As most of you who read my blog or Facebook posts know, I run. I run a lot...just about eight miles a day. Whether that is an athletic achievement or shear insanity in 100 degree weather is up to you. Running gives you plenty of time to think, meditate and observe. Lately I have spent more time observing.
I live in what you might call a mixed neighborhood. I like it that way. However, when you live in a mixed neighborhood you see all sorts of properties; those in immaculate shape and those that are just about falling down. My neighborhood is filled with millionaires, the extreme poor, blacks, whites, latinos, gays. You name it; we got it!!
First, let me fully disclose: I drive a V8 Jaguar that consumes gas like a marathon sprinter. Gary drives a Mercedes, though much smaller is not very great on gas mileage either. I live in a 1917 house that believes that air conditioning the porch and the front yard is just as important as actually keeping the house cool. I have a rare eye condition that causes me to become very unfocused if I spend too much time under flourescent lights. It took me years to learn to recycle (Gary forced me actually).
I have done some things for the environment. As aforementioned, I recycle now. We changed all the bulbs that I don't have to spend a great deal of time around to the new flourescent kind (mainly the outside bulbs, but a few inside). I now try to plan my car trips to be the most efficient possible. I actually write it out on a note so I don't deviate from my path. We make sure the washer is full before doing laundry and Gary (who waters the yard) is pretty good about not soaking the sidewalk. I try to buy organic or at least products that are not overproduced or over packaged. We leave almost all of our lights off at night and keep the a/c at a slightly uncomfortable level all day. I'm not the best, but certainly not the worst.
All of my valiant efforts however are not the point. I worry that Al Gore and all environmentalists shall fail because of what I see on my runs. My neighborhood is a microcosm of the world. Because we have every type of person living here, I get to see it all.
The trash I see amazes me. All along my path is junk; bags from fast food restaurants, beer bottles, liquor bottles (usually smashed) cigarette butts, furniture, cans, straws, an occasional needle, paper of all kinds, styrofoam, etc. Choose ANYTHING and it is on the side of the road.
Some of the houses I pass are beyond belief; eight cars (most of them junkers) in the front yard, trash everywhere, plastic toys and houses that are derelict and unused, Christmas lights left up year round, stacks of paper and even unused washers and dryers on the porch and general trash everywhere. Oh..and don't get me wrong; it's not just the poor houses that have this problem. Every day I walk the front of my property which has a stone wall protecting the iron fencing. I don't even want to describe what I have found thrown against my wall or left rotting in front of it.
So, finally, the point; how do we teach people to take care of the environment when they won't even take care of their own property? How do we tell someone to turn off lights and take the a/c up a notch when they are throwing all sorts of garbage at the front of somebody elses yard? How many millions of cigarette butts (which don't decompose) are thrown out of car windows by people that probably recycle and think themselves part of the environmental movement?
Gary has been unemployed for awhile which impels me to occasion what I call Ghettomart (see?..I really am responsible too). As I check out, I watch what seems like zillions of plastic bags packing up the groceries (some of the checkers put ONE item in a bag). I tell the checker to leave many things out of bags and always recycle the few I get....but I wonder how many just end up in the trash. Heck, I've even had a few of those bags stuck up in my trees.
Ultimately I question whether people that throw trash from their cars, treat their homes like a dump and care nothing for the look of where they live give a damn about saving the planet. I really doubt it. I'm sad to say it, but...frankly...just not enough people care.
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