Don't listen to Kermit, being Green is getting easier

Students have not arrived at school yet. Michigan has been blessed with an extra week of summer vacation this year due to the lateness of Labor Day. But the lack of hot days and abundance of temperatures in the 60s and 70s has left many people scratching their heads proclaiming, "So where's this global warming BS that Al Gore's talking about?"

I'll be the first to admit, I'm a lover of all things Green, but even I had to ask myself this question a time or two. Then I remembered that I teach English and not science for a reason. I'm never going to fully understand how the cycles of weather and sea levels work, and for me, it's not just about global warming; it's about being a good citizen of the earth.

People who balk at others trying to make greener choices, implying that we're all tree-hugging, granola eating, electricity shunning, Ralph Nader following hippies, need to open their eyes. Making greener choices is not about giving things up - it's about choosing better ways to maintain the lifestyle we're already living. I don't see how buying a few reusable water bottles and hydrating yourself that way rather than consuming water from a disposable bottle that clogs up landfills and creates a ridiculous amount of carbon emissions is asking you to give anything up, especially when study after study has shown that tap water is actually better for you anyway .

In 2009, Green innovation is attempting to create jobs that help evolve technology, not devolve it. No one's asking you to give anything up. We're not asking you to sell your cars and start getting around via horse and buggy. We're asking you to be part of the paradigm shift that's helping to promote the technologies that are helping to create a better sustainable living model. Let's find ways to get solar and wind power to work en masse so that we don't have to rely on polluting coal fired power plants anymore. Let's find a way to farm more responsibly so that we're not ingesting potentially harmful chemicals into our bodies. Let's find a way to make transportation more efficient and less wasteful of natural resources.

For me, being Green is not about politics. It's about respecting God's creation. It's about remembering that what we do today will impact what we leave behind for our children. So I'm sorry if some of you out there find that irritating because I personally just find it being a responsible citizen.