World Environment Day

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By Diane Forrest

Over the recent Memorial Day weekend a friend of mine went to a festival near his home.  It took place near a lake, and he was sitting in a gazebo there.  It was really hot, so I asked if he took a dip in the lake.  He sadly told me that the water at the shore was black, as if covered with oil.  Then he said "What has happened to the world I knew?"   This man, who is in his 70's, grew up at a time when being "green" wasn't a fashion, but a way of life.  There was no such thing as being wasteful, there was nothing to waste.  Times where hard, and money was tight, and the things the family could afford were used, until they broke, then they were repaired and used some more.  To this day he still continues to be "green".   In this throw away world of today, he refuses to use Styrofoam cups in his business, and collects cans at the end of the day to recycle.  He never grew accustomed to just throwing something out, and still prefers to repair and recycle, and he is instilling his habits to his children and grandchildren.  For him, World Environment Day is not something you think about on just one day of the year, but on every day.

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I have another friend in Ohio, for several years we have had a long standing joke about World Environment Day.  While he too protects the earth and does all he can for the environment, he resents the fact that there are those out there who tell him what to do.  We always joke about him burning tires and spraying aerosol cans and running around in his car leaving an oily smoke trail behind him.  Then he wanders around his neighborhood, taking down all the posters that promote world environment day and burns them in his campfire.  Of course, he really doesn’t do those things, just dreams about it.  So, I’m not here to tell you what to do or not do, as my daddy says...you're grown, you can make up your own mind”.  For those of you who practice being green, the world thanks you.  For those of you, like Kermit the Frog, who says it's not easy being green.  Why not try some baby steps.   Click on this site to learn about ways you can help the environment. http://www.unep.org/wed/

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