Yesterday's Earth Day event was a success. I stood outside in the rain with my friend Patrick from Guayaki and sipped yerba mate, while talking with people about the rainforest, sustainable business and other topics of intrigue. I believe global warming was mentioned here and there, as well as the health benefits of mint, mate, and other healing plants.
I have two questions for you today:
1.) Why is April 22nd the only "Earth Day;" should we not be striving for good environmental stewardship daily?
2.) If everyone is polluting anyway, and we find out about major violations to the Earth ten, twenty or even fifty years down the road, why even bother with sustainability?
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2 comments:
Great questions! And this is a wonderful site. Good job.
To your second question posted so long ago in April: why bother with sustainability if everyone is polluting anyway?
My response:
1.) awareness - it takes time to make impacts but the most lasting impacts on behavior are often incremental rather than sudden and large. Small steps may be the most lasting strategy for real changes in behaviors.
2.) progress - I look for progress in innovation. There is some research on early vs. late adopters which shows it doesn't take too many people to generate great change. There is so much critical mass now around solutions to environmental problems. And, many of these solutions make good business sense. That will drive change. Solutions that don't appeal to people or make good business sense are less likely to stick of course so it will pay to keep a high bar on innovation.
Great insight, Jeanne. I appreciate your thoughts and observations.
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