Jill Buck

Jill Buck

  • Bio:

    Former Naval Officer; Proud mother of 3; Founder & Executive Director of Go Green Initiative

  • Location:

    California

  • Web Site:

    http://www.gogreeninitiative.org

Q&A

How do you eco?

I like to think of 'green' as who I am, not what I do. I'd like to think that I'm the kind of person who wouldn't knowingly waste anything, and so I try to act accordingly. And I wouldn't knowingly introduce toxins into my children's world, and so I try to make sure I don't. I "eco" by trying to think through the ramifications of my action (or inaction), and when I reach the point when I don't know the effect of my actions, I try to find out.

Sometimes when my kids make a mistake, they will say, "I didn't mean to." And I say, "I believe you, but did you mean not to?" And that question always gets them thinking a little bit harder about what they can do to avoid making the same mistake again.

I think that's how I "eco", as well. It's not good enough to say we didn't mean to pollute the Earth. What we need to ask is...did we mean not to? And if we "mean not to" then we can be purposeful, thoughtful and determined in each decision we make.

Why did you go eco?

My kids. Plain and simple. I love them so much!

Clean air, clean water and clean soil to grow their food in...ample clean energy...these are the foundations of the high standard of living we hope to pass on to our children. We do so much to ensure they have healthy, prosperous future like save for their college education, take them to the doctor for well-child check ups, and make sure they eat healthy food. If we do all these things, but do not also leave them clean water or reliable access to energy...what good have we done?

What's your favorite eco tip?

Someday our children will need the natural resources we either take from them, or save for them. If the U.S. Censcus Bureau is correct, by the year 2050 the Earth's population will be over 9 billion (we're just over 6 billion now). Using simple math, that means that if the Earth's finite natural resources were evenly distributed over the world population, people alive in 2050 would only have 25% of the natural resources available to them that people in 1950 had. Every resource we save today will be a resource that can be used tomorrow. Kind of like, "a penny saved is a penny earned."

I think Benjamin Franklin had it right...waste not, want not.

If we do not waste natural resources today, our children will not want for them in the future.

My favorite eco tip...don't waste anything.