Green can’t be just a color

I am a late-stage boomer. I was always jealous of the earlier ones who are currently in their mid to late 70’s as they were teens during the years of peace and love when we were founding a new generation that would be better people and care more for others. Our first boomer president was Bill Clinton and whatever you think of him, he left our country in great shape: no debt and ready with a presidential candidate who put saving our planet front and center.

I’m not sure where those people went. Perhaps because they made money and wanted to hold onto their wealth and forgot about the gas crisis of the Carter years, they just focused on themselves.

I’m disappointed in my generation, particularly in the area of climate change. We’ve always been aware of the problem, were taught conservation in schools, know the value of clean drinking water and not to use up the resources of the planet. But we have done such a lousy job that the rest of the world is doing all the heavy lifting to save the planet while we argue about masks and abortion.

My husband and I have vowed with this move to Tucson to do our part. This week we added our second electric car to our garage. We have an electric golf cart for driving around the neighborhood and an electric Volkswagon for driving around Tucson and Phoenix. We have found our reusable bags at last and take them everywhere which seems to shock local Tucson cashiers. We are recycling as much as we can and not allowing carryout to include plastic straws and utensils. It’s certainly not enough but I keep hoping that the boomers work to do as much as possible for the next generations so they don’t feel disheartened by all they have to do to fix the problems we helped create.

Age plays no role in protecting the planet. It’s about mindset and action. What are you doing to replenish the planet?