Stealth Tax Or Necessary Expense?

Any big plan to make a difference in the world, in this day and age, is likely to be met by at least one person, and probably several more with the question “And who’s paying for all this?”. It is typically a rhetorical question, although they’re usually prepared to offer the answer themselves anyway. The implication, or the bald statement is that they fully expect the cost of the project to come out of their taxes and they don’t much appreciate this frittering away of their hard-earned cash.

Now, there are arguments to be made for and against that argument. Certainly, there always ought to be some consultation before any municipal or federal body spends tax money on a big project. However, the idea that all environmental projects amount to stealth taxes on the citizen is one that falls somewhat wide of the mark. As often as not, the funds are raised for these projects entirely separately from the tax levy – and equally often, the projects concerned are for the betterment of the area as a whole.

The idea that governments are prepared to visibly cock a snook at their taxpayers to fund an unpopular pet project defies political logic, apart from anything else. Environmental projects are rarely, if ever, just an excuse to milk the taxpayer for a few extra coins. More often, they are designed to stop a blossoming problem before it becomes a crisis. If we ignore the various problems that may arise, who will be paying? Us, our kids, and generations to come.

To Cycle Or To Recycle?

Some years ago the idea of cycling to work, or to anywhere that was more than a matter of minutes away, became about as fashionable as flared corduroy trousers. Arrive at the office with leaves stuck to your face and hair like a bowl of stiff spaghetti? You might as well have suggested that someone travel to work on a pogo stick. However, cycling now seems to be back in vogue, and not just because it helps the planet.

We all know that cycling is a good way of keeping fit. This is one reason why a lot of people are intrigued by the idea of leaving the car at home and hopping on their bike. There is also the fact that cyclists can go where no motorist can – enabling short cuts that get you to work before anyone else. And yes, there is the environmental aspect of the process. When the traffic is sitting gridlocked during what we laughingly refer to as “rush-hour”, it’s belching out fumes. A cyclist making the same journey gets there quicker and releases far fewer noxious gases.

This idea is so popular that there are now major municipalities the world over sponsoring cycle-hire programs. London is the latest to unveil such a program, and there are many more set to follow. There may be teething troubles along the way, but if you are looking for a way to get to work without having to brave long queues, then this is a good one – and many office buildings now have showers to enable you to clean up before sitting down to work.

But Why Shouldn’t I Drive?

One of the most difficult tightropes to walk in life is the one between owning and driving a car and being an environmentalist. On the one hand, you have worked and saved to own the vehicle and are justifiably proud of it, but on the other you know that by driving it you are not being kind to the environment. And then there are other people who seem to feel, and will even state, that for every tree planted by an environmentalist group, they will produce all the more pollution to make the difference.

Is it possible to be a motorist and an environmentalist? Yes, it must be said that it is. Yes, every car will after a certain point contribute to pollution, but responsible motoring is less problematic for the environment than a lot of things that are allowed to slide. If you are driving a car that gets about twenty miles to the gallon, then you are not motoring responsibly. But equally, you cannot be expected to walk a hundred miles to somewhere remote.

Think about how necessary the journey you are about to make is. Think about whether it can be undertaken, economically, by some other means. Think about how long it will take and how big a dent it will make in the environment. If it is necessary and cannot be done in any other way, then you are no traitor to the planet – but motoring is a privilege and we should not abuse it.

It’s Your Planet

Green living is something that attracts enthusiasm and scorn in seemingly equal measures. For every person who embraces the idea as something that we all should do, there are at least a few who will view it as a “scam” and a way of getting money out of people by tripping their guilt reflex. For someone who is keen to avoid making anyone angry, it can be a difficult balance to strike. But when it comes down to it, the fact is that there is a lot of merit in living in an environmentally friendly way.

Now, this does not mean that you have to throw out your possessions and replace them with greener alternatives. You don’t have to massively disrupt your life to make it green. What you need to look at is the ways that you may be polluting or contributing to an environmentally unfriendly world and thinking how you could change things for the better – every long journey starts with a single step. If it is a simple matter of recycling your newspapers or walking instead of driving short distances, that’s fine.

What you will find is that living in a green way does not put you to very much extra effort. You won’t be able to drive back global warming or air pollution all on your own, but the difference you can make in your own area without having to go to immense lengths is really something. And once you’ve got the ball rolling, you’ll see a lot of other changes that you can make.

Climate vs. Economy – A Battle That Cannot Be Won?

Many supporters of environmentalist causes will have winced when the extent of the global economic crisis of recent years was revealed. Just as environmental causes were gaining the attention and the purpose of the people in control of the levers of power, something came along that presented a very real problem – where environmental causes needed investment, could they hope to compete for a decreasing pot of money with other issues, the life-or-death matters like health and security?

As time has gone on there have been numerous individuals and organizations who have made the case that economic belt-tightening and environmental protection need not be mutually exclusive. Some expensive projects may have needed to be shelved in order to protect the financial balance of countries that risked sliding into depression and crisis, but sustainable living is a way of saving money and saving the planet. This crisis, which is still having an effect today, need not be the death-knell of the environmental cause.

One thing that is clear, though, is that governments have needed to make moves that are seen to be protecting the economy first, to put aside the risk that the world will be too deep in financial turmoil to do anything substantial. In cases where this has affected funding of local projects, this puts more pressure on the individual to do what they can – something which is worth doing for the good of the planet. It may be a bit tougher, but it is not beyond people who are willing to work together.

Are The Skeptics Right?

There is a clear and obvious difference of opinion in society with regard to the importance of the issues facing our environment, and in some cases there is a difference of opinion as to the existence of some of these issues. It is only natural that – as questioning, naturally curious beings – we might start to wonder whether the skeptical people are the ones who have got it right. Have we been working on environmental issues for nothing? Are we the fools for believing propaganda?

It is easy to look to the people questioning the importance, indeed the mere existence, of man-made climate change and call them “climate change deniers”. This language may echo the term “Holocaust denier” and inadvertently or deliberately place skeptics on the same moral level as those who deny the Holocaust, but is it something that environmentalists should apologise for? Does it make green-friendly people look like the cranks?

Those of us who believe strongly in the importance of looking after the environment have plenty of ammunition on our side. It is not beneficial to our argument to throw around accusations that make us look vindictive or wild-eyed. The facts point to the existence and the potential consequences of man-made climate change. Though some scientists disagree they are in the minority. So instead we should be unafraid to state our case strongly, and leave accusations to those who have no stronger argument to offer. People with a strong case have nothing to fear from debate.

Environmental Education – Acceptable Brainwashing?

As time goes on, we see more examples of environmental issues being raised in the classroom, and younger children being exposed to environmental subjects. Most schools now will have a policy of getting children involved in environmental projects, and this has led to accusations of brainwashing from some sources. While brainwashing is something that we have come to associate with totalitarian states, is it something we should be prepared to accept when it is for a cause we believe in?

Arguably, it can be said that education is a way of preparing children for the world that they will move into when they have outgrown their schooling. As this world comes to grips with environmental matters, the fact is that it is not a subject that will go away tomorrow. Therefore we might say that getting children involved in environmental projects is something that will prepare them for a world that is going to see the environment as an ever bigger issue the longer it is in question.

What children should not be burdened with is the guilt of choices they may make without realising their implications. A child who throws litter away without knowing the damage it causes is not some kind of thug. They should not be given a harsh lesson in the consequences of their actions. Instead, if the subject is raised, it should be in a way that lets them see how their actions can be positive. By encouraging them to dispose of litter cleanly, we can reward positive behavior.

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It’s Easy To Be Cynical

When we see celebrities getting behind a cause, there are many of us – maybe even most of us – who will have the identical thought. “It must be good for publicity, their agent must have told them to do it”. And in many cases this may well be true – a celebrity who warns us in song or through film about the damage that we do to our environment, and then drives away from the studio in a gas-guzzling sports car certainly needs to look at their principles. However, many other celebrities are in this for real.

We often make the mistake of judging any group of people by the worst examples of their kind. Most prejudices arise this way, with entire racial or religious groupings becoming the subjects of witch-hunts because their number includes one or two who have done something terrible. And while racism and bigotry are a step or two worse than being skeptical about a celebrity’s motives, the fact is that the latter can also be negative for everyone. When we reach a certain level of skepticism it infects everything.

Just because we hear of one celebrity who has sold out their ethical principles for the purpose of some easy publicity, it does not mean that everyone who fronts a campaign is going to be the same. The truth is that celebrity participation can really boost an organisation’s pulling power, and if the celebrity involved really believes in the cause then so much the better. Let’s not be cynical because we have been suckered once.

Helping In The Community

Most communities in this day and age have at least some initiatives to aid green living, and your community is most likely no different. If you are interested in making a difference beyond your household, then this is usually the best place to start. Looking in the local newspaper and online you can find ways of helping that you never knew existed – and it is a way of meeting like-minded people and perhaps increasing the amount you do from there.

Helping create a greener town or city is something that might start small. People are always throwing away things that they feel they have no more use for – it might be an old television or cell phone and it might be a piece of furniture. Instead of just getting rid of it, there is always another option. One such popular option is what has become known as “freecycling” – if you don’t want that old radio, the chances are that someone else will. Instead of dumping it, why not let someone have it for free?

Another way of helping in the community is setting up an awareness project. A lot of people do not realise how simple it is to live a greener lifestyle, and by making them aware of ways that they can do it you can help them and the environment. Getting involved here, at the grass roots level, you can gain people’s attention for an important cause and help them lead a simpler life.

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What is Sustainable Living?

The world has plenty of problems, and often you will find that friends or neighbors are skeptical that you choose the environment as one of your issues. When we stand at threat from terrorism, from crime in our towns and cities, and when there are potential new threats to our health from this thing or that thing, someone will always ask “Why are you bothering with recycling?”. The simple reason to give in response is that just because there are other problems, it doesn’t mean you cannot deal with this one.

Sustainable living is a concept that is catching on among people, perhaps slower than would be ideal but there is no doubt that it is gaining currency. The idea is that, rather than just throwing away the old, or using fuel that cannot easily be replaced, one uses things which are replaceable and reusable. If you are finished with a pickle jar, why throw it in the trash when it could be used to hold something else? That is the concept, on a small scale.

On a larger scale it involves using fuel that comes from easily-grown crops or from the environment itself – things we cannot run out of. For the planet to produce coal, oil or natural gas requires decades, even centuries of movement, and once it’s gone we cannot just go out for more. If we are careful with the things our planet bestows, we will have more of them for when we really need them.

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