When does it matter to us enough to decide that we need to make a change, a shift?

We are all traveling along a continuum. We have unique lives, needs, beliefs, priorities. At the same time, we are generally the same in that we want to feel safe, comfortable, happy, in control of our lives. Some of us feel pretty good about where we are relative to our safety and our “lot in life” … giving us the freedom to think about ideas beyond the day-to-day effort to manage things and “keep it together”. Does that translate into taking up a new hobby, volunteering at a nearby organization, travel? There are so many options. Or could it give us the little bit of extra time needed to learn about how to conserve energy and how to begin to move from consuming fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy? What would make any of us decide that making that effort is how we want to use that precious bit of freedom, of extra time?

Often, things that concern us for a moment—because we read about it or see something about it in the news—are lost to the next pressing need in our personal lives that presents itself. It is human nature to be spellbound by a disaster. The tragedy of a tornado decimating a community, a flood moving through streets we can see the waters pick up and carry cars and dumpsters past the camera, or a wildfire with its ominous orange glow from a distance and the charred remains we are shown the next day. Many of us sit and watch in disbelief and feel great sympathy for the people directly impacted. Yet, the next day—possibly even in the next moment—we are back to our lives as though nothing has happened. Well, nothing has happened to us.

First, we need to understand that small changes are as important as big ones, if we stick with them. Trying out an LED lightbulb is small—but is a change, nonetheless. It may be tough to rationalize paying more for a single light bulb than you ever have before, the incandescent ones right next to the LED bulbs on the store shelf. Or, you may have tried CFL bulbs years ago and you didn’t like the light that it gave off. Investing a few dollars to try again, is a pretty low-risk step.

Second, we need to think through what matters to us. As was outlined here, on our home page, there are a variety of reasons to make an energy shift—here are some of the ones we think drive most people:

• Patriotism – because you care deeply about the strength and stability of this country…
• Environmental Concern – because you understand that burning fossil fuels not only contributes to air pollution locally, but to climate change globally…
• Saving Money – because you want to save money wherever and however you can, making you more financially secure, enabling you to buy the things you need and some of the things that you want…
• Faith – because you accept that it is your moral duty to respect and protect all of creation, including living in a way that minimizes your impact on the earth…