Thursday, December 13, 2007

LIVE GREEN Carrollton!

After spending thirty years as an interior designer, I understand waste. “It’s ours, we don’t want anyone else to have it; put it in the landfill.” “That old thing, why would I want to reupholster it?” “That was my grandmothers, refinishing it would never make it nice enough to go with my new things.” I just couldn’t do it anymore.

I’ve been a proponent of the Earth ever since I can remember. My Dad used to take us out all the time. Just park the car along the highway, go under the barbed wire and walk up to the house to ask the owner’s permission to show his kids the wonders of nature. Being there was the magic. Surrounded by nature and sounds and smells, we learned the names of trees, flowers and animals. He talked about their habits and who would eat who – all the important stuff. We were hooked.

Since starting Keep Carrollton Beautiful in 2004, we’ve had a myriad of goals. With our new board of directors, we’re on to something that makes a lot of sense. We’ve always educated the public about environmental issues, but there are so many! Now we are taking federal, state, regional and city environmental goals and simplifying them into everyday actions to preserve our AIR, our LAND, our WATER and our COMMUNITY. Breaking it down into ways to LIVE GREEN helps everyone understand that there’s something they can do to be part of the planetary solution.

Felicia Weiss in a recent issue of the Holistic Networker summed up our thoughts. She said, “I recently saw "The 11th Hour", a film produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio… Over 50 leading scientists, thinkers and leaders present the facts and discuss the most important issues that face our planet. I found this film to be a wake up call to all of us about what is happening to the home we share…It is so easy to believe that our individual actions…don't make a difference…Yet, multiply these actions by 365 days in a year and by billions of people and I'm sure you get the picture.”

You and I and every citizen can make a difference. We can preserve our AIR quality by combining our errand trips and driving less. We can plant a tree to absorb the carbon dioxide we generate. We can preserve our LAND by practicing “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rebuy” and find a proper receptacle to dispose of trash. We can preserve our WATER quality by being chemical-free in our yards, composting all our waste. We can invigorate our COMMUNITY by becoming knowledgeable about what is going on and voting in favor of positive change. We can also volunteer for organizations that are improving our surroundings. The little steps go on and on.

Our most recent action is to make plastic bags obsolete in Carrollton with reusable grocery bags. They are green, strong, washable, made from recycled material, have our logo on them and reduce the need for plastic. Our new board of directors’ treasurer, Kris Marohn, says it perfectly, “By using this (our) bag, you will preserve our natural resources, reduce land fill, prevent the untimely death of marine animals, wildlife and birds and help to keep Carrollton beautiful.”

Make your own decision to be part of the solution for your community, your state, your country and your world. The Internet is filled with easy ways to help get carbon emissions under control. Choose some for your LIVE GREEN life!

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Would love for you to help me empower everyone to do what they can to conserve our beautiful planet for our children's children.