The Real Impact

I wanted to say thanks to everyone who came out to the pitch in project this weekend. It was a beautiful day, and because there were many hands, it made light work for everyone. Although those soggy bikes weren't exactly 'light'.

As much as I like this project  for it's obvious reasons, team work, community service, and a good ol' fashion cleanup, I always find it a little disheartening.

I know I've written this before, but I have the same internal dialogue each time I go. I find it so frustrating that we have to pick up the garbage. Not because someone didn't throw it in the garbage can, but because it exists at all. I work pretty hard at reducing my impact and especially since I live out in the country, I do a lot of driving. So I focus on the things I can really control. What I'm buying, and what I do with whatever waste I'm left with. I find a lot of the things we're picking up are recyclable, but past the point of really saving. There are so many paper cups with lids, fast food bags, and candy wrappers I just want to scream sometimes. I've often made comments about China and how, there, you can see the garbage because people just throw it on the ground. Just because we pick up the garbage and put it somewhere you can't see, doesn't mean it's gone. It's just hidden so we're not faced with the reality of our real impact on the environment.

This is why I love Silent River. Part of our intelligent curriculum is developing things like empathy, and personal and environmental self defense. If we can get people educated, hopefully it will help change the way someone looks at a plastic bag, a Styrofoam cup, or a cardboard box. Maybe they will see the real impact of their actions and make different choices.