Going green is a lifestyle

Very little has been done by Scarborough residents about animal cruelty. On local issues like deer hunting in the Rouge Valley or bigger, wider issues beyond our borders like the seal hunt, no one takes a stand.

There are no prominent protests in Scarborough against animal cruelty. The only prominent animal activist from our community is Trey Smith of the Humane Society, known for his guest appearances on CityPulse24.

Some people will participate in Earth day events like local cleanups or tree-plantings. However, this does not make up for a year of polluting frivolously. The same people you find at a cleanup event are probably driving their cars the two blocks down the road to spend a few hours picking up garbage at a local park.

Being environmentally conscious should not be just for a day. It is a lifestyle.

People need to realize the planet is not so forgiving. Earth day is good, but it seems comparable to a maffiosa going to church and asking God for forgiveness. One day of praying cannot atone for a lifetime of evils.

Some people, like David Suzuki, local University of Toronto professor, Nick Eyles, and Centennial College’s Michael Gauthier, practise what they preach. The two environmental science instructors have made careers out of being green. They teach the science behind accelerating climate change and try to reduce their own carbon foot print.

One day of being green will help but it is not the be all and end all. People could be greener on an everyday basis. They could walk to their local convenience store instead of driving there. They could quit smoking, use public transportation or ride a bike. For some people it may not be easy to do these things or maybe they just like driving their cars for whatever reason.

Others may feel that it is too time consuming to live a green lifestyle. They are wrong.

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Posted: Apr 23 2009 5:21 pm
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Filed under: Opinion