Eco is all the rage these days. From Al Gore to hipster products — it’s hip to be eco-conscious. But, as I walk around with my super fabulous new Sigg bottle it does make me wonder what aren’t we paying attention to? Eco as a trend is doomed to fail. And what really needs to happen is for people to actually change the way they live — and that requires a monumental priority shift for much of the world.

I’m all for companies making eco-friendly products fun and hip. I’m all for gestures like carbon off-sets. Each one is a step in the right direction. But my fear is we’re just creating new stuff — not a new way of life. Groups like the Center for the New American Dream are trying to re-educate Americans — but it’s an uphill battle.

I lapse regularly myself. As soon as see that hot new cell phone — I want one. I have a perfectly good cellphone that takes decent pictures — but it’s not shiny and new. I spend more on food and would rather have a fabulous meal (with fresh, local, organic ingredients — of course) than most new things that companies want me to want. But still — it has an awesome camera and it’s hooked into Flickr – I want it.

Be the change you want to see in the world.
– Ghandi

How do we radically shift our culture so we don’t measure value in stuff? How do we create a new paradigm that values quality over quantity? Think about all the giant “mcmansions” out there? They are huge and immensely wasteful. Imagine if people were more concerned about the quality of their homes than the square footage! Some people are — but not enough. And — too many of those who would gladly trade square footage for low-energy radiant heating can’t afford to.

So for now — do what you can. Examine your priorities and in the most American-way — vote with your pocket book. Buy that Sigg or Nalgene bottle not bottle water. Buy what you can from Farmers’ Markets and not food that has been shipped thousands of miles to your big-box grocery store. Learn that eating seasonally is a good thing and that you just don’t need fresh tomatoes 365 days per year. Or just change out the light bulbs in your house and learn how to properly dispose of compact fluorescent bulbs (pdf).

By all means do these things, but also learn. Educate yourself and don’t just wait for the next eco-trend. If a healthy planet is important to you, then it is your responsibility to get educated about what you can do. Each of us can do something. I can write this blog post. What can you do?

“If not me then who?
If not here, then where?
If not now, then when?”
— Rabbi Hillel

Just because we may not see the change — does not absolve us from trying.

[tags]environment, blog action day, change, eco-friendly, sigg, nalgene, dreams, seasonal[/tags]