Thursday, June 10, 2010

The Carbon Footprint

I'm pondering my true carbon footprint. In this photo, I am sitting on a rock overlooking a valley in N. E. Georgia.

Hiking there is a trick. Its a special location only the immediate locals know about. And, they're a dying breed.

There's special mosses, lichen and vegetation that one must not step on or it will die. Rainmaker showed me how to find this place, and how to respect it. To watch and take care where every last footprint (and seat print) falls.

Every place I touch will be left with an impact. Even the little places. Some things will suffer, like the mosses. Some places will benefit, like a garden.

The things I chose to buy, to throw away, to wear, all this has an impact on the earth. The car I drive, the kinds of entertainment I enjoy. How often I must "upgrade" my electronics.
Sort of a heavy thought, a responsibility.

When I got to Zion, I was given a metal water bottle. They have established a free Spring Water bottle refill station for the public to use, in an effort to reduce the plastic consumption.

The flip side, of course is the reckless oil spills, wars, and strip mining that go on constantly. How will my couple footprints ever matter compared to all that?

It is a subject to ponder. Personal responsibility versus detached apathy.

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