EricaJoy

When did you get all environmentally friendly?

“Wow, when did you get all environmentally friendly?” My very best good friend (we’ll call him Smurf) asked me that when I asked him why he drove a ginormous SUV. To be honest, his question really took me by surprise. I hadn’t noticed how my perspective on things had changed so much in a few years. Let me go back a bit…

Smurf and I met in Alaska. I know most people think igloos and glaciers when they think of Alaska but there is so much more to the state than that. Think wide open spaces, fresh air, trees growing everywhere, wildlife that runs free, natural lakes that are safe to swim in and hot springs that are a welcome respite in the summer (yes there is summer) or winter.

In Alaska its easy to take the environment for granted because there is so much nature around. You think nothing of driving an SUV because a) its necessary and b) everyone else has one. Leaving the heater running all the time is a necessity in the winter. Driving half a mile to the store in -30 degree weather is smarter than walking. You get the picture right?

Fast forward to me leaving Alaska and ending up in New York. The difference between an environment that has gone mostly untouched and an environment that has been scraped clean of all things natural is stark. That fresh air I took for granted isn’t there anymore. The film of pollution (yes, there is a film) covers everything. Want to swim? Don’t do it in the river, you may end up growing a third arm the next day.

I believe thats when preserving the environment became more important to me. Having seen nature in its raw untouched state, I know firsthand how much damage has been done thus far. I’d love if we could turn the clocks back and fix whats already broken but that impossible so I’ll settle for not messing it up any further. These days I’m big into conservation. I’ve changed all the bulbs in my apartment to fluorescents. I survived the summer without AC (if I sound proud of that, its because I am). I don’t drive anymore but thats not really by choice. Once I escape New York, I plan to get a hybrid car (Prius’ are surprisingly roomy) and continue walking anywhere thats a mile or less away.

So when Smurf asked me that question, I really had no answer for him but I know the answer now. I became more aware of the environment when I realized how much I missed it.