Seeing Green - Reflecting on Four Months of EcoSherpa
I’m amazed by how quickly time has flown by. It’s been a little over four months now since Steve and I really got things rolling with the EcoSherpa blog!
What’s interesting (and somewhat paradoxical) is that even though it feels like we got started very recently, it also feels like we’ve come a long way - with EcoSherpa and with our own ‘green growth’.
As I’ve explained in other posts, referring to ourselves as ‘Sherpas’ and calling this the “sustainable living guide” is not meant to imply that we have all the answers and are experts in the field of sustainability. This is as much a journey towards sustainable living for ourselves as it is a guide for the audience we are hoping to connect with.
Of course, over time we know this will indeed evolve into a full-fledged resource site - far more than just a blog and a directory - and we’re hopeful that our ongoing progress on the green front will inspire many other ‘regular Joes’ (and Jills) to start living in a more earth-friendly manner.
For me personally, the last four months has really helped me see the world from an entirely new perspective - hence the title of this post, “Seeing Green”. I’m sure most people have, like myself, experienced the feeling of buying a new car then suddenly realizing that everyone (and their mother) has gone out and bought the exact same car (ie. you start seeing them everywhere!). Needless to say, those cars were always there - we simply didn’t see them. They didn’t have nearly the same significance in our lives, so they were essentially invisible.
This is a very similar experience to what I’ve encountered as I’ve immersed myself into the world of earth-friendly living. I’ve always considered myself to be someone with a great deal of respect for the environment, but for many years I’ve carried the burden of ‘doom and gloom’ on my shoulders (based on messages from the media etc). In my heart I’ve wanted to ‘do my part’, and in some ways I certainly have, yet I secretly felt like it was almost pointless - it seemed like nobody really cared anymore, and that the world was doomed anyway (heart-warming, I know). Needless to say, such negative thoughts and feelings only inspired me towards inaction.
It’s not too surprising then that during these last four months I’ve been getting increasingly excited hearing about the huge numbers of people actually involved in the ‘green movement’. It feels as though the momentum has grown by leaps and bounds in a very short period of time, but I constantly remind myself that it has almost certainly been building for years.
Everywhere I look now I see green - in the form of environmentally responsible actions being taken, and in the form of opportunities waiting to be acted upon.
The other day my wife made me smile when she asked if her old deodorant containers could be recycled (certainly NOT something she would have thought about even a few weeks ago). As insignificant as that may sound, it was in fact a huge milestone - an indication that my new perspective and actions have provided a positive influence for at least one other person.
I have little doubt that the coming months and years will bring many exciting changes to EcoSherpa and in our lives in general!
Four months have passed already, but of course we’ve only just gotten started!
Technorati Tags: ecosherpa, sustainable living, green, environmentalism
Written by Bentley on November 20th, 2006 with
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