What environmental action are you doing for Earth Day 1999 - April 22?

-- Britt Hinnen (bhinnen@earthlink.net), March 02, 1999

Answers

This earth day I will be traveling to a remote site in SE Colorado to spend some quiet time. This will serve to remind me of the connection we humans have to our environment and how it nourishes our intellect and spiritual side.

I have always belived in the importance of the expression "Think globally and act locally." In past days I have made commitments to bicycle to work as a small commitment to our quality of life.

Any more I think the biggest environmental challenges for Colorado is smart growth and conspicuous consumption. This should be appearent to anyone driving through Douglas county and seeing the sprawl and huge homes. I'm not sure what we can do as individuals or small groups to help control this.

This year I will be making a personal commitment to wise and moderate consumption. I will encourage others to do so as well. There will be times when I will choose to take my business outside of the state through mail order or internet buying to areas that I perceive to be less environmentally sensitive. I will buy used when possible (this is a very easy thing for many items if you explore the possibilities). The philosophy that "growth is good" and "always buy Colorado" needs limitations that are not happening, especially in our pospering economy.

Already prospering areas continue to offer tax, land and other incentives to large corporations for relocation and start ups. It seems to the point of illegality that similar incentives are not offered to small or cottage industries! If anyone is organizing to this issue, I would be interested in learning more and possibly participating. We are well on the way to becoming another California, though the change to many of us is gradual to the point of being little noticed.

The answers to these issues are not easy, nor do I feel my concerns are shared by the majority.

I'd be interested in opinions of other on this.

So...that's what I'll be coing and thinking about this earth day.

Roger

-- Roger Rouch (rrouch@msn.com), March 08, 1999.