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Eco-resolutions

What are your New Year's resolutions to help protect the environment in 2009?

What does “green” mean to you?

In preparation for the 2008 Groundwater Foundation National Conference, “Going Green for Groundwater,” I spent a lot of time thinking about what being “green” means. To me, being green means acting in the best interest of nature, and in the best interest of Planet Earth. This prompted me to think about the global consequences of my individual actions, both positive and negative; how recycling one aluminum soda can saves enough electricity to power a TV or a 100-watt light bulb for three hours and recycling my junk mail helps save energy and trees, but how I sometimes drive a short distance when I should walk or ride my bike instead, and how I have a mountain of plastic bags at home that could be replaced with reusable grocery bags.

It also made me think about a quote I discovered by Leonardo da Vinci, who said “Water is the driver of nature.” Water has the awesome power and responsibility of keeping our planet viable for life. Water drives every process in nature, so if being green is acting the in best interest of nature, I think protecting our water supplies, including groundwater, is the ultimate act of “going green.”

Being “green” is very trendy right now. Businesses, industries, individuals, products, buildings, cars, energy – all are working toward that “green” label. And while the steps these different facets of our society are taking to go green are most certainly positive, I want them to remember the words of da Vinci, and those of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau who said, “We forget that the water cycle and the life cycle are one.” I want them to “go green” by helping protect our precious water resources.

We want to hear from you – what does being “green” mean to you? What would you like to see from businesses, industries, individuals, etc. to be more green? How are you working to go green in your life?

Going Green for Groundwater: Interviews from the Conference

We are pleased to bring you interviews from the 2008 Groundwater Foundation National Conference in Desert Hot Springs, California. In a world where going “green” is all the rage, has groundwater been forgotten?

Several interviews were collected during the conference by Rachael Seravalli of USGS and are presented online in the form of audio podcasts. Together let's examine the importance of including groundwater in green efforts, opportunities for green groundwater actions, and how to share this message with your community.

Listen in and weigh in.