"The Government Is, Therefore I Won't"
I recently received interesting feedback about the whole idea of green as an over stretched issue exaggerated by the government and that an industry that revolves around the sciences leaves one at the mercy of other people to determine what the problems are or are not. What I appreciate the most about this response is that it was genuine. The sentiment is shared by many people and it serves a purpose in creating a certain degree of resilience in society. It also came from a very good friend who I can count on to tell it to me straight.
I like this perspective because I can go into many industries and apply the challenge. In telecom, how does the customer know he or she is really getting four gigs of data when the tools that measure bandwidth are driven by engineering-manipulated software? Do they know the value of spectrum purchased from the government, let alone the reason for pages of additional charges on their bill? In medicine can a patient argue with the drug makers and the FDA about the drugs he or she ingests? No question about it. The government will have its say in many things making it very possible to take many industries and find a bread trail that leads back to some form of government body. Green washing further adds to the challenge of convincing the public that there is an inevitable change occurring in the environment. So I do not argue with these influences.
Let us be clear on a couple of things. The message that must be conveyed is environmental consciousness is not about finding a way to break free from the perceptions of the government, invoke a call to fight the system and boycott green, or even sit back and wait for the industry to become a passing trend. Just as earth has a way to maintain balance in the biosphere, I believe that our society (yes, even with the government) has a way of doing the same, no matter how drastic the changes may occur. Because of this, focus must be directed toward a goal and personal achievement only the individual can determine and strive for.
The message should encourage the effort to understand the concept that society's insatiable need to consume has a concerning impact on natural resource availability. Going green is a personal choice that should be derived from this understanding. The achievement of sustainability leads to efficiency and that can only help. Avoiding embracing an industry focused on change for the betterment of the environment because of government influence is like keeping money out of the banking system because of lack of control over the interest rates.
Whether you are in your first internship or have a few years under your belt, keep in mind that as you maneuver through the green industry, you must always remain passionate about your role. Try not to let elements that you can't control deter you from taking the path to sustainability and making a difference.
~Michael
I like this perspective because I can go into many industries and apply the challenge. In telecom, how does the customer know he or she is really getting four gigs of data when the tools that measure bandwidth are driven by engineering-manipulated software? Do they know the value of spectrum purchased from the government, let alone the reason for pages of additional charges on their bill? In medicine can a patient argue with the drug makers and the FDA about the drugs he or she ingests? No question about it. The government will have its say in many things making it very possible to take many industries and find a bread trail that leads back to some form of government body. Green washing further adds to the challenge of convincing the public that there is an inevitable change occurring in the environment. So I do not argue with these influences.
Let us be clear on a couple of things. The message that must be conveyed is environmental consciousness is not about finding a way to break free from the perceptions of the government, invoke a call to fight the system and boycott green, or even sit back and wait for the industry to become a passing trend. Just as earth has a way to maintain balance in the biosphere, I believe that our society (yes, even with the government) has a way of doing the same, no matter how drastic the changes may occur. Because of this, focus must be directed toward a goal and personal achievement only the individual can determine and strive for.
The message should encourage the effort to understand the concept that society's insatiable need to consume has a concerning impact on natural resource availability. Going green is a personal choice that should be derived from this understanding. The achievement of sustainability leads to efficiency and that can only help. Avoiding embracing an industry focused on change for the betterment of the environment because of government influence is like keeping money out of the banking system because of lack of control over the interest rates.
Whether you are in your first internship or have a few years under your belt, keep in mind that as you maneuver through the green industry, you must always remain passionate about your role. Try not to let elements that you can't control deter you from taking the path to sustainability and making a difference.
~Michael
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