I am scared for green U.S.A. I am scared because I felt like we, as a nation, were starting along a greener future. My hopes were up. But now that our economy is taking a beating, the first thing to go is our green morality (among other things of course, but I am thinking in green terms right now). I can't quote exactly but I do know that along the California coast new oil drilling has been put to a halt. That's great. But California is in a financial crisis and these idiots running the place won't come to common ground on what needs to be done financially. Hence, when finances go askew people turn to the easiest way to make money and screw the environment we are selling our trees and our offshore oil to get the state out of financial ruins. So I am scared for our environment.
That's just California, which I should say is a huge part of the financial United States market. With 30 million people living in this state our financial ruin could cause financial heartache around the country. I am no economist by far but I don't hear words of financial ruin just yet.
Let's look at the rest of the country. Hurricanes are bashing the lower eastern states. AIG is being bailed out for $85 billion (with a B) with a loan from our government. Other banks have faced bankruptcy for there "junk" mortgages they granted a few years back. The stock market has been slipping for a couple of days now. (Luckily, it's just slipping not falling. This shows we still have some faith in our markets to keep investments in.) Oh ya, we are still in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fewer homes are being made. People are getting laid off from major corporations. Gas is still high priced. And grocery prices are high. This is not financial ruin by far but it is enough to scare the general public into believing that to raise money for our distressed market we need to drill for oil or cut down trees or just put aside our green goals to take care of the immediate future. When the market is going well people are willing to splurge and look at the bright side of things. They are willing to buy wind or solar energy. Buy organic foods. Fight to save the environment. But when people hurt financially all they can think about is how am I going to find money to fill my tank or make my next mortgage payment.
Do you see where I am heading? It sucks. I feel that some of the green ways that were adopted by many people this summer and years past because they could afford organic chicken will be placed aside to be able to buy regular hormonal chicken at a cheaper price. Among other things. Green will take a step back until the market sees sunshine again. And it will bounce back. But what will become of the small solar business that just started out? Or the organic farmer who nobody buys from because his food costs more thus he defaults on his loans?
I am rarely a pessimist. I always try to see the bright side of things. So I hope none of this happens. Next time you go to buy groceries still support small local farms or organic. If you take a trip find hotels that are more environmentally friendly. Let's help green make it through the hard times too.
Don't think for one minute I am not worried for Hurricane Ike survivors or the people laid off everyday because some bank or hospital went under. I worry for them also. But my blog is suppose to focus on green and that is where I go.
4 comments:
Me thinks it's time for Allison to try a little eco-therapy (if you haven't read my post today - that's the green term of the week)!
Seriously, I get your concerns. I read very contrasting reports as I'm researching for various things I write. Some surveys say that green is the only place where product purchasing is holding steady or increasing. Other surveys say that people say they've stopped spending on green so they can afford just to eat.
Maybe this is the time for us to do a push on posting about the green things that save us money. Perhaps we need to make October "green saves green" month in our little corner of the blogosphere.
It always makes you feel better to do something about the problem (although whining about it has its short term satisfactions, I know).
You know, when I hear news like this, it confirms in my mind to keep on doing what I'm doing. My green living is, in the end, costing me less. It's those, who are quitting their green ways just because the economy is bad, that were only in it for the look or for the fact that it might have been "cool" to be green. For those of us who are putting it into practice, everyday, it's saving us money, we are living better, and we are commiting to relying less on those markets.
Ya know what I mean??
Thank you ladies for the great posts.
Beth-your right. I have slowed down some of my green ways but not because of the economy but because I get busy. I need to be taken down a notch and get back in it. And I can tell you, where I live it is not cool to be green. Cool is having a huge SUV and hanging out at Starbuck's everyday. I hate it. I'm the "nerd" here but I don't mind, they can stick there fake tata's in raw sewage. Sorry, got a little out of hand.
Robin-I am running with your idea. Thanks.
Allison - it's cool to be a nerd!
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