For over forty years, Earth Day has brought together people from all walks of life with the unifying goal of taking better care of our planet. In celebration of Earth Day this year, Skype has brought together four panelists from across the country to share their insights on the issues facing our planet today. They connected these environmentalists, entrepreneurs, authors, and eco-enthusiasts on a group video call to give their take on the state of our environment, describe the positive changes they would like to see in the future, and to give some advice as to the best ways people can support the cause. Representing various facets of the ‘green’ movement, from the household to the workplace, they offer a diverse range of perspectives, and shed some light on one of the world’s most important topics.
Watch a conversation on global climate change, environmental awareness, and some of the best practices for the eco-conscious.
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My Thoughts
I watched the video and agreed wholeheartedly with what the experts had to say and additionally learned a few things or two. Stephanie Moram “Good Girl Gone Green” made an excellent point that she is living as green as she can to make a brighter future for her daughter. I think people can get discouraged about reducing their impact and not seeing instant positive results within the environment. However, the earth didn’t get this way in a day or year and it took decades of abuse to create the devastating effects we see from global warming. What are ancestors did way back in the 1800 hundreds and over the past two hundred years the fossil fuels we’ve burned has triggered this global crisis. Now today we experience insecure food supply, more severe storms, and animal extinctions. It is going to take a collective outreach of everyone doing their part to reverse global warming to secure a better future for our children’s children.
The four panelists also discussed about how going “green” has gone mainstream and environmentalists are starting a green revolution! Businesses are reducing their environmental impact, cutting down on emissions, and reducing energy consumption. In return they are reaping the benefits of lower utility bills, attracting new customers, and experiencing a better overall bottom line. Entrepreneurs are starting businesses and learning to make their profit by helping nature rather than by destroying nature. For instance, a new store called in.gredients will be the first package-free and zero waste grocery store in the United States. It is a collaborative effort between business, community, and consumers with the goal of eliminating food-related waste while supporting local businesses and farmers. Shoppers will be able to purchase locally- grown or locally-sourced products with pure ingredients which are package-free or in recyclable packaging that’s required to ensure food safety. I believe you will start seeing stores like in.gredients uprising in communities everywhere once local business men and women realize they can make a hefty profit by jumping on the green bandwagon.
The experts also gave the top three things people can do right now to reduce their environmental impact. All the suggestions were a terrific start, but in my opinion, Andy from “Brighterplanet” had the best advice. He made a great statement that the first thing is to know your impact and identify your hot spots, such as your carbon and water footprint. Then arm yourself with the information on the the best way to reduce them and make a change. Not every person fits into precisely the same “green” mold, therefore we all must make individual steps in decreasing our waste.
All the information in the Skype Debates: Earth Day 2012 was fantastic and everyone should take the time out to watch it ! Thank you Skype!
FTC Disclosure: This post is in association with our friends at Skype.
