Is it just me, or is claiming to be a socially and environmentally conscious person and then ignoring your recycling bin completely hypocritical? Isn’t it just a little hypocritical to criticize Bush for his oil policies and then leave your lights on when you leave the room? Is this just me? I also don’t understand people who go to EON meetings and then turn the water on at full blast when they brush their teeth and leave it on for the entirety of the process. Why don’t they wet the toothbrush, turn the water off, and then turn it on again to clean the toothbrush? Also, did they really need to drive to the EON meeting?
But this isn’t just a matter of EON members not living up their own environmental ideals. Maybe it is just me, but I don’t think you can be a socially responsible person if you are environmentally irresponsible. Social problems and environmental problems are directly connected, and you can’t give lip service to one and then ignore the other. Worried about children dying in Africa? Well, part of their problem is they don’t have access to the water you’re wasting! Unhappy about the war in Iraq? Think it’s partially motivated by oil profits? Well, TURN YOUR FRIKKIN LIGHTS OFF! And stop using your air conditioners when its 65 degrees outside, or even when it’s 75 degree—ou can deal with a little heat or you can use a fan!
Ok, I know, so you’re only leaving your room for five minutes, what’s the big deal? But think about how often five minutes turn into 20 when you stop and chat with your hallmates. I understand leaving the lights on when you go to the bathroom or to borrow something etc, but think about it this way: If you’re taking your keys, the lights should go off. If you’re going to be gone for more than five minutes, the lights should go off. And if you’re leaving the building ALL lights should go off, not just the overhead one. It is not asking too much for you to turn off the desk lamp, the Christmas lights, or the bedside lamp. These things take a total of 45 seconds.
Okay, so I don’t shut down my computer when I leave the room either. (I think its less efficient to keep booting it up and then shutting it down all day than to just leave it on, am I wrong? Someone feel free to correct me.) But I do close my laptop so I know the computer goes to sleep, which is definitely more efficient. And I don’t leave music playing.
I understand recycling is messed up on this campus. But please, please, please ask your RA what you should be doing with your recycling; it doesn’t need to take a lot of effort. And please, please, please, PLEASE turn off the lights when you leave the bathroom. Maybe you could even put a yellow sticky above the light switch reminding your hallmates to turn off the lights. It would only take a second.
Every day I see Wesleyan students doing amazing things to try to change the world. It’s fantastic. I just wish we would all remember that change begins with yourself and your light switch.
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