Conscious Choice: We’ve come a long way baby...

April 2008 | From the Editor

We’ve come a long way baby...

I have vivid memories of worrying about the planet as a kid. I think I was 11 or 12 when I learned that the production of Styrofoam released chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) into the atmosphere, which turned the ozone layer into Swiss cheese. I remember feeling guilty about using aerosol cans and switching to squeezable gel for my morning hair ritual (yep, I had high bangs).

I also remember feeling frustrated that no one else around me seemed to care — about the planet… not my bangs.

On one memorable trip to the mall (wow, I am divulging a lot here) with my mom and brother, we stopped in for our mandatory Orange Julius — remember those frothy orange smoothie-esque drinks that tasted like a liquid creamsicle? Our mall treat came on the heels of a school movie I had just seen, which included an animated depiction of CFCs putting holes in the ozone layer. Armed with this newfound knowledge, it felt wrong to quietly sip from the Styrofoam. So I asked the hapless Orange Julius counterboy if he knew how bad Styrofoam was for the planet and if his employer had considered switching to a different material. Sadly, this story does not end with my mall’s Orange Julius making the first Styrofoam switch and prompting a nationwide change (my own personal fantasy). Instead, the guy behind the counter looked at me like I was nutty and pretty much ignored my questions. My mom, in turn, became annoyed with me for “making a scene” and embarrassing her.

I walked away feeling alone and upset. I wanted to help. I wanted companies to stop using Styrofoam. Why did we need it if there were alternatives? I remember wishing there was a club I could join or somewhere I could apply my energy in a way that would actually make a difference. I wanted to bring people together at school and make our small actions count.

Fast-forward a few decades (and a few brilliant innovations — think biodegradable cornstarch and sugar cane cups) later, and I can’t help but feel hopeful. Yeah, we got problems, and who knows how this whole planet-in-peril story is going to pan out, but when I think back to the frustration that I felt as a kid, it makes me realize how far we really, truly have come.

Whether or not green is just a passing fad, our collective awareness has undeniably shifted. Remember when “eco” wasn’t even in our vernacular? I don’t either, but I am pretty sure I wasn’t using it back in my Orange Julius days.

As I write this I am waist-deep in Green Festival After Hours party planning and in the process of collaborating with some pretty incredible (and inspiring) businesses and people. April is shaping up to be an epic Earth Day themed month and no matter how you look at this shift we call the Green Movement, things are movin’.

Here’s to taking note of how far we really have come.

Happy Earth Month!

— Ritzy

Ritzy Ryciak • [click to e-mail]

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