One of my biggest pet peeves I have encountered over the last few years has been this question that is asked in almost every interview I have, "Why are you so involved in environmental issues?"  It is a simple answer to give, "Well (fill in name), I am avid in outdoor sports and want to protect the environment I play in, have a young daughter that I want to leave a clean Earth for and quite simply just want to do the right thing."  The trouble I have with the question is that the real one that should be asked is, "Why is anybody in today's developed countries NOT heavily involved with environmental issues?"  There really is no excuse for us to be continuing the same wasteful/ damaging lifestyle choices that the baby boomer generation chose to make.  In today's world we have countless opportunities to alter our consumer and lifestyle choices that make a serious impact on the way we move forward to a better more responsible way of living. 

From a consumer's point of view I don't understand why a parent would choose a toxic cleaning product over a counterpart that is just as effective but is non-toxic/green and safe to use around their children.  I don't understand why someone would choose fruit and vegetables that are covered in pesticides when organic options are so readily available.  Sure, I get the argument that it costs more, but usually that argument comes from people who have no problem forking over a few bills for things such as an expensive coffee.  Quite simply, it is easier than ever to get off your duff and make a huge difference in your "footprint" that you leave on this Earth. Whether it is paint, lightbulbs, or food almost every aspect of our lives and homes has a green alternative that is simple to obtain. 

Another point of contention comes when I am asked about biking.  Why does it surprise some people when I ride my bike or walk to work instead of driving? Since I make a good living does that excuse me from having to really care about using my car? Is mass transit and biking only "really" for people that can't afford cars? 

Let's move beyond the silliness of the so called "green movement" and make it something more along the lines of what a normal life should be.  A normal person should be recycling, a normal house should have energy efficient light bulbs, a normal hockey rink should have biodegradable containers at their concessions, if the weather is nice why aren't you riding your bike instead of driving, etc.  We have to start questioning our family and friends as to why they are not doing the things we are.  At the end of the day there are no excuses for not living responsibly, it comes down to respect. Either you respect your fellow human and the future generations or you don't, it really is quite simple in those terms.