Because I am crazy! You already know that. Five years back, I signed up for a marathon. When I signed up, I didn't have much stamina. I could hardly run on the treadmill for 30mins. I took up the challenge because I had never done something like that before. It was the most exciting time of my life. I worked hard for raising funds. My friends and family encouraged me. I was able to raise funds and complete running a full marathon.
Over these five years, I have steadily got more and more passionate about sustainability. I started out as an avid recycler. Then one of my friends challenged me by saying that just recycling is not good enough. He told me that reducing consumption is better than recycling. So, I decided to do that. I didn't stop there. I started composting my food waste, taking public transport and drastically reduced the trash I put out.
After I made these changes, I understood the depth of the problem. Since then, I have been trying to contribute more to sustainable developments. It seems to me that lot of work needs to be done. There are very few non-profits who are able get people thinking about these issues. I am participating in this event to help them raise funds to find solutions to present day environmental problems.
I have been biking about 14-15miles at a time when the weather permits. Its nowhere close to 320miles that I have signed up for. In this ride, I will do a maximum of 70miles a day! I believe that I am meant to do it this year because this event has been happening for six years but I heard of it only this year. Even though I had to pay $75 to register, I was able to make a decision within a minute after I got an invite to participate. I am definitely in a better shape to take this challenge at this time of my life. So, please support me by donating here.
Thanks!
Swetha
Over these five years, I have steadily got more and more passionate about sustainability. I started out as an avid recycler. Then one of my friends challenged me by saying that just recycling is not good enough. He told me that reducing consumption is better than recycling. So, I decided to do that. I didn't stop there. I started composting my food waste, taking public transport and drastically reduced the trash I put out.
After I made these changes, I understood the depth of the problem. Since then, I have been trying to contribute more to sustainable developments. It seems to me that lot of work needs to be done. There are very few non-profits who are able get people thinking about these issues. I am participating in this event to help them raise funds to find solutions to present day environmental problems.
I have been biking about 14-15miles at a time when the weather permits. Its nowhere close to 320miles that I have signed up for. In this ride, I will do a maximum of 70miles a day! I believe that I am meant to do it this year because this event has been happening for six years but I heard of it only this year. Even though I had to pay $75 to register, I was able to make a decision within a minute after I got an invite to participate. I am definitely in a better shape to take this challenge at this time of my life. So, please support me by donating here.
Thanks!
Swetha
On a personal level, more power to you, literally and figuratively! Becoming fit enough to run a marathon and to bike from New York (City?) to Washington, D.C. is inspiring, and given how embedded most of us are in a consumerist, energy-intensive lifestyle, it is also inspiring to have an example of someone reducing energy consumption and resource waste. Thank you very much for sharing your experiences and evolution.
ReplyDeleteThe work to be done at a social level is indeed profound. In terms of so-called 'Western' civilization, an early critique of wasteful energy consumption is enacted whenever someone reads, attentively, Plato's dramatic dialogue, "Republic," in which one can read a tale of two cities. Most readers of "Republic" remember the second city, in which all kinds of familiar issues and problems, including competition for resources (war!) play out. It is the first city, though, that presents a marked contrast with life as most of us live and understand it today-- a place where people live without luxury (which is another way of thinking about sustainability).
To use another Platonic metaphor, we are holed up in a cave, fooled by our greed to dance to shadowy temptations.
I think about how to solve that problem all the time, and in the meantime, do as you do, transforming my personal life to jive with the ideal of sustainable, eco-logical living.
Thanks episkyros! Its very nice to meet other people who think about the same issues.
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