Robbie MacKay

I just saw someone using a leaf blower to move grass cuttings out of the gutter… simply blowing them onto the road…

What the…?

So you used some energy to cut the grass – sure.. you want short grass, that I can understand…

But then you used more energy (petrol in this case) to blow the grass cuttings onto the street?

The wind is just going to blow them back again…

What a waste!

Its a mundane example, but it illustrates my point:
We’ve stopped thinking about what we’re doing

We use energy like it has no impact…

Well start thinking again because your actions have an impact

Find the things you do that waste energy
Then stop doing them

I noticed that now I have a car, I drive to my girlfriends place regularly
A ten minute drive where I used to take the bus or train..

So I’ve decided that I’m going to try running or biking there instead
Its a simple change (and for me not a huge inconvenience) which should reduce my carbon footprint

I don’t expect everyone to stop driving all the time
Find ways to save energy which work for you.. then share them

Find new ways to do things
Stop doing things which just waste energy
Keep thinking about what you’re doing

Today is Blog action day… I only just discovered this thanks to bwagy… now what to contribute??

First up I’m currently working on a few related things: I work with Engineers WIthout Borders & I’m building a website for the Fair Trade Assocation.

But these seem like fairly minor contributions compared to the problem..

Poverty is such a big issue that we tend to just shut off when ever it comes up..

We don’t want to get present to whats really going on in the world..

Wake up!

We’re so busy trying to ignore the problem, we forget that small contributions eventually add up…

Everytime I see someone collecting money for an appeal – I think I should give them something… then I hesitate… by the time I’ve thought it through I’ve already walked past… ‘the chance is gone’ I tell myself..

It’s time to stop thinking, stop considering… start giving…

This isn’t just about poverty. It’s the environment, human rights, any other issue… we think we don’t make any difference so we don’t try..

Remember – ‘Eighty percent of success is showing up’ - The same applys for making a difference… show up, keep showing up… see what happens…