The Green Generation vs. The MTV Generation

All of my non-green associates are constantly telling me that global warming is crap and that the perrill of our planet is ficticious. Even though, in the same breath, they tell me how they remember when they were kids that this over here was a park and that was complete jungle... the road from here to there was two lanes and dirt... and that was only twenty years ago.

My response is always... "and you think paving over the world is ficticious? Seems pretty concrete too me... " pun completely intended.

One of the reasons we bought our home was for the yard. Sure, we paid too much for our L-shaped, too small home, but the yard! Oh the yard. My husband jokes that when Wallmart comes a knocking... we are selling.

So today, I was forwarded a link to watch Al Gore's most recent slideshow. Two things I came away with: 1. Gore and Obama would make a fabulous ticket. 2. We need to increase the urgency that the Earth really is in a bad way and we need to focus on fixing our problems with energy. He put out the question: Which generation is going to seek responsibility for this?

Well first, let me say that when I found out that the "Baby Boomer" generation is calling my generation the "MTV Generation" I was truly disgusted. It reminded me of the time I heard "Teeny Bopper" and about puked. First off... that generation has no idea what my generation is all about. They can't stand Colbert, think Stewart is an idiot and they are convinced that the Internet is a "phase" and will eventually go away. Now, not all of them are like that... but come on... we are waiting for them to die off so we can change the world. There's even a song about it from a member of our own generation: John Mayer!

So how did we get the "MTV Generation" label? Well it isn't because MTV came about in the early 80's... it's because of our need for instant gratification. Hmmm.... Well... I guess that's true in some ways. If we want to read about something, we go online and find it instead of driving to the library, looking for the book, not finding it... then driving somewhere else. I can't remember the last time I went into a store without researching the product online, the best pricing and where to find it locally if possible, using as little time and gas as possible.

Yes... I want all of my media in the smallest package possible. Why... so when I am done with it, I delete it instead of adding it to the land fill. And yes... it is far easier to buy an MP4, add it to the IPOD, plug it into the tv and watch, then it is to load the dvd, wait.... wait.... wait.... crap it's scratched. Now what!

So MTV vs. Green... I say we claim Green. Let's plaster the world with our change and encourage people around us to do the smallest amount they can... because it will all add up. We can create urgency by being personally responsible for our own actions and frankly, isn't that what being a respectable adult is all about? Being responsible for your own actions? Don't worry Al, if the Green Generation was polled for surveys, your slide show would have been very different.

View Al Gore's Newest Presentation