What Can Be Done?

An clear and interesting guide I found: How-to: Eat Local

http://www.worldchanging.com/local/seattle/archives/008238.html

Previously, I have discussed several food movement stategies that I thought were important, but not entirely practical. I found the guide linked above, and I feel that it represents an easy way for anyone to get involved in local food movements. And really, it is quite simple. The idea is to become a locavore- or to eat foods that are produced and processed within 100 miles of where you live.

The guide doesn't suggest that you radically change your behavior, but instead says that one should "ease in" to the new habits. In addition, I found the point about bottled water to be especially important. Bottled water is often a complete waste, polluting the world in exchange for profit. By choosing not to help that industry, you're not exactly making a big difference, but you are taking a simple step that can't hurt the general direction we're headed in.

It's the little things that count. They add up. This is why I think that grander schemes are often hard to implement successfully. Education is an important component of this. If the people are educated about environmental truths, they will have more incentive to make healthy decisions. Often, it seems as if the general public cannot make the connection between pollution and a ruined future. Why worry about recycling when my neighbores don't anyway? Why pick up this trash that will end up on the ground somewhere else? It's easy to pass the responsibility off.

All that the individual can do is practice eco-friendly habits and find new and innovative ways to spread the information. And really, as far as I can see, until some catastrophic event happens that will allow people to make the connections neccessary to see the importance of environmentally friendly actions, this is all we can do.

Good luck, world.