should i be shocked?

I thought going back to the states would bring on a wave of culture shock, a feeling of being out of place, maybe even a sense of disgust at american culture. But none of that came. It was pure bliss to be around our families and friends, to be in the midst of such gorgeous country, to be underwater in my favorite swimming hole. The way I figure, I was already aware of the ills of the usa before we left for Bolivia. I already knew about our terrible waste of energy and fossil fuels, the excess of trash and packaging, the lack of recycling, the dependence on cars and disdain for public transportation, the overwhelming consumerism, the fast food and unhealthy lifestyles. I suppose that’s part of why we wanted to get away for a while in the first place. Coming back, those things came as no surprise, and I did not feel upset as I noticed each. Just that there is a lot of work to do to when we return.

But I also noticed the word green everywhere. Seems green is the new black! I was stoked to see the word –the modus operandi rather- plastered on magazine covers, book titles, and billboards. It seems as though a new conscientiousness about the environment and our impact on it is on the rise. It’s in style to buy CFLs, drive a hybrid, carry an aluminum water bottle, buy local, invest in carbon offsets, bring your own bag to the grocery store, go organic, take a local vacation (whoops), work from home, use cloth diapers, and even *gasp* walk 10 blocks to get to the store. Too cool. I’m excited to be a part of this growing movement –both in the following year here in South America, and when we return home.