Those five minutes of wait at the parking lot today...

I was waiting at the parking lot in front of my department today. There was a lady sitting in a Jeep Cherokee (which is already a gas guzzler) with engine on and was talking to somebody on phone. I was there for five minutes and I am sure that lady was there before I came and she must have been there for sometime after I left.

All those five minutes, I was about to go and ask her to switch her engine off, but I didn't do as she was talking on phone. I kept thinking, what would make people realize that we waste too much; "An inconvenient Truth?" information pamphlets? exorbitant price of energy (gas, electricity)? rationing? a morality class...

I was at a party at my friends place few days back. The party was a lot of fun no doubt, but one thing really disturbed me was that everybody was throwing the bottles and cans of beer in trash. I believe we could have had as much fun if there were boxes for recycling those cans and bottles. I realized that talking about something like this at that party would not have been welcomed, but should I have said something there? What do you think? Should I have said something to the women in incidence above? Would you have said something if you were there?

From what I believe; in this arrogance of money, power and youth, we must not forget our responsibility to our Mother Earth.

On a positive note, I started using Kroger Canvas Shopping Bags for shopping and I think I saved about 100 plastic bags in last couple of months. Also, in the Graduate Student meeting today in my Department I suggested students to bring their own cups for drinks to reduce wastage, and the suggestion was well received. I hope it will help :).

Raag

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