Word of Advice for Environmentalists

There are ways of creating awareness of helping the environment. However, tact would be something to be considered when approaching those with a less-alarmist mentality. An example of this can be found in a book I am reading entitled A.D.K.A.R.: A Model For Change in Business, Government and our Community by Jeffrey M. Hiatt.

The example I am providing refers to how, in 1993, Green Hotels Association implemented a small change in how customers treated the bath towels, and ended up creating positive changes for both the hotels in the association, and for the environment as well. It started with a small card in each hotel bathroom that read as follows...

"Each day we use millions of gallons of water and tons of detergent in hotels to wash guest towels that have only been used once.

Decide for yourself. A towel on the rack means 'I will use it again.'

A towel on the floor means: 'Please exchange.'"

Within 10 years, the hotels that implemented the changes had shown significant reduction in both water and detergent use, which saved both money and resources. These cards can now be seen in over 150,000 hotel rooms worldwide.

Now, the point of all this is simple. There wasn't any forceful language in that notice that the association had provided. It was simply creating awareness and asking the customer to make a choice. This is what environmental alarmists need to do. Instead of the "Chicken Little" approach to trying to "educate" the masses to conserve energy, simple tact and spreading knowledge without threats, force, or simple bloviating would probably get their message out there without negative backlash. This way, you're allowing the American public to make their own decisions...instead of attempting to force change without the option to do so.

Of course, saying "this is the consensus" without getting an actual consensus doesn't help the credibility of these alarmists, either.