How Going Green Can Save Your Soul... Or At Least Buy You Some Time

It is a common fear, I think, that harasses a large number of people: to die meaninglessly, leaving nothing behind. For some it may only manifest itself in dreams, creating the annoying but altogether insignificant nuisance of an occasional sleepless night. For others, though, it can have a dramatic, almost paralyzing affect. Indeed, while such a fear may galvanize a lucky few to accomplish something significant, it seems only to function as a gadfly for the many, simply gnawing at their consciences, following them in eternal discontent.

Why so many of us are susceptible to this fear is certainly up for debate. I personally believe the answer is directly related to the nature of human beings as simultaneously very ambitious and fundamentally lazy creatures. We are born, it would seem, with a tremendous desire to do good, hindered by a grave distaste for doing anything at all. And while I suppose the philosophers among us can appreciate the irony of the situation, none of us are any the better for changing it.

What, then, ought we to do? Honestly, I am not entirely sure; rather than simply to commiserate with you, though -- take heart -- I am in fact writing to make a suggestion. While you search for that grand, good thing that is not too taxing to accomplish, and that will undermine your fear's very essence, take a baby-step, as it were, for the environment: replace your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps ("CFLs"). It will take you a matter of minutes, save you money in electricity costs, and, hopefully, give you a little peace of mind. For once your lights are switched, you can take solace in knowing that while you may not be bettering the lives of your neighbors (yet), at least you won't be polluting their air (as much).

For those of you unfamiliar with CFLs -- or those who are skeptical of their benefits -- I offer you the following brief elaboration. CFLs are light bulbs that can be screwed into any socket already fit for incandescent bulbs (incandescents are the normal ones you probably have stockpiled in your closet). They are extremely efficient, requiring between one-quarter and one-fifth the energy of a standard bulb, and are generally guaranteed to last five to ten years before burning out. Since they use less electricity than standard bulbs, they will lessen the demand placed on your energy supplier; and as demands decrease, so does the amount of coal burned to meet them, resulting in cleaner air for us all.

It is difficult to imagine one eschewing this particular chore for the difficulty involved, as, simply put, there is none. Still, CFLs are not advertised as powerfully as they ought to be, so one could assume they would be hard to find and, therefore, not worth the effort of finding. Rubbish! Today CFLs can be found at Target, Wal-Mart, hardware shops, corner stores, even grocery stores. Any place that sells regular light bulbs is likely to sell CFLs as well, so there is hardly an excuse for not purchasing them.

All in all, switching light bulbs is a simple and good thing that everybody ought to do. Ideally, it would inspire you to do other simple and good things; and others in turn would be inspired to do simple and good things; and eventually we would all be inspired to do many and great things. Even if no such chain reaction occurs, though, and even if you are the only person from this day forth who decides to perform the menial task of switching light bulbs, your action will be well worth the effort. You will have done a simple and good thing, and each one counts. The environment will be thankful, and you will be able to sleep better at night.

Comments

[sheila]

Please! Don't do one small "feel good" gesture, congratulate yourself, then move on. It's like buying fake "carbon offsets" then flying to Sacramento for work every day to veto all the environmental legislation and fire all the progressive environmentalists (you know who you are, Schwarzenegger).

What is needed is activism and effort by all of us. If you seriously cannot afford a PV/wind system on your roof, then you need to WRITE, CALL, AND HARANGUE your state Assemblyperson and Senator to get us some of the financial advantages Big Energy gets: Low-interest guaranteed loans (repayable through the property taxes, so they are amortized and 100% tax deductible); increased tax credits, subsidies and incentives; and 100% power buyback programs for 20+ years (like in Germany). Versions of all these bills are already pending many states, and utilities already get all these advantages (and more) but the Energy Lobby is diverting all OUR money to themselves to build gigantic, wilderness-killing "solar and wind farms" far away from point of use (destroying our taxpayer owned nature, without compensation) and huge powerlines to steal our houses (and ruin our property values).

There is NO excuse for our government to hand off oversight of conservation and renewable programs to utilities, which then drag their feet, while building out their own deadly infrastructure, and denying us a place at our own table. So put the lightbulb down, and start typing!

[ShawnMichel]

"It is a common fear, I think, that harasses a large number of people: to die meaninglessly, leaving nothing behind. For some it may only manifest itself in dreams, creating the annoying but altogether insignificant nuisance of an occasional sleepless night. For others, though, it can have a dramatic, almost paralyzing affect. Indeed, while such a fear may galvanize a lucky few to accomplish something significant, it seems only to function as a gadfly for the many, simply gnawing at their consciences, following them in eternal discontent."

When you are a cog to the Machine, you are living meaninglessly, and you will die fruitlessly as well. There are no "lucky few": there are only the courageous few, who have chosen differently.

Want to *truly* save the world? Become one of those, and the CFLs, and the other green gizmos will pale by comparison as to the effect your decision will have on the planet. Period.

[enocko]

it's true, we need more advocacy for CFLs. I think people should be promoting environmental causes like this more than, hmm, animal rights, dare I say.

[DanielAllen]

Fair enough, Mr. Davie.

But I do not think you should anthropomorphize the environment, as you have. It doesn't like that.

[Harrydonovan]

I agree, as my genius is also handicapped by my laziness... I think that any small step taken in the right direction will pay dividends in the future.

Thanks for the motivation.