Monday, June 23, 2008

I'm An Un-Trendy Eco-Newbie

One thing I find frustrating about trying to get healthy is the current trendiness of all things green.

Here's a controversial question: Is global warming really a big deal, or is it being made into a big deal by the people who profit from our worries? Honestly, I haven't done much research into it, but I'm starting to think I should.

A totally different trend that bugs me a bit is that of major brands now coming out with green product lines. I'm learning to read labels, and from what I can tell, they're only doing the bare minimum to make their products qualify for the green label. I mean, if they really cared about our health (and not just adding more profits to their pockets by jumping onto the latest bandwagon), wouldn't they do away with the other, non-healthy products that their companies produce?

I also find that trendiness makes people think about one part of a large issue for mere minutes... before they settle back in to their usual ways of life. It's all too confusing to figure out if the Atkins diet really works, or if it'll be de-bunked in five years and we'll feel ridiculous for trying it. What if green stuff is like that, too?, we wonder.

Being trendy takes away credibility. Trends come and go. So what of this green movement is lasting? And how much of it will really make a difference?

I'm a firm believer in starting the change that I want to see. Why wait? Maybe on my own, I won't accomplish much on a global scale, but I can at least change the atmosphere in my house. And I really do think that a lot of these "trendy" things have merit. It's just sorting through it all that's the hard part...

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