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Green Ideas

Preamble 

    I have always thought there was something missing from the environmentalist's message.  I see them trying to make people feel guilty.  I hear the messages of gloom and doom, that we have to stop our evil way of life and go back to the hunter gatherer days.  Do it now otherwise our planet is doomed.  I do not think such pessimism is the way to reach the average joe.  I realize that I am exaggerating, but I really think people remember the most radical messages and start to tune them all out.

    It is always a good idea to make people think, but most people are not going to do something without short term, personal benefits. If you want people to care about saving the environment, you have to hit people where it matters — their pocketbook.  Capitalism is one, if not the most, the powerful forces in history.

    I propose a message saying you can save money, even make money.  Put money in their pocket. It is harder to get people to work towards large goals, it is easier to get people to work towards things that will benefit themselves and their family.

    The benefit of this message is that even nay-sayers will want to work towards environmentally friendly goals.

1) Make being environmentally friendly profitable.

2) Make being environmentally friendly improve quality of life.

3) Make being environmentally friendly apolitical and non-judgemental.

4) Make being environmentally friendly the path of least resistence

The green option should be the cheapest and or the most cost effective

The green option should be the easiest

You should not be forced into the green option by morals or politics

You should not need a law, regulation or subsidy to make the green option the best option.

Improving your quality of life should not be detrimental to your environment, your happiness, or you pocketbook.

If all choices are equal, I believe people will choose the environmentally friendly choice.

What follows are ideas I have collected, that will either save time, money, or improve quality of life while still being environmentally friendly.  I do not plan a static list; it will grow over time.  Except for the preamble, which I reserve the right to revise as I see fit, I will not delete any information, I will just cross it out as it becomes irrelevant.

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Ideas 

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I'm sure that this is not a new or original idea, but I think it is sound advice.