The Ecojustice ‘08 Challenge

How would you go about getting lots of people to start doing something positive to the health of the Earth? It seems that gasoline prices are doing something on their own – press reports today at least say that sales of trucks and SUVs in the US is falling while (previously laughed at) sub-compacts are up.

But doing something active? Based on beliefs, consideration, intent? Emily has thrown a challenge to all of us out in the blog world:

Thus, this challenge began brewing in my mind. Maybe through this wonderful resource the internet, an international group of us could band together to challenge ourselves to live our lives just a little bit differently. Maybe some of us would be willing to make some choices that might not be the most convenient or the most comfortable but that wouldn’t be completely inconvenient or uncomfortable, because we care more about saving the planet than we do about our own conveniences and comfort. Maybe each of us would tell at least five friends about the challenge, who would then pass it onto others. Eventually, maybe, we could begin to change things for the better. Maybe future generations, then, won’t have to clean up such a big mess.

An avalanche could be in the making – at least with a little bit of luck and some push and shove.

Please go read the full challenge here.

The action points so far listed are (in my shortened words) -

1. For one day a week, don’t use your car
2. Choose one ‘black out night’ per week
3. Choose two days a week for eating only organic and/or locally grown
4. Walk or bike to anyhting within a 2–miles trip radius from your home
5. Read a book that challenges your thinking about the environment
6. Buy only things sold in recyclable packaging – and recycle that packaging!

There are already a number of proposals to join the list – listing just a few:

• Composting
• Grow vegetables
• Line dry clothes (aka skip using that tumble-drier)

All of which makes a lot of sense. I’ll add one of my own -

• Bake your own bread

A major corporation’s motto surprisingly feels right here: Just do it!

(Thanks to Aphra Behn for bringing this on her blog)