Levels of Green Living: What Level Are You?

As I travel I run into many people who tell me they are concerned about our environment. They’re proud to share how they recycle their trash or turn down their thermostats. For many, however, I get the impression they feel their work is done. It is for them that I submit the notion of “Levels of Green Living.” These descriptions will help you determine where you fit on the green living spectrum, and where you ultimately want to be.

Green Living 1 –This group includes the casual participants. They don’t mind making changes in their lifestyle as long as those changes don’t cause too much inconvenience.

• They recycle their plastic bottles, aluminum cans and anything that doesn’t take a lot of extra effort.
• They adjust their thermostats by one or two degrees.
• If consolidating errands into one trip is convenient, they will do that, but convenience is still the driving factor in all their decisions.

Green Living 2 – This group is comprised of the up-and-comers. They recognize there is a lot more to being green than that which is convenient.

• They recycle everything allowable.
• They take their reusable shopping bags to the grocery store – most of the time.
• They forgo heat and air conditioning a few days longer than their neighbors, and then adjust temperatures to a slightly uncomfortable level.
• They almost always consolidate errands and actively seek out carpools.

Green Living 3 – This group is gung-ho. They don’t mind making significant sacrifices for the environment. In fact, they feel as if it is their social responsibility.

• Recycling everything is a given. They can be found pulling bottles out of public trash cans to take them home for recycling.
• They take their reusable shopping bags everywhere – not just to the grocery store. They don’t mind asking the person in front of them if they really need a bag for that pack of gum.
• Heating and air conditioning are only turned on when the weather is extreme and they need it to sleep.
• They take public transportation more often than not.

Green Living 4 – These are the hard core greenies. They question everything and never stop looking for ways to live greener.

• When possible, they organically grow their own fruits and vegetables.
• They capture rain water to flush toilets and wash clothes.
• They use no single-use products, including toilet paper.
• They only flush solids and shower once a week.
• They do not own a car.

So where do you fit along this green living continuum? Is it where you ultimately want to be? Hopefully you can use it to pat yourself on the back for those things you’ve done well, but also as an incentive to make improvements where you can. We can all learn a lesson from the Level 4s: “Question everything and never stop looking for ways to live greener.”

More from Cherri:

From Family Cloth to Homemade Hankies — Saying Good-Bye to Single-Use Paper Products

 

 

 

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