Let's hope that more people know how to recycle than how to spell it!
The spelling-disinclined may have found Lori Harfinest's spelling bee a bit harsh. After all, we all know that crummy spelling skills don't reflect intelligence (does the name Thomas Edison, genius dyslexic, ring a bell?).
Lori's pop quiz got us thinking about another green challenge: the eco-cynical Anti-Greenies. These are people that live happily in the river of denial about every eco challenge. Fear not! The following hard and fast facts will fuel a perfectly peaceful reply en route to a healthier, more eco-aware population:
Anti-Greenie: Recycling actually wastes energy.
Happy Greenie: Actually, reusing aluminum is 95 percent more energy-efficient than creating products with raw materials. And recycling plastics uses just 10 percent of the energy it takes to make a pound of plastic from virgin resources. (Thanks, Ready, Set, Green!)
Anti-Greenie: Plants are natural. The word 'organic' is a marketing term
Anti-Greenie: Turning off the water when I brush my teeth isn't going to save the world.
Happy Greenie: You can save more than five gallons of water per day by turning off the water while shaving or brushing your teeth. I know... I was shocked too!
Anti-Greenie: My car is a clunker but it's the only one I have! What am I supposed to do-walk 20 miles to work?
Happy Greenie: Of course you have to drive to work. But taking care of your car impacts the environment. Believe it or not, a car that isn't tuned properly produces 10-15 times more pollution than a properly tuned up car!
Keep these rebuttals at the ready and help take the meanie out of the Anti-Greenie!
