OK, I’m dating myself here, but when I was a kid, school was all about the Three R’s: Reading, (w)Riting and (a)Rithmetic.
Time passes. Things change. The world goes green. And my 6-year-old daughter promptly corrects me when I mess up on the order of her generation’s Three R’s: Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
“Mom, you got it wrong…again!” she says, rolling her eyes, after I ask her about the recycle, reduce and reuse programs at her school, which includes separating milk cartons into a recycling bin and having parents bring home bags of compostable food scraps from school to put into their yard waste bins.
“It’s Reduce…Reuse…and Recycle,” my daughter corrects, distinctly pausing after every word, hoping it’ll sink in. I can learn, I assure her. And I am. We all R.
Two years ago when Al Gore released his award-winning documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth,” the mainstream consumer woke up to the global warming crisis. This spring when gasoline prices topped $4 a gallon, more commuters began utilizing mass transit. And with food prices — including massive shortages of rice, the world’s food staple — spiraling upward, people began turning to Farmers Markets and locally grown produce.
Finally, the world — which consists of you and me — is looking at taking shorter showers, bicycle commutes for errands and work, and growing vegetable gardens.
Gradually, we understand the terms “carbon footprint” and “sustainability.” We are waking up to the fact we have one world. Protecting the environment has finally taken a front seat in the drive of our lives.
As outdoor recreationalists, we are becoming leaders in the Three R’s of this brave new world.
Many outdoors manufacturers are cueing off Patagonia when they began recycling plastic soda bottles into fiber for fabric 15 years ago. Our story in this issue on new eco-friendly gear (page 26) illustrates the sustainability commitment from the outdoors industry.
At the grassroots level, we, as event participants at local walks, runs, bike rides, triathlons and more, can be an environmental voice by encouraging event directors to integrate greener concepts into their events.
For example, what happens to the used drink cups at water stations? Are banana peels and energy bar wrappers being separated? Can there be a used clothing and gear donation bin at registration and finish line areas where items can be recycled for others to use?
Our popular Outdoors NW Sport-Bag program, sponsored by Subaru, supplies plastic participant bags to over 150 Northwest events annually. This year, we are pleased to announce that these bags are now biodegradable and fully recyclable.
In this edition, we have devoted several pages to our annual “Green Guide” beginning on page 22. In addition to our Eco Gear story, you’ll find out what you can do to reduce your impact on the environment when you’re out hiking and camping this summer, discover the unique Mountains to Sound Greenway and learn about green tips while being tipped off to many environmentally-friendly resources.
There’s a lot to be said for the new Three R’s that are being taught to our children. As adults, I think with practice, we can learn these too.
Carolyn welcomes your comments. Please email her at Carolyn@OutdoorsNW.com
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