Don't Forget To Turn Off The Lights & Shut The Door On Your Way Out!

"Green Factor"

I have noticed a lot of articles about being "green".  I was wondering what your view was on it and what you are doing to help in what I call the "green factor?"

I  participate in recycling where I live.  I have also made art paper out of junk mail that normally would have been thrown in the recycling bin.  I also try to recycle in craft and art projects as much as possible. 

I have also noticed a lot more celebrities are starting to do more to be "green."   I'd like to know what you think of this movement and what you are doing to be "green"?

Just wondering. - createdbywendy

Tricky.  Discovery is about to embark on a huge green initiative, and I'd hate to say anything too stupid.  Then again, I'd hate to say anything to earnest, so how about a little of both.

If there's a "greener" show on the air than Dirty Jobs, I haven't seen it.  Collecting owl vomit is green.  Recycling golf balls is green.  Collecting rubbing mud for baseballs is green, etc. Fundamental conservation is at the core of many segments, and I'm proud to be part of a show that recognizes such practical contributions by regular folk.  Underneath all the green is a ton of brown, and Dirty Jobs is well-acqainted with brown.

However, as a "movement," there is much that gives me pause about being green.  As a rule, I am suspicious of any campaign that uses guilt and fear as primary motivators.  I don't like the political overtones, the righteous indignation (on both sides,) and the vast sums of money that seem to be flying around the issue.  I don't like the "fashionable" elements of going green.  And while I am a big fan of our planet, and enjoy its many splendors thoroughly, I don't believe it's wise to anthropomorphize Mother Earth.  The green movement relies to much on the "pain" we might cause the planet.  There's something arrogant about that, in my opinion - about the notion that we might somehow do more harm to Earth than it has done to itself. (Or that "she" has done to us.)  I do not fear for the planet, but do worry about the people on it, and wonder sometimes if those most vocally concerned with global warming for instance, feel the same way.  In the end, no matter how prudent we become, the planet will almost certainly outlast us.

Growing up, if I walked out the door without closing it behind me, a swift violence would surely follow.  Usually it was a smack on the butt, followed by a "What's wrong with you, do you live in a barn!" Likewise, leaving a room without turning out the light was unpardonable.  Whatever I elected to put on my plate, I had to eat. No debate, no exceptions.  "Take all you want, eat all you take."  Wastefulness was simply not tolerated.  My father used to wring out the paper towels, and use them again, and sometimes again.  I'm not even kidding.  I could go on.

My Dad wasn't green.  He just enjoyed getting by with less.  And that attitude mentality translated into an overall sensibility of conservation.  Today, I am conservative in most things.  I believe it's better to make more than you spend, and save more than you think you'll need.  I don't care for conspicuous consumption, and believe the biggest problem facing this country is our endless sense of expectation and entitlement and personal debt.

Most of my friends are over extended, and most always have been.  The average household has more debt than they can service.  As a country, we are trillions of dollars in debt.  We do not have a conservative outlook.  In my opinion, our pollution problems are just another symptom of that behavior.

There are lots of things we can do together that might make a difference.  But untimately, a change in behavior without fundamental change in attitude, will not fix the problem.  Frankly, I don't even know if global warming can be fixed.  Seems like we should give it a try, but regardless, how can we expect a country that can't pay its bills, to have the discipline to shut the door and turn off the lights?

Mike

Comments

[Vivianne Foppa]

Well... as you know the US didn't ratified the Kyoto's Protocol and but at the same time they're very worry about the 'getting green' issue.

If I could, I'd ask to the president why the Kyoto's Protocol is not 'good enough' for US ?? I know that US have the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in some states and I think that's great, but the 'fight' suppose to be much bigger and I really think that he'd be much wiser if he supported the rest of the world in this battle...

US didn't suppose to worry about what China or the G8 countries are doing, US should worry about what they're doing... After all helping the world is the main idea, right??

I know that every change begins inside... but US is a very powerful country and an example for a lot of others countries, so why don't they use this power to show to the world that is possible to make a better place, a cleaner place and, TOGETHER, make the world 'greener'?!?

I know is much better when we do something this big (like 'saving' the planet!) by ourselves... the sensation of being a super hero must be great... must be something magical... but we can't forget that sometimes we need others super heroes to have a happy ending... and I think the 'US super heroes' shoud be a little bit more conscious. ('accepting' the Kyoto's Protocol, for example!)

The campaigns are out there, the ideas are out there... the will to make it work... yeah, well, it may be out there too... but the world needs to stop to think about it and to suggest it... The world really needs to do it !!!! Face the problems and realize that talk is not enough... Like Mike said, guilt and fear didn't suppose to be primary motivators... didn't suppose to be motivators at all... I think the 'getting green' issue should be about life's quality, not about saving money, saving energy, saving this, saving that... all these things are consequences...

We need to face the problem and believe that is possible make the world 'greener'... Deep inside, we know we can...

[Jessica Walker]

Your comment of "I don't care for conspicuous consumption, and believe the biggest problem facing this country is our endless sense of expectation and entitlement and personal debt" was very interesting to me. Being that I am in my 30's but raised by very frugal parents, I see this as an epidemic of the "spoiled brat syndrome". In recent history, we as a nation have gone from the Depression Era, through the 80's and 90's of the Me Era, now into a backlash of excess. Our parents and/or grandparents scrimped, saved, reused, "recycled" and were conservative because they HAD to be. Not necessarily because they were saving the planet. Quite possibly they did enjoy getting by with less, but it was so that they could do more with the little (or lot, because of their efforts) they had. Contemporaries instead use credit card after credit card after home equity line to buy things they can't afford and pitch said thing when it becomes boring. And the sad thing is that it's so COMMONPLACE for this to happen!

In the architecture and construction world, we have been forging ahead for years with the "green initiative". Organizations like the US Green Building Council ( www.usgbc.org ) have finally broken through and "going green" has become mainstream. More and more buildings are being designed to be LEED certified. Focus has been put on sustainability and attention is paid to the impact on the environment.

Sustainability is the next step, such as using renewable resources, instead of the use 'em and lose 'em landfill mindset that these spoiled brat syndrome sufferers employ.

Just strikes me silly that all of this is coming to a head after gas surpasses an average of $4 a gallon nationwide... hit 'em in their pockets and they'll respond and do the right thing...

[Sam Wright]

Hey Mike, I don't have a dirty job, but I have an idea for you. Why don't you help out in Iowa (where I live) with the clean up of houses that were underwater?

Thanks for your time,

Sam Wright
Dubuque, IA

[Bryan Davis]

What a sad state of affairs we live in today...When the "News" of Paris Hilton going to jail dominates every Network, trumping the Space Shuttle launch that same day, (in which I only knew about by a mere, brief message on the ticker of CNN), i am reminded of the complete despair I feel . I am conservative in most issues as well, but shouldn't that be common sense to know not to spend more than you make? You can't even go to a store anymore to make a simple purchase without being offered (strong-armed) to sign up for a credit card. Our material obsessed society has become so delusional and entitled. People are too busy looking for someone to blame for conditions created by themselves. To me, this "green" movement is nothing more than marketing campaigns by corporations and organizations with the agenda for profit rather than actual compassion. Ok, now I will get off my pedestal because I need to go find the f_____ who made my bank account overdrawn...

[Charity]

Very interesting stuff, Mike. I just read an article in the Philly Inquirer (http://inquirer.philly.com) about -- OMG! -- people actually moving into SMALLER house THEY CAN AFFORD. Shocking. Very anti-American.

I think the activist Van Jones lives out in San Francisco too? I like his ideas a LOT. My favorite line of his is that you can't go to people living in Newark, NJ or parts of LA, bang on their door, and say, "We gotta take care of the polar bears!" People will look at you like you're nuts. He's taking the angle that energy conservation will lead to more jobs that can't be outsourced, and saving people money. That's what I think the message should be: "Hey, buy these funny-looking curly lightbulbs and save a ton of money on your electric bill!" (We noticed a huge difference just from switching out a few bulbs.)

Dirtily yours,
Charity

[bluecoach128]

Hey Mike I work in a paper mill in Alsip Illinois and we make 100% recycled paper . I wondered if your show would be interested in our mill? If so we have some of the dirtiest jobs you could imagine and the smell is ripe also.

[Ryan Smith]

Nice green show, dude. I'm pretty sure you've done a wastewater treatment plant, but have you toured an indoors composting facility? Wastewater's final product isn't only cleaner water, it's also BIOSOLIDS that gets composted.

Yes, I compost human poop.

[Gracie]

i love you, i love you, i love you..... i mean i love your show Lol mhuaaaaa keep up the good work

[Tara]

My sentiments exactly Mike. Very well said. Thank you.

[Rori Montoya]

Wow, not only are you easy on the eyes and ears, you're sensible too. What a package man. ;) Love the show. Grants, NM

[Miggity]

No way. A reasonable and intelligent stance on the subject? Just another reason why you ARE the Discovery Channel Mike. Keep up the good work.