Too much said, not enough action

So much has been written about the Kyoto accord and what it represents to our earth, our home. So many scientific studies in agreement of the issues are continuing to promote unerstanding and support of the general populus. Going green isn't about buying the latest gadget or bamboo flooring, it is about making choices that are sustainable - period.

When will we as a collective conciousness actually change streams from filling up all the servers with opinion and suggestions to real personal accountibility in our actions.

All the issues distill down to this simple question. How do we make a significant change in our lifestyle that is sustainable rather than temporary? You can choose a life of denial, inconvenience or **** but will this lead to long lasting satisfaction? As the frustration over inconvenience rises, will you say 'to heck with this green facade, I want some convenience of my old lifestyle back'.

So, here are some suggestions of simple adjustments for a sustainable (and fulfilled) lifestyle.

1. Participate in a youth education programme regularly to understand the recycling initiatives within your own community. certain of these waste streams are profitable and must be maintained to offset the others that are not yet breaking even.

2. Educate youself clearly with regard to energy saving practices and products rather than just responsing to marketing hype. This will save you a ton of money in the long run (and save tons of energy from marginal manufacturing practices and incorrectly specified durable. For example, energy saving compact flourescent bulbs have a voltage and current rating printed right on the base (a requirement by local law). Simply multiply these two together to determine the actual wattage for rate of consumption of energy. This will be different to the equivelency to incandescent rating (usually higher).

3. Be aware of packaging - both content and abundance. Display and accesory containers should be of a recyclable nature so that they can be reclaimed, reused or remanufactured with a minimum amount of energy requirement. This means a reduction in polycarbonate plastics unless someone will take the initiative to determine other uses for the recycled or remanufactred material.

4. Adopt the 'cradle to cradle' attitude. Insist on products and packaging that can be infinitely reused or recycled. This is the TRUE simple definition of sustainable lifestyle. Find second 'life' for items that are in good shape by donating to a second hand shop or local artisans to be remanufactured.

5. Think carefully about buying a locally sourced product instead of an exotic sustainable item because it would have to be shipped to you still using non-renewable fossil fuels.

In a nutshell, consider all sources of products you use - the materials they are made from, where they were made, the fuel used to transport them to you, how long they will last, whether they can be reused for something else after their useful life has ended and how much energy it will take to recycle them.

Consider a commitment to lifelong education in conservation methods. The rewards will be realized by our children.