Good Environmentalism

I think its interesting that we have all had similar struggles about being a good environmentalists, the Fish article puts in perspective a whole plethora of internal struggles that one can have. Since high school I have considered myself an environmentalist, and I have worn the stereotype proudly, but I often wonder if I am enough of environmentalist. I have always done the recycling thing, I have created award winning recycling programs for a high school. I've worked on multiple environmental campaigns, and even interned for Greenpeace, USA, and it can be argued that Greenpeace is the face of the modern day environmental movement. Yet even while working in this green office I still wondered if I was a good enough environmentalist.
My first day at the office I was very concerned that I would not be accepted because I was not a vegetarian. Its silly but I was seriously concerned that I would enter an office full of vegans and would be turned away because I wasn't one too. I have a huge amount of respect for vegans and vegetarians but I come from a big Italian family and the idea of not eating meat or dairy is something that is not even an option. Luckily found that only about half of the office is actually vegetarian/vegans, the other half are proudly consumers of meat. They all try to consume locally, but so I do, when I can afford it. What I'm really trying to get out of this story is that on this day I learned a very important message, that you will not always fit into the stereotype of an environmentalist but that does not make you less of one.
To me, being an environmentalist does not mean that you used recycled paper toilet paper, drive a hybrid car, and only eat locally produced vegetables. Those are lifestyle choices and ones that are extremely expensive, college students like myself cannot even dream of afford this right now. I think being an environmentalist means being informed of the issues and feeling motivated to try to make some sort of proactive difference. This doesn't have to be a global difference, it is often forgotten how much can be changed on a local level. My favorite thing about being an environmentalist is jumping into a stream to pick up trash, not something most people think to do when they try be more environmentally friendly. Once we acknowledge the issues it becomes easier to adapt to living an "environmentally-friendly" way in the modern-day US, we might not all go buy hybrid cars but we might go buy reusable grocery bags. Its a guilt trip, but sometimes guilt can be a good motivator. I consider myself informed and I do everything within my power to be environmentally-friendly so when I do get those occasional internal struggles they soon past because I know that for me I am doing everything I can, and that's what it means to be a good environmentalist.