I used a plastic bag yesterday at the grocery store. I know … I know … I’m a terrible person. It is a rare occurrence that I forget my reusable grocery bag. The guilty looks from my fellow shoppers were enough for me to just leave all my groceries behind and run away. Last year (though it feels more like last month) I wouldn’t have even thought about the bag. Times are changing, and they’re changing fast. It seems, now, it’s just not enough to walk or ride a bike to work and school, conserve water & electricity, recycle, never litter, plant trees and use reusable grocery bags. There is constant social demand for me to do more; do better. I have to stop and ask myself, “What is the acceptable level of my carbon footprint?”
Over the last few years our society has been placing pressure on every individual to do what they can (and then some) to make our world a more sustainable place to live. It seems the pressure mounts daily. In 2008 Popular Science voted Portland, OR, my hometown, the greenest city in the country. Coming up next month, on August 1, one of our favorite stores, Fred Meyer, will be trying out the “no plastic bag” concept by issuing only paper bags that day. It’s a great attempt to encourage others to do the right thing. Of course, there is little doubt this act will encourage shoppers to buy some of their handy-dandy re-usable shopping bags, like I have. Regardless of the motives, I absolutely love this city and I’m especially proud of all the efforts that are made here on a daily basis to ensure a green environment. I enjoy living here and am proud to contribute to the general effort to ensure we stay on top. But how much is enough? Which efforts are most efficient? What will do the most good for the least cost and sacrifice?
Is it better to drive a hybrid, or eat vegetarian?
There’s been a lot of research around the benefits of owning a hybrid car. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, “highway vehicles account for 26 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States and 51 percent of the emissions for a typical American household.” I do grasp how the gas is always greener on the hybrid side and, therefore, better for our planet. So, choosing to drive a hybrid is one way to reduce impact on the environment without sacrificing the advantages of owning a vehicle. But, hybrids are also quite a bit more expensive to purchase, come with their own set of environmental hazards (like battery disposal), and the jury is still out over the extent of their true impact on the environment. So just how green is it to drive a hybrid car? Is it worth it? Is it … “enough?”
Perhaps becoming a vegetarian is a financially more viable option for most people. Although folks will often spout the benefits of being a vegetarian (mostly vegetarians), humans are historically natural omnivores. Also, several studies’ results caution against the difficulties of achieving a balanced yet all-vegetable diet and question the health benefits of vegetarianism. On the flip side, according to Environmental Defense, “if every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetarian foods instead, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than a half-million cars off U.S. roads.” So maybe it’s better to eat our way to a greener planet? Is that the best option? Can I still have bacon??
Our study, pitting the Toyota Prius against vegetarianism in a battle for superior environmental sustainability, seeks to answer these and more questions. As the hybrid-powered bolts of superhero energy and methane-piercing spears of asparagus subside, the dust settles, and our victorious green gladiator emerges, we can all rest assured that more challenges await us at the front lines of environmental protection. Onward and green-word.
It’s no secret that the more people are willing to do to save the environment today, the more it will help our future generations. People are generally good and will do their part to help others and themselves. Ideally, if we all stopped consuming meat and owned hybrids, we would make huge steps towards conserving our planet. That is not an entirely realistic goal, but a good direction to work toward nonetheless. The truth of the matter is that every step counts – even the small ones. One day we will probably have cost-efficient edible vehicles made of vegan granola that run on water and emit lavender-scented oxygen. Until that day comes, we have the option of choice, which is one of the beautiful benefits of living in the US, today. There is no doubt that there is room for improvements in my life to be more environmentally responsible. Indeed, I should turn off my lights more when I’m not using them and reduce the temperature on my water heater. But, sometimes, only a hot shower will do. My choice is to take small steps and work my way toward bigger ones. Though I don’t see Prius-ownership in my immediate future, I won’t be buying a Hummer, either. Perhaps I’ll throw a salad or some tofu in my reusable grocery bag tonight, but tomorrow … it’s all bacon, baby!
-- David Campbell, ecopol project
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