Last year I bought a scooter and a hybrid car. I have recycled and composted for years. I have a solar-powered generator in the garage (conveniently out of the sun, but hey, it’s there). Last fall I properly disposed of more than 25 old batteries that were gathering dust on the family farm. Two years ago, when the old gas-fueled lawnmower bit the dust, I replaced it with an electric one and have resisted buying a ride-on mower to show off to the neighbours.
However, I do still own a full-sized pickup truck with a V-8.
Even so, I think I’d give myself a ‘B’ for my efforts to help preserve and protect the environment. That puts me in line with almost half of British Columbians. According to a new Ipsos Reid poll, 48 per cent of us would give ourselves a ‘B’ in the preserving and protecting the environment department. Only six per cent would give themselves an ‘A’ while 37 per cent would give themselves a ‘C.’ Only six per cent would give themselves a ‘D’ or an ‘F.’
So what are British Columbians actually doing to help preserve and protect the environment? For the majority of British Columbians, fifty-six per cent, their concern for the environment has a “very significant” impact in the way they manage waste at home (recycling, composting).
That’s the easy stuff. The numbers are significantly lower when it comes to other choices around the house. Only 21 per cent said environmental concerns impact their choice of vehicle. Nineteen per cent said it impacts their food choices, 24 per cent said it impacts their principal mode of transportation, and 27 per cent said it impacts their choice of detergents and cleaning products.
How about climate change? It’s a big issue and does the ‘think globally, act locally,’ mantra apply. Most of us think it does.
According to the poll, 74 per cent of British Columbians said that the actions of individual consumers have a significant impact on climate change. And a comparably high number, 69 per cent, believe that individuals either bear the greatest responsibility in the fight against climate change or that they share it equally with government and companies.
Okay, politicians and major polluters, don’t think you’re off the hook.
As being green becomes more and more fashionable, we all have to look at we are doing, as individuals, to help the environment.
More and more ‘green’ products are entering the marketplace everyday and some of them may actually even be environmentally beneficial.
And while there are still a lot of naysayers about climate change suggesting we don’t need to do anything, my response is simple: Why wouldn’t we want to improve our environment anyway? Regardless of whether the planet is dying or thriving, doesn’t it just make sense to do things that don’t hurt it? Or, at the very least, minimize our impact on it?
We can do that locally by making good, environmentally sound choices in our daily lives. And, we can do that globally by pressuring our politicians to make good, environmentally sound choices and policies when ruling this city, province, and country.
Bill Phillips is the winner of the British Columbia/Yukon Community Newspaper Association’s 2007 Outstanding Columnist award.