Lately I’ve been thinking about this column and just what it’s all about. Green Living, Home, Living Lighter on the Planet: topics that are probably helpful to some while others couldn’t care less. How does a writer connect with more people, especially those with different values?
For me, this is a place to share ideas that address, and hopefully help solve, much larger issues. There are plenty to choose from but the climate crisis is paramount since it affects everything else. I spend a lot of time trying to understand what is happening to our world and from what I’ve learned, there truly is a crisis, and it is a Very. Big. Deal.
Tucked away in the Home section of the Las Vegas Review Journal every other Thursday is this little Green Living column that attempts to address some of the most significant issues of our time, perhaps of all time (since time is a human construct). It is framed in the context of our homes, which play a significant role in most people’s lives and our corresponding impact on the world.
Since energy use is key, I write a lot about the abundance and practicality of clean, renewable energy. I urge readers to embrace efficiency. From books and films to products and practices to ideas and lifestyles, no stone should be left unturned when it comes to learning to live responsibly. For me, nothing is more important.
That is why I want to know more about our world, about you as a reader and about this column’s effectiveness. The paper has regularly published my Green Living column for eight years. I’ve written hundreds of pages comprising over 200 columns. It is both a privilege and a responsibility, and neither should be squandered.
Over the years, I’ve received feedback from readers. I appreciate those who take the time to share their thoughts. I’ve also received many requests for help and advice. People have asked about everything from installing solar panels to building a green home to writing a book. I’ve helped when I could, but there is just not enough time to answer every request personally. Each time I hear from someone it is a welcome opportunity to learn, but I need more information now.
Thus I am announcing the Green Living Reader’s Poll and you are invited, urged and cajoled to take part. I promise it will be simple and quick. You can leave comments if you like or just use the check boxes. Share it with your friends or not. Every response, or lack thereof, will provide meaningful information to help shape future writing.
I want nothing less than the truth about your experience of this column, so whether you like it, love it, hate it or just can’t stop yawning, please take a few moments to let me know by taking the Green Living Reader’s Poll.
Through the process I hope to learn what really matters to you. What do you think is important? Is the climate crisis a concern or not? I’d like to know how often you read Green Living and if anything you’ve read has led to action. Have you seen any results and were they positive or not?
I am not planning to share the results with anyone. It is not about marketing or financial gain. My interest lies in how best to serve others, human and non-human alike, by protecting the exquisite experience and diversity of life. No one has all the answers but with open communication we all benefit, learn and hopefully, grow wiser.
No Green Living column would be complete without imparting something of value. I found a mind map called “Solving Global Warming – Doing Something” and it is worth absorbing. The image was created by Jane Genovese, the talented owner of Learning Fundamentals, an organization that gives students the edge over their studies. I have been a student of life for all of my life and I appreciate the clarity Jane imparts. More of her work is featured at LearningFundamentals.com.au. Check it out… and don’t forget to take the Green Living reader’s poll. It’s all about Doing Something!
