So we're in the 21st century (supposedly). We've been here 6 years already and all these promises of a better life and a better future seem to be collectively flowing out the door. Instead we are heading towards armageddon or at very least World War Three as the self-centred populations of developed countries do nothing but consume, consume, consume and consume a little more.

We're still relying on dodgy old cars that spill more pollution into the atmosphere than a coal-fired powerplant. Which reminds me, we still use coal-fired powerplants for the majority of our electricity generation here in Australia, despite the availability of hundreds of alternative forms of energy production. Not to mention the fact that hundreds of ways to decrease energy consumption by increasing product efficiency have been ignored for years on end.

If we're going to live through the 21st century without bringing the advancement of the human race to a grinding halt we're going to need to work on what we've already got- not ignore it in hope of finding some kind of "miracle cure" to all our problems that allows us to go on consuming, consuming, consuming and consuming a little more. These are just some basic steps we can all take to start decreasing energy consumption around the world and increasing the efficiency of energy consuming products and persons.


Step 1) If it doesn't greatly disrupt your life not to use it, don't use it.
Step 2) If it's not in use, turn it off (except for products which use more electricity to turn themselves on than in being left on).
Step 3) If you can find something more efficient, use it!!!!
Step 4) If you have an old car that spits exhaust on those behind you; UPGRADE.
Step 5) If your using deisel; MAKE YOUR OWN.
Step 6) If you buy absolutely everything from the one place, DON'T BE SO LAZY.
Step 7) If your going to repeat something your told, RESEARCH IT FIRST.
Step 8) If your hungry, MAKE SOMETHING YOURSELF
Step 9) If you live in a house with unused land; GROW SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE.
Step 10) If you or your workplace are extremely wastefull; USE OR LIMIT THE WASTE.
Step 11) If you don't know how good something is for your health; FIND OUT.
Step 12) If you don't know how bad something is for your health; FIND OUT.
Step 13) If you can use something which is BETTER for you health; DO IT.
Step 14) If you don't know how bad something is for the environment; FIND OUT.
Step 15) If you can use something BETTER for the enviroment; DO IT.
Step 16) If you don't believe you can make a difference in the world; FIND A WAY.
Step 17) If you believe you CAN make a difference in the world; DO IT.
Step 18) If you have never planted a tree in your life; DO IT.
Step 19) If you are using something you know is dodgy; FIND AN ALTERNATIVE
Step 20) If your life motto is "She'll be right"; CHANGE IT
Step 21) If your life motto is "Can't someone else do it?"; CHANGE IT.
Step 22) If your life motto is "I'll do it later"; DO IT NOW.
Step 23) If your biography contains no positive contributions to the world; MAKE IT.
Step 24) If you hate it when someone does something; DON'T DO IT YOURSELF.
Step 25) If your happy being ignorant at everyone elses expense; SHOOT YOURSELF.

If steps 25-onwards don't automatically appear in your brain when you really try to think about it, perhaps your stuck between Step 24 and Step 26. The hypothesis of this post is very very very very simple.

YOU ARE NEVER TOO "BUSY" TO CHANGE THE WORLD AROUND YOU, ONLY TOO LAZY; AND IF THAT'S YOU, PERHAPS YOU DON'T BELONG IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE.