One would hope that what I am about to say is mostly made up, but unfortunately it is not. Because of a variety of calls from people claiming to be environmentally concerned, I am noticing that environmental issues are hardly supersede convenience and cost. One memorable comment came when the person said, "I don't mind being environmental as long as it doesn't cost me anything." The best response for the situation was that irresponsibility is costing us all the time. The price of doing nothing is almost never zero. When is the price of not going to work? What is the price of refusing to fill the gas tank when the needle is on empty? What is the price of neglecting our future when they ultimately require an attorney to get them out of their latest jam?
I realized that there is a "Green Pig" Syndrome (GPS) in the world today. The Green Pig Syndrome is sort of like greenwashing except that it means that we don't want our environmental responsibility to intrude into our lives. You see, you can paint a pig green, but it is still a pig! A pig will do absolutely nothing different than it has always done before. It will squeal and complain when things don't work like he wants, and it will consume as much as he can in a day, hoping only for another day to do the same.
Americans love convenience, luxury, and excess. Constant gratification isn't such a bad way to go, wouldn't you say? If there were no consequences to how we lived life, one might suppose that everyone in the world would be happier. Or, at least we think that would be best. Like it or not, we live in a consequential world, and every action has an equal or opposite reaction. The simple task of depositing your trash in the next trash bin or throwing it out of the window has negative consequences on our environment. We can survive what you think to be a minimal incident, but I have been in foreign countries where trash lines the streets and builds in the alleys.
The Green Pig Syndrome is a values placement process. They see only what is right in front of them, and they are driven by their appetites. In reality no one wants the life of a pig. Life does not consist of what can be done today no matter what the real cost might be in the long term. That definition would be the Green Pig's attitude, however. In our example, they are not long term thinkers. So, they never worry about what will happen tomorrow. Pigs, I am told, are relatively near-sighted but are considered the fourth most intelligent animal in the world.
The fact of the matter is you can paint a pig green, but that does not change the way it thinks. Anyone can paint themselves as environmentally-concerned, but how many things are they willing to change? The accomplishment of the environmental program is not just in constructing Green buildings or buying Green products. Those embracing these solutions are merely "Green by Proxy." The real shock is felt when Green is made a part of the lifestyle. It could be considered behavior alteration, but it is the necessary alteration for our collective future. We need not to "Go Radical" in our conversion in to the Green World. It is a learning process that allows for people to grow into a better environmental citizen.
The reality about Green is it is not free, and it will certainly intrude on our convenience-oriented world. We cannot make the necessary changes without changing the behavior of each and every individual. It will not be expedient, relaxed, or pleasant. It is, however, necessary for the world that we live in today. Don't be overly troubled. This is not a call to monastic living, moving into a grass hut, or trading your car in for a bicycle. It is the challenge that we all face no matter if it is for an individual or business. The problem is not as violent as a war, or as immediately pressing as a hurricane. Environmental problems are more like the rising tide without enough high ground to keep ourselves out of the encroaching waves. Slow disasters still deserve our attention, even though we are not up to our necks in trouble yet.
The cure for the Green Pig Syndrome is not an H1N1 shot. If you are ready to be both human and a humanitarian, it is time that we all decided to make the changes without concern for the cost or difficulty. There is a cost to Go Green, and there are simple ways to transition to Green Practices that are often mildly intrusive. Some Green practices will cut costs. We can be Green humans who have the cleverness to see the future and change what we are doing today.
I realized that there is a "Green Pig" Syndrome (GPS) in the world today. The Green Pig Syndrome is sort of like greenwashing except that it means that we don't want our environmental responsibility to intrude into our lives. You see, you can paint a pig green, but it is still a pig! A pig will do absolutely nothing different than it has always done before. It will squeal and complain when things don't work like he wants, and it will consume as much as he can in a day, hoping only for another day to do the same.
Americans love convenience, luxury, and excess. Constant gratification isn't such a bad way to go, wouldn't you say? If there were no consequences to how we lived life, one might suppose that everyone in the world would be happier. Or, at least we think that would be best. Like it or not, we live in a consequential world, and every action has an equal or opposite reaction. The simple task of depositing your trash in the next trash bin or throwing it out of the window has negative consequences on our environment. We can survive what you think to be a minimal incident, but I have been in foreign countries where trash lines the streets and builds in the alleys.
The Green Pig Syndrome is a values placement process. They see only what is right in front of them, and they are driven by their appetites. In reality no one wants the life of a pig. Life does not consist of what can be done today no matter what the real cost might be in the long term. That definition would be the Green Pig's attitude, however. In our example, they are not long term thinkers. So, they never worry about what will happen tomorrow. Pigs, I am told, are relatively near-sighted but are considered the fourth most intelligent animal in the world.
The fact of the matter is you can paint a pig green, but that does not change the way it thinks. Anyone can paint themselves as environmentally-concerned, but how many things are they willing to change? The accomplishment of the environmental program is not just in constructing Green buildings or buying Green products. Those embracing these solutions are merely "Green by Proxy." The real shock is felt when Green is made a part of the lifestyle. It could be considered behavior alteration, but it is the necessary alteration for our collective future. We need not to "Go Radical" in our conversion in to the Green World. It is a learning process that allows for people to grow into a better environmental citizen.
The reality about Green is it is not free, and it will certainly intrude on our convenience-oriented world. We cannot make the necessary changes without changing the behavior of each and every individual. It will not be expedient, relaxed, or pleasant. It is, however, necessary for the world that we live in today. Don't be overly troubled. This is not a call to monastic living, moving into a grass hut, or trading your car in for a bicycle. It is the challenge that we all face no matter if it is for an individual or business. The problem is not as violent as a war, or as immediately pressing as a hurricane. Environmental problems are more like the rising tide without enough high ground to keep ourselves out of the encroaching waves. Slow disasters still deserve our attention, even though we are not up to our necks in trouble yet.
The cure for the Green Pig Syndrome is not an H1N1 shot. If you are ready to be both human and a humanitarian, it is time that we all decided to make the changes without concern for the cost or difficulty. There is a cost to Go Green, and there are simple ways to transition to Green Practices that are often mildly intrusive. Some Green practices will cut costs. We can be Green humans who have the cleverness to see the future and change what we are doing today.
About the Author:
The Green Business League assists companies in their Green business certification by an recommended plans of audit and certification. Those wishing aid with Green Business Certification can request a Free Green Business Assessment from a Certified Green Consultant.
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