Blog action day on the environment

Today is blog action day for the environment. Some of us have planned our businesses to be green from the get go (also fair trade in my case).

Anyway, not sure what I can do to draw much more attention to this issue, than has been drawn in the past week, especially with Al Gore and IPCC, splitting the Nobel Peace Prize. Unfortunately, reading analysis of this is mostly about Al Gore, who has been the subject of such right wing vitriol, which I never understood, until I read Paul Krugman’s most excellent article, Gore Derangement Syndrome, this morning.

So, what we can we do? I certainly don’t have any new answers, but I know what steps I take as a business to reduce my carbon footprint. I buy recycled paper, and recycle myself. I recycle the boxes I use to ship orders. my website is is hosted by a carbon neutral provider (also, employee-owned), and I’m trying to to reduce my flying.

As a person, I’ve started hanging at least some laundry, if not all, at least the heavy stuff meaning jeans and towels, I have tried as hard as I can to walk places and combine trips, I actually shut off my computer in the evening, I bring my own bag when shopping, and try to shop locally, i.e, at weekly farmers’ market. I recycle everything.

Ok. I’m not perfect. Few of us are. Part of the criticism, at least not from the right, of Gore is that he owns big houses and flies around in a private jet. So, maybe not the perfect spokesperson, but it seems to me that he’s attacked in a way that the perfect becomes the enemy of the good. Of course, had he decided to be No Impact Man, he’d be criticised for living in a way that was holier than thou, and setting a bar much higher than anyone could even begin to reach.

Of course, it’s all about taking the steps you can do to reduce your impact. What can I add to this discussion? I’m really not so sure, but I know that starting to talk about it can do nothing but help it.

So, what are YOU doing?