the world a better place? I can first of all make me better. I believe Gandhi was correct when he says "Become the change you want to see". So I exercise and watch my diet. I try to wear earth-friendly clothing and use organic cleaners in my home. I eat organic. I don't do this all the time, but it is a process. And it is a journey. And it is part of my growth. And it is proof to myself that it is never too late to do a little something, no matter how little, to modify my own behavior to do better. I can't change anyone else. I can barely change me. We do change though if we are authentically motivated to help make positive change; to help our environment.

If you are not already practicing earth-friendly or eco-friendly behavior, I suggest you try. Join a few forums and blogs and get to know some of the people who are doing things. You would be surprised at their joy and happiness and sense of fulfillment many of them have. And it is contagious. This old dog may be learning new tricks after all, and if I can, so can you.

About the Author

Rick London was the first cartoonist to go green with his gift store .

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