Sunday, June 15, 2008

To legislate or not....that is the question

Bet you didn't think politics would come into play on a green remodel blog, but I can always make room for a great debate. This post focuses on government intervention and moving towards a more sustainable, renewable world. In my humble opinion, I say YES...government MUST be involved in efforts to improve our current environmental situation.  Change will not happen, at least the level of change that our world needs, unless government steps in and demands it.  

I've been thinking about this a lot.  Do you think that people would be wearing seat belts today if there weren't laws requiring us to? Well, the same is true of recycling, eliminating incandescent light bulbs, conserving water, reducing the VOC's in paint, using renewable energies...and the list goes on.  I think we can generally agree that all of us want a cleaner, less toxic earth.  But, no one wants it to impede upon their lifestyle.  Guess what folks, it has to impact your life because we don't live in isolation.  We are a community and communities need governing.  

My last rant of the blog (I think)---we have GOT to get some legislation passed (and of course the follow-up funding and enforcement) to move us in the right direction.  Why aren't solar, wind and other available sources of energy the norm???  Why aren't contractors and builders forced to recycle construction waste?  Why aren't there more "re-use" stores in our communities?  That is my piece during this election cycle.  

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