Personalizing the Journey of Walking the Green Talk

A recent Gallup poll shows that 94% of Americans are aware of Climate Change issues, and of that segment 75% feel that action needs to be taken. So what percentage of Americans is transferring this awareness into action? What impact would it have if 75% of the US population took personal action to address these climate issues?

The gap between awareness and action may represent the single largest opportunity for global sustainability progress. While historical efforts have focused on expanding awareness, the recent explosion of information and global interest indicates that the “word is out” on most major issues.   The next step is closing the growing gap between knowledge and personal action.

One of our sustainability consulting missions for 2010 and beyond is to promote the action step in personal sustainable lifestyle and business sustainability change. Integrating sustainability concepts into everyday activities at home and at work doesn’t have to be a costly or laboring process.

As we discuss with clients and friends, personal and business sustainability is a continuous improvement process that challenges each of us to constantly transform our personal eco awareness into manageable and value adding action. Putting a plan into action creates alignment and further expresses or extends one’s personal commitment.

Take for example a few basic actions to address personal impacts on climate change. These concepts are not beyond our current awareness and simply need to be put into action. In fact, these actions will not only make a positive impact but will actually save money.

•    Evaluate energy sources: at home, at work, and in transportation.

•    Evaluate electrical energy efficiency at home and at work.

•    Evaluate the impacts of everyday purchasing decisions .

An important aspect of creating a personal or business sustainability plan is finding the right incentives to keeping a program going. As a sustainability consultant, I encourage everyone to look for the economic benefits as well as the personal satisfaction of a sustainable lifestyle. Our goal is to help business and individuals take continuous inspired action on their growing eco awareness.