The "Green" Movement

Don't worry, this isn't a critique of environmentalists or a scarefest about global warming. I refer of course to the two different Green movements that were featured in Philadelphia yesterday. One was the "Green Festival" on South Street for the second year in a row. There were four blocks of booths pushing products, ideas and agendas. The hemp people were there, the recycling advocates and solar energy guys and of course the "back to the farm" people and dudes selling reggae hats and suspect veggie wraps. It felt like the parking lot outside a Grateful Dead concert (except no one was selling baloons full of Nitrous) Most of my family was wandering around too- it was in our neighborhood after all. We are generally into recycling and caring about the environment and stuff. I mostly do things that are also economical as well for the earth- things that are "economological" I've never owned a big, gas guzzling car- or any car for that matter. My scooter gets about 70 miles to the gallon. I even got a couple of those cloth tote bags to carry groceries- I was going to the Superfresh and I knew I couldn't walk through that crowd with horrible plastic bags. Plastic bags were good a few years ago, now you can only use them when you walk your dog.

Among the crowd were also a few representatives of the other Green movement- I speak of course of Philadelphia Eagles fans on the occasion of opening day of a new NFL season. Most of them were probably bewildered by the whole hippie dippy scene as they hurried into the supermarket to pick up some last minute chips and dip. I'm stereotyping of course, many people are members of both movements. But if I had to choose between the two Green movements I'd stop recycling immediately and buy a huge SUV and then sit down to watch some football. I was home in plenty of time to see the Eagles game, but now I almost wish I had stayed at the festival. As you have probably hear by now the Birds lost to Green Bay at Lambeau Field and the way they did it was excruciating. They probably should have won the game easily, but they kept making unforgivable mistakes- both coaches and players. Many fans sitting there watching things go wrong in a game often think: "What could I have done differently to change the outcome?" I know its a crazy idea, but we're a superstitious lot- if we weren't wearing the right jersey or sitting in the correct chair we think maybe we we're the cause of the TWO muffed punts (muffed punts, that's what they're called, sorry) It's called magical thinking- I'm sure I've mentioned it before in connection with football.

What struck me later in thinking about the two "Green" movements is how skewed most of our logic is about both of them. We think that our wardrobe or furniture choices can effect a football game- in another city, but we don't believe that doing a few small things for the earth can help at all. "I'm just one person, what can I do.....?" is something you hear all the time. If you change a few habits, take a few less trips in the car, recycle your plastic bags and eat more locally produced food you can make a difference. Just by setting a good example for others good ideas can be spread. It'll make you feel better to do something good for the world. And judging form the Eagles' first game- we're all going to need some cheering up.