Practice what you preach

When I was about to set a resolution for this year, I couldn't help but think of my accomplishments and my stumbles of the past year. Whether it be career goals, or cutting it back on the Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches (those things are awesome).

Unfortunately, this blog is not featured on Martha Stewart Living, so I'll avoid the food and instead talk about my accountability as someone who works for an environmental organization.

I've always been an advocate of believing in everything you do. To be honest, about a year and a half ago, I had no idea what a watershed was or even what the Chesapeake Bay was. Yes, that last statement is sadly true.

The thing is, I think a lot of people are in the same position that I was. Good people who want to help, but they just don't know what to do.

A lot of the things I was doing every day were having a negative impact on the environment and the Chesapeake Bay, but I didn't think to correct my actions.

I would leave lights on, keep the water running, buy bottled water, buy processed foods, use plastic cups for every drink, fertilize my lawn; I even drive a Silverado, for goodness sake. The point is, I wasn't doing any of these things while dancing around my house yelling, "Who cares about the Bay!?" I was simply neglecting all the information that is out there that can easily make you take a step back and re-evaluate your lifestyle choices.

I certainly feel as though there are a lot of people like me that still need to be reached. People who would respond to watching a movie like Food Inc. or would cut back on their use of plastic if they had to collect their garbage for a month and see how much they go through.

My new years resolution could be to continue to grow as an environmental steward, but I think I will take it a step further. This year, I would like to keep a more open mind about all of my actions and to continue learning as much as I can about how these actions affect me, others, and the environment around me.

What's your new years resolution for the environment?

Happy New Year,

Matt