Some of us have our eyes wide open, some have them closed, most see what they want to see. But we do, in my opinion, have one thing in common - no matter how much we see or don't see, we all feel powerless. We don't think we can make a difference. We don't think we have any control over governments (our vote doesn't count), big corporations (all our jobs are going overseas), or the degradation of our environment (many Canadian jobs are linked to the depletion/destruction of natural resources). We all have to make a living. We all want to provide for our families as best we can. And sometimes just trying to make a go of it does seem to render us powerless in the face of the big picture.
But there is one power we all have - Purchasing Power.
The oil and gas industry, here in Alberta especially, is a huge contributor to our economy. Anyone who thinks we can totally eliminate exploration and production of this resource has their head in the sand. Still, we can use our purchasing power to make changes within this industry - changes that will be good for us, for our grandchildren, for the future. The most obvious products provided by this industry are gasoline, lubricants and diesel. Our country is enormous. We drive - lots. We have to or we stay home. I have to drive 16 km just to get my mail! We could purchase vehicles that use less fuel. We could car-pool. We could take public transport. We could become more organized so that we combine several errands into one excursion. We could buy local and seasonal thus saving fuel for the transportation of goods. We could holiday closer to home. We could.
Conspiracy theorists grumble that oil companies stifle inventions that will lessen/eliminate fuel usage. Perhaps they do. But it's possible they'll see the writing on the wall. There's really no reason why an oil company can't use their financial resources to branch out into alternatives. Maybe someday electric cars will replace what's available now. Research is being done. When prices are finally within the reach of the average wage earner we may be able to get away from gas powered transportation. But we need to recognize that electric cars have to be charged. That charge comes from somewhere. We need to press our government reps to seek alternative and planet friendly means of producing electricity.
In any case we won't get away from oil. Take a look at one or both of these web sites. Oil usage goes way beyond gas!
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A partial list of products made from petroleum - (144 of 6000 items) One 42-gallon barrel of oil creates 19.4 gallons of gasoline. The rest (over half) is used to make things like: ...
Ranken Energy. www.ranken-energy.com › products fro
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How Products Made from Oil End Up in Your House | Oil and Gas InfoOil and Gas Info
www.oilandgasinfo.ca › oil-gas-you › pr...
What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think about something made from petroleum? Gasoline, probably. Or maybe plastic bags. But there are actually thousands...
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We eat, wear, drink, package, sit on, write with, ride on, play with, preserve with, clean with....and lots more....products made with oil. Some of these products have proven to be pretty hard on our environment.
Plastics are one of the worst and plastic products are everywhere. They literally permeate every facet of our lives and it seems to be getting worse, not better. My biggest peeves in the grocery department are the plastic boxes in which things like donuts, cakes, etc are packaged; the impossible to open crackers etc that used to be packaged in cellophane (from cellulose so I guess a wood product, but at least you didn't need a scissors to open the pack); and the individually packaged treats for kids lunches. Then there's the plastic loops holding the beer cans together, plastic chairs, plastic cutlery, plastic bottles, milk and juice jugs, bags, jars, cups and that horrible poured on plastic that envelops toys...yikes! If you don't buy this stuff, if you make a point of doing this and many others do too, it will change the way things are done. Companies want to sell their products. Whatever makes them sellable they will do. If it's good for you, good for the planet and good for the producers bottom line, well, its good, isn't it?
Paper, a wood product, is one alternative to plastic. Wood is sorta renewable, but we need to watch our logging practices. Removing every tree from the landscape isn't doing our local environments or the planet a lot of good. It effects the weather. It causes displacement of species. It's ugly. It removes millions of oxygen producing organisms and contributes to global warming. Although we don't have as much biodiversity in the Boreal Forrest as in the rainforests to the south, our logging operations can be quite destructive. So, since paper is a good alternative, we should push hard for hemp, a crop that has so much diversity it's astonishing, and from which you can make paper. Hemp is not marijuana. In any case it's time we stopped fearing this medicinally useful and recreational plant anyhow. Alcohol is far worse. But that's another subject.
Paper, made from wood, should be respected and used sparingly. A simple rag can replace hundreds of paper towels. Cloth napkins can replace paper napkins. Cloth bags can replace grocery bags. On line billing, reports, magazines, newspapers, books can save tons of paper. (Sometimes access to a printed version is needed/wanted, but it's not always necessary.) And those paper plates and cups together with plastic cutlery... Well, I'm guilty. But think about it. Remember the last occasion at your local hall, where real dishes were used? Washing dishes can be an enjoyable social connection with others.
Consumer choices regarding food can drive producers to change as well. Buy local, seasonal, organic (certified or not), unpackaged. Garden, even in pots if you lack space. Cook from scratch! We have been duped into thinking that convenience foods are healthy and, for that matter, that they are actually convenient. I'm always amazed when I see people use a pancake mix, adding water, eggs, stirring. A small twist of the wrist to add baking powder and salt is about all the convenience you're paying for. Cooking from scratch is healthier, less expensive, tastier and far easier than modern cooks have been led to believe.
Water in plastic bottles is another consumer accepted and embraced product which is disastrous for the environment. No matter how many studies/reports have proven that it's pretty much the same as tap water, it has become a convenience and a sort of status symbol. Look at me, I buy water for my kids, not sugary pop! Some people recycle the bottles, many don't. Much of the water in the bottles is never drunk, people take a sip or two and forget about it, lay it down, find it later and wonder whose bottle it is, and down the drain it goes. Aquifers are being drained to the detriment of local residents. Clean water is being thought of as a privilege rather than a basic right. There's numerous posts on FaceBook encouraging people to stop buying bottled water but few seem to care. Change will not come unless we care.
I know this blog sounds preachy, and I'm certainly not perfect. But I do try to make wise consumer choices. This may seem insignificant. But when millions make good choices we do have power - people power, consumer power. I'm only suggesting that we give some thought to what we buy, and, when we can, we should make better choices, ones that will help to preserve our environment and that of the other species that inhabit planet Earth.
What's that saying I keep seeing on FaceBook? "You are the change!" Are you?
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