*Post has been entered in the Eco All Stars Contest 

My first passing glimpse across the lens of environmental awareness occurred in college. The biology lecture was on stewardship...stewardship of the earth.   It had never occurred to me that we were the earth's caretakers and that one of our primary missions was to be proper stewards of its resources.  The idea was thought provoking but also overwhelming.

According to Miriam Webster's dictionary, a steward is: "one employed in a large household or estate to manage domestic concerns (as the supervision of servants, collection of rents, and keeping of accounts."   When I googled the term "stewards" on-line, I was surprised to see how closely this word has become associated with the "green" movement and environmentally responsible home design.  It makes sense, after all that the earth is the biggest "home" we all currently occupy.

Improbably, it has been our kids who have most actively engaged our conversation about conservation issues..  Perhaps, because they are witnessing an acceleration of chaos which is at least in part due to our inattention as a society to the proper care and feeding of the earth.     

Getting high-school boys to talk about most things can be a challenge.  So, I was quite surprised by the passion they expressed about green issues.  My oldest, a senior feels very strongly about the need to recycle aluminum and plastic because they take forever to degrade.  He thinks that it is wasteful not to carpool when you can.  I was genuinely surprised when he said this, " Mom, it's important to get as much garbage as you can into the trashcan, plastic takes forever to breakdown.  Now...I'm sure that comment was MORE about taking GARBAGE out less frequently; not just out of concern for the planet!   But their interest and concern forces me to think and examine my actions.

The passion of a couple of Gen Y kids has put a different spin on the green discussion for me.  I don't see the green movement  as a series of rules as much as I view it as a shift of paradigm.  If the green movement is simply about actions which are deemed environmentally sound, we may fall short of all that is inherently possible in creating an environment that sustains, nourishes and replenishes life.  Yes, justice &  survival demand that we address issues which devastate life such as the deadly effects of asbestos, lead, radon and black mold. Our quality of life in the future will be largely impacted by our success in debunking the lie that compartmentalizes profits and environmental concerns as unrelated entities.  They are not.

But I think expanding our paradigm of the green movement might be useful and bring a deeper level of intentionality to our actions.  Green is a state of mind as well as a place of action.  Green is a community that is sustained because it honors the fact that it is inexorably intertwined with the success and the distress of others.  Green is re-using and recycling clothing which is perfectly good rather than throwing it away. Green is getting out the dinner plates and engaging in conversation with your family rather than always succumbing to the convenience of a disposable TV dinner or Styrofoam plates.

Green goes beyond purchasing the right home and making sure we are not surrounded by toxins.  Green is loving ourselves and our neighbor enough to limit our conspicuous consumption.  Green is appreciating the earth that surrounds us whether in little patches between the blocks of sidewalk in cityscapes or along stretches of highway which are litter free...because people understand that green is about each of us acting responsibly in the disposal of our trash.

Green is opening the windows to allow the cool breeze to drive out stuffy air from our energy efficient homes.  Green is walking the neighborhood, not always driving it.  Green is evaluating how we use energy and being conscious of little things we can personally change to be more efficient.  Green is about the little things...because everyone's little bit counts.

I think Gen Y will go much further in their holistic understanding of the earth's stewardship than we have ever imagined.  It will affect how they address everything, including how they live in and purchase homes. Perhaps, it's because they understand it's their future at stake.  Baby Boomers have just begun to explore this concept and we are still putting together the knowledge base which addresses the actions of irresponsibility.  But for the profound reorientation needed, this concept  will need to be more fully developed.  Unlike me, Green for my Gen Y kids is a matter of principle, not theory.

Gen Y are a breed apart, the largest generation to follow the Boomers, they are rapidly re-shaping our world.  I can certainly vouch for them re-shaping mine.

For further reference about creating a sustainable planet, visit this site Global Stewards, Environmental Tips for Individuals.  What's great about this resource, is that it is a comprehensive list for all sorts of little things you can do to be more environmentally astute.  You may find that you are doing more than you thought...and you may get ideas to assist you in doing a little or a lot more.

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