The idea of environmental concern has been twisted by many people into something that is practised by people who are prepared to blow away everything that is considered normal and reasonable. Let recycling take hold, say some, and it will be no time at all before the environmental lobby are forcing us to place wind turbines on our roofs and make our own electricity by jumping on a treadmill to save the planet’s resources.
Therefore, people who have considered making a difference to the state of our environment start to reconsider. “I’d like to live in a greener way, but I’m not some kind of totalitarian eco-warrior and I don’t want people to think I am” is a fairly common concern of a number of people. And it’s reasonable enough because no-one wants to be the subject of ridicule. But it doesn’t need to be that black and white, or green and white.
You can make a difference in the home without going on marches. Just because you re-use an empty milk carton it doesn’t mean you are going to set fire to your neighbor’s car. You can help the environment without becoming an anarcho-terrorist. There is a world of difference between valuing the future of your planet, your country or your town and suddenly wanting to take over the world. So try not to listen to the skeptics. It’s easy to understand their position, but letting them change your mind without really presenting a coherent argument is not so easy to understand.