Letter to the Editor – Environmental Problems and Some Small Solutions

CCD treasures our neighbors and wants to listen and share your perspectives.  If you have something to say to your community please send it to us at camelcitydispatchcrew @at gmail.com

Dear Fellow Concerned Citizen of Earth,

My name is Amanda Pajdo. I am mother to a wonderful 9 year-old daughter and a concerned student at Salem College. I’m writing to you because I think it’s time we started helping each other. By each other I mean our community. Did you know that if you recycle one aluminum can it saves enough energy to keep a 100-watt bulb burning for almost four hours? Or it can run your TV for three hours? I bet if you could just connect your TV directly to an aluminum can you would definitely be more likely to recycle, right? And that’s where the problem lies.

Too many people look at the grand scheme of global warming as being too big to tackle when we can make an enormous impact by adding some simple yet sustainable routines to our everyday lives. Especially when those routines don’t cost us a thing. In one year of being more conscious about turning lights off when leaving the room and turning the thermostat down before leaving, I reduced my energy costs by 20% per month, almost $200 annually.

Not only does being more conscious help the environment, but it can put more money back in your pocket, which is never a bad thing. The most important paper you can recycle is in your wallet! Speaking of recycling, how much does that cost? NOTHING. It’s free! The city provides cans as well as drop off centers. Aside from donating them to Goodwill, you can drop off your old computers and electronics to be recycled. That drawer of old cell phones? Ink cartridges? You can pick up a FREE mailer and send those in to be recycled, for FREE!!!

My request is simple, Mr. Editor. Help spread the word! Too much of mainstream media targets all the problems in this world without offering any solutions. It’s easy to ignore an issue if you think the solution is bigger than you. But it’s not. Your readers want to be informed; they want to know what’s happening around them and what they can do about it; that’s why they read your paper. Printing environmental statistics and tips on going green is a step in the right direction. Even further, a column devoted to green living. We need to remind people that every little bit helps otherwise it’s out of sight, out of mind. For our children, their children, and generations to come.
Thinking globally and acting locally,

Amanda Pajdo
Winston-Salem