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Defining Green

Posted on 23. Mar, 2011 by Jennifer Marcus Newton in Green Trends

For a term that defines an entire movement, “green” is kind of lackluster and vague. It’s a color. It’s a political genre. It’s cash money. In the pejorative sense, it’s one who is envious. Or inexperienced. One can be green-thumbed and green-eyed. And, of course, green means being eco-conscious.

Yet, ask someone to define green – in the environmental sense – and you will probably be surprised by the wide range of interpretations. When I attempt to distill the term, I find myself describing green as a way of navigating the world and not at all a fixed category or label. As I learn more about how my personal choices, purchases and behaviors impact the world around me, I do a little adjusting to strike the right balance unique to me.

I would argue that green isn’t uniquely environmental either. Our choices and behaviors certainly have an impact on our environment; the air we breathe, the soil beneath our feet and the water we drink, but our choices and behaviors also impact the quality of life, health and well being of others. Green to me is more about personal responsibility, weighing my own needs against the needs of those around me and the planet and seeing the big picture.

In the words of John Donne, no man is an island unto himself. We impact one another, plain and simple.

How do you define green?

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Tags: environmentally conscious, Green Living