footprints

I'd bet that most people actually interested in fly fishing and the places
fish live are also interested in minimizing their personal negative impact
on the planet. In matters environmental, "Think globally, act locally" is
a good motto, imho. With that in mind I plug away at little projects
designed to help mitigate my passage. I plant a new tree here and there,
plan trips to minimise fossel fuel usage, donate money to protect special
places, etc.

One such project was recently adding solar panels to my travel trailer, to
keep the batteries charged. I camp mostly in undeveloped sites and run my
Honda generator to keep the batteries up and use my OTT lights for fly tying
.... or that was the old way. I've had them installed a couple weeks now
and even in the low angled early March sun, my tests show that they are
likely to almost eliminate my use of the generator. I also got a small
inverter and even the OTT lights no longer require my burning gasoline.
Certainly not salvation for the planet, or even noticable really, but that
is the point, little things add up to big ones.

And, I won't have to listen to, and smell, the generator .... maybe my main
point here is that cleaner living, walking lighter on the planet, is SELF
serving.


I post this for two reasons,
(1) to pat myself on the back a bit as I take pride in my little efforts to
reduce my impact, and
(2) to encourage others to make a small change or two. You won't notice
it by itself, but if we all save a bit of gas, coal, or heating fuel or take
care to walk a little more lightly on the Earth in other ways the total
result will be noticed .... by our kids and grandkids and the seventh
generation.



Environmental issues seem to become political issues but I see them as
personal ones ... ones that DO and WILL affect ME and MY family, now and for
generations. And even though I'm a "liberal, tree hugging ex-hippie" I
don't think government is often the real key to solving environmental
problems ( regardless of which ones you may believe are 'real' ) ...
individual, or small group, action motivated by self serving concern for the
future health and happiness of our own families will prove to be "the
answer" if one is found .... and what can be more "conservative" than that?

Do something this week to make your personal world a little cleaner and less
poluting, it can't hurt the planet, and it will make your part just a tiny
bit nicer. ( And I promise not to snitch to your right wing friends, it can
be our little secret :-)