We live in a world where everyone thinks it's cool to call themselves environmentally friendly-- but why is that all of the sudden the latest trend? Why is that just a title that people use? Why do we throw a slip of paper into a blue bin and expect that to save the world?
So yes, a lot of us may not be total hippies and love the environment and everything that entails. That's ok-- but from a personal standpoint, we should care.
On a college campus, there is so much potential to work towards saving the environment. Buildings are starting to be built by recycled products, light efficient bulbs are being installed, and recycle bins are in most buildings. Bottles, paper, and plastic are probably the easiest things to recycle. All you have to do is put the item in the right bin. BAM! you're on the way to loving the environment. You could also try using metal water bottles, instead of plastic (which gives off chemicals). If more people start to use reusable bottles instead of plastic then it can cut down on the amount of oil that is used to produce it-- in turn keeping our air clean.
The environment isn't just air we breathe and the trees that we hang our Eno's on--it's also our personal lives. We should treat our bodies just like a flower. We should take care of them with what we put in them and what we put on them.
In being environmentally friendly with our bodies, we should take in to context the products that we use. For example, the makeup that we use. Normally, makeup products have a lot of chemicals that can cause our skin to break out or put harsh chemicals in our pores. I'm not saying throw all of your makeup down the drain, but by just replacing one or two things, including face wash, or hair products with more organic or "clean" products then we can continue to not only love the way we look, but also let our bodies love us. We can also eat cleaner and exercise more to remove harmful toxins from our bodies and mind.
It's not about doing it for some cool and hip persona. It's not something that we should tattoo across our foreheads like some meaningless reminder that means nothing to us. We should actually want to care. Being environmentally friendly is something that shouldn't be an afterthought. It should be something that becomes a routine and an important part of our lives.
The less we decide to care about the environment then the less we deserve the right live on it. The less we take care of our bodies, then the less we deserve the right to live in them. We have an obligation to clean up the air that we breathe, the beaches we lay on, the tree's we climb-- and keep them clean for our children, grandchildren, and generations after that.
