MARCH 25, 2006
Some
change in our lives that is required can be gradual, over a period of time, and barely perceptible; while other change needs to describe as a complete about face.
Many of us have heard the term cold turkey. This refers to the idea that one day you are a smoker and the next day you have quit. Over-night, something within someone triggers the desire to change behavior immediately.
This idea was first applied to the environment, by my knowledge, by the director of the Rainforest Action Network, Randy Hayes, and a recent guest on ETT. Randy has always talked about the environmental u-turn. Each of us who drive a car understands what a u turn is. We are daily faced with having to adjust to no u - turn signs on streets, or u turn ok signs that give us permission to turn around and go in the other direction. What is needed today are hundreds of environmental u turns by individuals, corporations and governments.
Stop and think what u turn has meant something to you in your life. Some people may label this as a spiritual awakening, a gestalt, coming to ones senses, getting the message, but I like the idea of the image of a u turn. Religious conversion is often described by the one who experiences the conversion as a life changing experience. My wish is that more and more of us make the environmental u turns necessary so we can direct the future to a u turn as well.
Randy is now the Sustainable City Coordinator for the City of Oakland, which is a personal u turn for the leading rainforest activist in the world. He has combined his in your face style with a solution based program for a very progressive city. The long range vision is giving an example for others to make the u-turn.
On a personal level, we can do the about face tomorrow or today. Eating habits, purchasing habits, and bad habits can be changed anytime we desire. When we know the u turn benefits the future of our children we are more apt to change direction. We have to ask, am I willing to change direction? If the answer is yes, then be the change agent in the world.
--Peter