If inspiring thousands of people across America to go green isn’t enough, then I’m going to have to throw in my natural, bamboo, unbleached towel. I mean, if I had that towel I would toss it in with my cry of “Uncle!”  My wannabe status doesn’t seem to be a problem in this EcoMetro community where folks are united in an effort to simply do better more often, inspiring each other along the way by sharing ideas. Good deal. It makes for an awesome place to dip my toes into the eco-friendly wading pool.
So where am I getting the notion that being green is a competition? Why do I struggle with the feeling that if you’re not improving the environment with your every breath, you might as well wear a sign that says “I’m the hand basket carrying us all to Hell”? Here’s a perfect example: Oprah aired her Going Green episode last week. Now maybe you don’t know this, but Oprah has a bit of, uh, influence over her fans. That’s not to say her viewers are a bunch of lemmings, but rather she is able to introduce ideas, products and causes to an enormous amount of people.

So when she did her guide to Going Green show, I tuned in. I was pleased with how honest she was about her own process. During a discussion about the small steps we can all take to make a collective difference, the old “take shorter showers” business came up. Oprah said something like, “I’m sorry but I draw the line right there. I’m willing to do everything else but I like a strong shower.” There she is spreading the Green Gospel to millions and she admits she’s, you know, HUMAN, and people freaked about it. They dismissed an entire episode dedicated to the environment (one of many, by the way) and chose to zero in on that one true statement that I interpreted this way: Hey, man. I’m willing to do a lot for the cause. I believe in it and encourage you to take a look at your habits too. But I like a good, strong shower so what can I do to make up for that ‘cause I’m not giving that up.

What is she supposed to do? Pretend that she’s perfect and does every single thing green and right? I know its Oprah and because of that she might be subject to more criticism and scrutiny than, oh, say me, but still. Back off people and focus on the positive. The Green Mafia needs to stand down if they want people standing on the edges to join hands with the Cause. Watching that show reminded me of what I’m trying to accomplish with this column: I’m human, I care and I’m doing my best and telling the truth about it. And that, friends, is good enough for me.