This whole mess with CPSIA has me thinking about what people are doing to encourage others to be more green. Are you doing enough?
Green activism can take many forms. It can be persuading less green relatives to do things like bring reusable bags to the store or to tell them about things they can recycle. It can be contacting your representatives on topics that matter to you. It can be participating in local cleanup efforts. It can be teaching your kids to pick up the trash they see as they walk home from school.
However much you do, it’s entirely possible that someone else will tell you that you should do more. That you should get rid of x,y and z from your home because they’re terrible for you and your family. That you’re shopping at the wrong store or paying attention to the wrong cause.
I firmly believe that these are deeply personal decisions. It’s tough finding ways to do all the things you feel are important, never mind what others find to be more important.
Can individuals make a difference anyhow?
Yes, absolutely! It’s more challenging, and the average difference is smaller than when businesses and government gets involved, but who gets those going in the first place? Groups of individuals.
If there are things you wish you could be doing, but just don’t have the time and/or resources to manage it just now, take note of them. Just because the time isn’t now doesn’t mean the time will never come.