In speaking with my parents, their friends and people about their age, I have noticed that being green and doing things to help the environment is fairly low on their list of priorities and not so much because they don't care, but more so because they feel environmentalism is a youth movement, something for the younger generations.....kind of like VCR remotes (VCR's???) and moving picture shows. Then there are those that miss the concept all together and are after the WIIFM (What's in it for me?).
A few months back my mom was telling me how she and my dad were looking into new cars and with all they had heard recently about hybrids, the thought of getting one had crossed their minds. They did a lot of research and decided that for the extra cost of a hybrid car as opposed to a regular straight gas guzzler, the money they would save in gas compared to the extra cost for buying hybrid would not be all that much. WHOA!!!! put on the brakes......"Mom", I said, "You are pretty much missing the point entirely". It is not often that I actually speak up when either of my parents say something signaling they really just don't get it. I usually shrug it off and give it the old "it's just their generation" excuse, but I felt it was time for a little education.
Being green and doing something to save this awesome planet of ours isn't always cheap.....okay actually, it is damn near never cheap. Buying organic food is more expensive, hybrid cars cost more than regular cars, green household items cost much more and sustainable living is simply not easy. Guess what folks? That's not the point.....you cannot look at being green with a WIIFM? attitude. How about looking at it in a WIIFMGC? (What's in it for my grand children?) frame of mind instead?
I'm not saying that no one over the age of 40 gets the green movement; I just think it might be a good idea to reach out to those that don't understand and try to help them do so. Kids....when your parents sit you down to talk to you about where babies come from and how drugs turn your brain into an egg cooked sunny side up, hear what they have to say and then also make sure they understand what being green is all about and how doing something now will ensure that your own kids will have an inhabitable planet to live on when they come around (now that you know where they come from) :)
Do something and do it now!
JD
Comments
JD, you nailed it! There are so many things that parents and grandparents already do to make sure the kids they love grow up to have a healthier, more prosperous future: save for their college education, take them to the doctor and dentist for preventative health care, and a million other loving acts to help the children in their lives. If we can help them make the connection between the love and concern they already have for their children, and conserving natural resources for their children to use in the future, I think we will see a lot of folks who don't necessarily think of themselves as enviornmentalists getting onboard.
Going green is just one more way of saying "I love you" to our kids and grandkids.
Great post!
MAY 23 2008 AT 4:51 PM
And to follow up....
Honda Motor Company announced in recent weeks they would be producing many more Hybrid cars by 2009 and lowering the cost of these cars as well. Read more here:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews...
MAY 24 2008 AT 3:01 PM
On the flip side of the coin, Ford will be reducing their production of SUV's and trucks by 15-20%, b/c fewer people are buying them. That kind of market shift shows what can happen when people put their money where their mouth is...a true market-driven solution.
MAY 24 2008 AT 4:04 PM