Weekend America

Sustainability

Bill Radke's Environmental Impact

SEPTEMBER 29, 2007 Listen to this Story

Of all the American Public Media hosts who took the "Consumer Consequences" test -- our online calculator that measures a person's environmental footprint -- Weekend America's Bill Radke scored the greenest. But he doesn't consider himself an environmentalist. Radke explores what does and does not motivate people to change the world.

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I don't consider myself an environmentalist.

I do walk to the bus stop. My wife drives a hybrid, we're doing a green remodel and shopping for solar roof panels.But here's the thing, messages that berate us for not caring about things like global warming don't work for me.

In a Greenpeace video a boy in grey hood says, "You adults have known about this for years and though you could've done something about it, you haven't. Starting today, the lines are drawn. Either you're for my future or against it."

There are a lot of environmental messages like that, telling us that global warming is immoral and you should feel horrible about it.

NASA administrator Michael Griffin thinks differently: "I think that's a rather arrogant position for people to take. In an NPR interview this spring, Griffin took a lot of flak for saying that people are not obligated to stop climate change.

"Which human beings - where and when - are to be accorded the privilege of deciding that this particular climate that we have right here today, right now is the best climate for all other human beings?" he asked.

I don't agree with Griffin about what to do about global warming. But I'm with him on this one point. I don't know what's best for the planet. For all I know, humans will deal with climate change by cooperating across the world. We'll become closer than ever. Or maybe homosapiens will die off and we'll mutate into a species that doesn't choke itself to death.

Believe me, I want my baby daughter to thrive in this world. But I'm saying that's not noble of me, it's just tribal. I am not righteously outragedabout the environment.

So here's my question: If you don't feel outrage, fear or guilt, then what motivates you? Here I turn to an unlikely muse: my governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"For too long, the environmental movement had been powered by guilt. Guilt is passive, guilt is inhibiting, and guilt is defensive. Successful movements are built on passion not guilt," he said.

Interesting. So what if you didn't feel you knew you what was best for the earth, but you were passionate about the elegance of renewable energy(the way I love sailing across the water using only the wind)?

Could you appreciate the brilliance of hybrid and solar technology and green home design, without resenting the SUV driver or regretting your own impact on the Earth?

Well, I've found that I can. And so, this green radio host offers you an environmental message:

Did you know you could be reducing your carbon emissions and still polluting the planet with anxiety? Remember: passion burns clean. So save the guilt. And save the world.

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