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After being struck by catastrophic disaster, Greensburg pulled together and decided to make their community stronger and greener. But as any one of its residents would tell you, that's easier said than done. And this might seem familiar (sans disaster): you want to up the eco-friendly ante in your neighborhood, but don't have a clue where to begin. Believe it or not, the best way to get your town started going green is simply speaking up.
Talking with your neighbors is first on TreeHugger's list for greening your community for a reason—just discussing green issues helps bring them closer to the foreground. It's great if you buy local food and recycle, but you can't expect others to follow suit just because you do. Starting a dialogue is a somewhat daunting but certainly necessary first step—your neighbors simply may have no idea that those options exist. This may seem remarkable to some of us, but just check out this woman's account of moving to a recycle-less land. If that reminds you of your own community, then you could do as she (admirably) did, and actually go door to door and discuss possibilities for getting greener.
If that sounds too intrusive, then simple steps like mentioning places that sell local food and farmers' markets in passing can help plant a seed. Or just start talking about ways to green your community with only your close friends, and encourage them to do the same in their other social circles. Just refrain from getting preachy—and remember that most people are open to doing what they can for the environment. But there's only one way of finding out just what that is—by talking about it.
This post was inspired by Planet Green's show, Greensburg.
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