The Grand Scheme of Things...

I didn't get the chance to speak with my Mother about the environment, and I really wanted to because she is a staunch Republican and pretty much gobbles up everything she hears from her favorite Republicans, and views the Republican platform as gospel truth. Although I didn't get to speak with my Mom, I had a discussion with someone who holds similar views, my boyfriend.

We've had arguments about pretty much every topic you can imagine. It has gotten to the point where we try to avoid major topics like religion and politics, because we are both set in our ways, nothing is going to change our view points, so it's useless getting into an argument for nothing. The same goes for discussions about the environment. It's not that he doesn't believe that there is an environmental problem, he just doesn't care about it. He thinks that any actions that could be taken to help the environmental crisis, isn't going to matter in the "grand scheme of things".

During our discussions in class, Prof. Simon has brought up several times that there are people who really don't care about the environment, and who will belligerently go out of their way to not recycle, and will leave the lights on, etc. I would always feel embarrassed to see other students' reactions to Simon's statement, because I know someone like that, and he happens to be my boyfriend. He doesn't go out of his way to not recycle, but whenever I save bottles to recycle them, or turn off the lights before I leave, he always jokes that he has to go outside and litter, and drive his car more to counter what I've just done. I've never seen him actively litter after I recycle something, or go for a quick drive (because he hates driving), but it just goes to show that he really doesn't care.

I've even tried to talk about green jobs and green architecture, and all the amazing possibilities that are available, but it's futile. He respectfully listens to what I have to say, but he refuses to agree with it and take action.