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Creating a sustainable planet ... with passion

By
Real Estate Agent with Re/Max Chay Realty Inc., Brokerage RECO Reg# 4325734

Let me start by saying that you would definitely not call me a "tree hugger" ... I have come to this party much later than many of the pioneers proselytizing out there.

For me, the genesis was pragmatism.  I could save money by wasting less. Simple.

As I started to investigate, I realized there was much more to this.  To see how much we, collectively have destroyed in the last forty years jolts you.  To try and foresee the future of mankind on this planet if we continue to waste as we are doing right now, absolutely terrifies me. Its amazing how much of our behaviour has been modified by constant onslught of marketing and advertising in the various media?  ... and at what cost?

Disposable anything and everything... Packaging ... chemicals ...

The ideal might be life with a carbon neutral footprint where we live sustainably off the land, but every small step that we take in the right direction helps.

I have always believed One Person can make a difference.  And a lot of people making "small" decisions can make a huge difference.

What each of us really needs to get passionate, really passionate about this, is a REASON.  For me it was the birth of my son.  I always new it was the right thing to do to try and leave the world a better place than I found it, but now I have a "purpose".  For each one out there, I would say, find your REASON.  If the reason is right, everything else will fall in place

REDUCE ... REUSE ... RECYCLE

sounds so simple

There is much importance of the order.  Reusing is better than Recycling, reducing is better than reusing.

Choose to keep a travel cup and stop using disposable cups for coffee/drinks etc.

Choose to use cloth towels instead of paper towels.

Choose to use a reusable water bottle rather than drink bottled water out of plastic bottles.

You do not have to do all at once.  Choose to do one more thing to reduce the damage we do to our planet. 

If we all do it, and keep on making "small" changes, perhaps our children and our grandchildren will be able to enjoy our planet in the ways our grandparents and great grandparents did.

 

Any thoughts?

Kenneth Cole
Weichert Realtors Appleseed Group, 2043 Richmond Ave. S.I.N.Y. 10314. office phone 718-698-9797, Appleseedhomes.com... - Staten Island, NY
NYS Licensed Real Estate Salesperson

Very interesting post.  I always hated waste.  That's why I save things.  I now have a hardware store in my basement,  saves a trip to the real hardware store.  But truth be told, I really must start to get rid of stuff I have had for too many years,  I would have a free yard sale just so that someone could use it, but, I don't think I would get many takers.  What a saver to do?

Oct 23, 2009 12:59 AM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

Good Morning Chris,

Good Post.  We are being forced educated to do what you are saying.  When we moved into our house 8 years ago, we had garbage collection twice a week.  Now it is every other week.  Blue Box and Green Box garbage is every week.

Getting off the bottled water is a tough one.

Oct 23, 2009 01:02 AM
Edward Bachman
EXIT REALTY SOLUTIONS - Kingwood, TX
Your Kingwood TX Realtor

I agree in principle.....isn't really just about being good stewards of the planet and all that we have been given.  We do not need to be psycho in order to be good stewards.

Oct 23, 2009 01:03 AM
Sylvie Conde
Sutton Group-Associates Realty Inc., Brokerage - Toronto, ON
Broker, Toronto Real Estate

Good post, Chris - and good reminder.
I recycle just about everything.  When I go shopping, I try to buy everything in bulk and if I can't, I try to look for things packaged with materials I can recycle.

We only have garbage pick up every two weeks, and I only have one tiny little (shopping) bag of garbage on pick up day.  On the other hand, when it's recycling pick up, I have the most on the street.  Composting is also huge here.  What the neighbour doesn't want for her yard, I put in the green bin. 

We drink filtered water at home (britta filter), and have an aluminum bottle we fill, when packing lunches, etc.  Yes, there are times I buy bottled water, when I'm either not thinking, or haven't planned well enough ahead, but then I will refill those bottles with water, before I dispose of them or replace them.

As little as some of us do, if we all do it, it will make a huge difference.

 

Oct 26, 2009 06:55 AM