Many people are discouraged by the enormity of the task ahead of us. Our culture is one of capitalism and consumerism and leaves little room for conservation and consciousness. In a society where essential items are made as cheaply as possible to encourage you to buy more, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to start making changes in your own life. You have a family that requires your constant attention and care. You have an inflexible job that demands your time. Your money is tight and certain, healthy, earth friendly products cost more than others.

Hello everyone!

I'm a freshmen at a community college near my home in New York. I've been assigned a research paper and i picked Alternative energy/Sustainability as a topic. I was just wondering if anyone has anything to say about the matter. I know i can just google away and stick my face in a book all day but i want to know what other people in the world besides me think. I'm open to anything you have to tell me. 

Thanks. 

Life is beautiful. No question about that. But life is also full of terrifying and depressing circumstances. With the constant reminders of environmental and economic devastation knocking at our door, it can be difficult to feel like there is an even slight possibility of creating change. Witnessing the turmoil that our environment endures has left me, at times, feeling heavy and hopeless. The “big picture” can be foggy and feel far out of reach.