Endangered Earth U.S. Agenda Consumers It's Not Easy Being Green

"Think Globally, Act Locally" was the watchword of environmental activism from its beginning in the '60s. That advice is as appropriate now as it was then. Just as the Green movement started more than two decades ago not with governments but at the grass roots, so today it is individuals who must occupy the front lines in protecting the environment. Over the years, droughts, energy crunches and garbage strikes have stimulated common-sense approaches to conserving resources and minimizing waste. It is time to begin applying these lessons in ordinary times as well as in emergencies.

The easiest, most direct way for people to make a difference is to watch what they throw away. Every year more than 220 million trees are cut down just to make U.S. newspapers, the majority of which are tossed into the trash. Americans discard enough aluminum cans each year to rebuild the entire U.S. commercial airline fleet four times over. Quite obviously, says Earth Day 1990 chairman Denis Hayes, "the answer to the solid-waste problem is not figuring out some way to compact it or to incinerate it; the answer is to reduce it."

Environmentalists can suggest a multitude of ways to do that: recycle paper, aluminum, tin, glass, motor oil and car batteries. Reuse bottles, containers and shopping bags, or at least choose paper bags over plastic at the supermarket. And do not be fooled by the BIODEGRADABLE label on some new plastic products. They may not in fact break down, and those that do may take as long as 500 years. When something tears, wears or breaks, repair it instead of replacing it.

While the contents of the trash can are easy to see, the all-but-invisible fumes that pour out of automobile tail pipes are just as damaging to the environment. Every time Americans climb behind the wheel, they make their own personal contribution to the global-warming threat. Here again, a gradual modification of life-style can make a dramatic difference. When possible, use mass transit and support its development and expansion. For short distances, consider using a bicycle; it is excellent aerobic exercise. And, as in the energy-short 1970s, buy more fuel-efficient autos and carpool to work.

People also put carbon into the air when they heat homes with oil or natural gas, or use electricity that comes from burning fossil fuels. Household conservation tips should be familiar: close off unused rooms, seal up cracks and openings, and insulate roofs. Look at the energy-efficiency rating when buying appliances. And one more idea that few people know about: replace ordinary incandescent light bulbs with "compact-fluorescent" models sold by major light-bulb manufacturers. They can give off the light of a 60-watt bulb while using only 15 watts of electricity. These fluorescent bulbs cost at least $10, but they last ten times as long as conventional models and will pay for themselves by lowering electricity bills.