Conservation and "Green" awareness?

Question

Recently I've been making more of an effort to be "green" - recycling, re-using, etc, but I'm wondering if there is much point. For every good thing I do to contribute to the environment, there are at least 5 people in China counteracting my efforts (given the poor record of conservation and environmental awareness there allied to the woeful effieciency). Do the efforts I make have any impact whatsoever, or is it simply to make me feel better about myself and enables the UK government to show to the international community that theya re committed to cleaning up the world?

Answer 1

every little bit helps....i applaud your efforts...we need to get more on the same page as you & i...and i think the evidence is there that more and more people are coming around to conservation efforts and reducing wasteful consumption, don't give up just b/c these changes are not more salient in society, i am confident this will increase

as for china (and indeed, much of the world who is trying to catch up with more industrialized nations), it's unfair to tell them they can't be like us, i would just like to see them skip the mistakes of our last hundred years or so and just use the best and most current technologies...it's probably a pipe dream...we need to help them do this b/c older technologies are not sustainable...perhaps we should put money into it ourselves...try to get them to model themselves after countries like japan, who are leaders in clean, yet efficient, living...we all should be as responsible and consciencious as they

Answer 2

Like the others have said, every person's effort counts. Remember, just five or ten years ago, anyone talking about environmental issues got labelled a loony tree-hugger; now it's completely mainstream. Things will change, but it'll take time.

I've been getting 'greener' over the years and I feel every bit of effort is worth it, as more and more people are getting the message nowadays.

Answer 3

you are correct, and your dilemma does point to the real solution.

people need to stop producing waste in the first place.
Not by re-cycling, but by stop buying things we don't need.

I normally get thumbs down for saying this, so i guess people don't think producing uncessary goods is a problem. I do.

Stopping buying trivial goods will have 2 major benefits:

There will be no waste or recycling environmental costs.
It will stop manufacturing escalating in China.

The single greatest impact you can have is to say "actually, i don't need that ", or "I'll choose this one because its got less packaging" or "i don't need a free pedometer/book/toy so i'm not going to buy that cereal/happy meal on evironmental grounds"

One day people might get it, but not in my lifetime, we're too selfish

Answer 4

We may fail to make human civilisation sustainable, but at least we tried.
And if we try we may actually suceed in creating a world in a healthy state with thriving diverse environment and human culture.

Most importantly, be more green because it is more personally rewarding to consume less, to be aware of your surroundings and community, to reflect and act in accordance with your appreciation of how incredidle life really is. (not the impossible industrial growth model portrayed by business, politics & supporting media)

Answer 5

A great oak tree is germinated from the smallest seed!Does that answer your question?