Bringing "Out There" in "Here": A Challenge to Readers

Whenever I listen to debates about climate change, global warming and environmental activism, I always find myself imagining some distant planet (sometimes it's even purple) where are of this must be taking place. Living in Canada - where the tap water in most places is as luxurious a nectar as three bonded atoms can taste - it's just too easy to believe that this problem must be happening elsewhere.

Although I haven't been doing a lot of exercise (not physical exercise, anyway) lately, I haven't let that stop me from getting out the mountains as often as possible to drink in the inspiring sights and smells of the mountains. Manski hikes every weekend, conditions permitting, and I relish every opportunity to examine the same sights, rendered more and more magnificent with each new moon (no relation to New Moon).

Two weekends ago, we were out at Morraine Lake (no big deal, just one of the most stunning places on Earth) when I realized that the big ol' environment was right where I was. I mean, it's everywhere, but that realization, in it's rational form (think Plato reason but Aristotle forms) was a bit of a delayed encounter for me.




I do the best I can (minimal driving, minimal consumption, etc) to protect the environment, but to be in the presence of glaciers, waterfalls and humbling peaks is to realize that we are (or maybe just I am) treading the grounds of an ancient home. Mountains precede and outlast humans and entire species, and while they may not glitter with summertime snowfall in the middle of busy cities, it is the same set of plate techtonics on which we build our comparatively modest existences.

This type of thinking (in tandem with taking out my Mom's garbage while visiting home, only to find that there wasn't enough garbage to take out) has awoken some praxis-based monologues within me. As a result, Manski and I have decided that in a gradual effort to continually find new ways to respect this great earthly home, we are committing to producing only one bag (that's one plastic grocery bag, and not one big garbage bag) of waste per week. We drop off all of our compost at our community garden, we recycle everything possible, and we ask ourselves if something can be re-used before being tossed.

So far we are two for two, and I want to know, who is up to this challenge? You don't have to use our landmark, but what about endeavouring toward a reduction in garbage that is realistic for your household? Whether it's one bag or three (maybe you have a diaper-wearing member), it's exciting and enthralling to make better use of everything that gets consumed.

Let me know if you are on board, and how you fare. Remember, there is no failing if you are willing to try!