San Francisco has brought to my attention some simple ways to be more eco-conscious, but it also has enlightened me as to the thought process about what it takes to be green.
Want vs. need
California gets a lot of attention for its environmental progressiveness, but as admirable as its strides are, they aren't just done out of the goodness for Mother Earth ' they are done so out of necessity.
Is that what it takes to really get the ball rolling about environmental issues ' not a wholehearted desire to conserve and repair the problems man has created, but a lack of any other option but a sustainable one? Partly, yes.
Although bordered on its outside by the largest ocean in the world, California is constantly experiencing water shortages.
Like many states in the West, it regularly experiences droughts and has to import water from other states.
Being next to an ocean might seem like a no brainer, but ocean water must be desalinated before we use it. If the salt wasn't removed, drinking it would just dehydrate us even more.
Desalinization is an expensive process, costing as much as three times more than the process to purify freshwater, according to USA Today. It also is dangerous to marine life, which could get caught in the machines trying to obtain water from the ocean.
Water conservation is one example of a problem that California commits to because it has to ' it has a population of more than-
and that's a reality that must be considered. How green is planting grass that will cause more cars to idle in traffic?
On that same token, an important lesson I have taken away is that being green also means being realistic. A lot of people are on board about lower gas prices, buying organic food and recycling, but there does have to be some sort of compromise. Removing all industry and commercialization and replacing it with trees isn't going to happen anytime soon, nor is it a practical goal.
I am thankful to live in a place like Athens, even if only for another year, where being eco-friendly can be as easy as it is here in San Francisco. Organic foods, local businesses and produce, almost everything you need within walking distance, plus a nice location right in the middle of nature. I think I'm getting a little spoiled by it all.
Cathy Wilson is a senior journalism major. Send her an e-mail at cw224805@ohiou.edu.
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