Green Washington

I returned from Washington D.C. on 9/15/09 after a 2-day meeting for work. There were signs of environmental concerns everywhere I went. A GW student walking on campus with a white, fitted T-shirt with the panda WWF (world wildlife fund) logo. I passed garbage dumps on which it was written that GW recycles. The Eldon Suites, where I stayed, had an energy efficient toilet that asked you to press separate buttons depending on if you did number 1 or 2. If it's just number 1, the bowl dispensed less water. Unless you dumped your towel on the floor, the hotel assumed you preferred to reuse your towel. As I gulped a bit of water before the day started, I gazed up to notice CFL bulbs in all the ceiling sockets. In all the subways, there were separate recycling bins for paper, cans, and regular trash. It's always a hopeful sign seeing as certain cities don't even have recycling bins. My Washington Post listed that it was made mostly from recycled paper, or was it 35%? My memory is not so great. IBM and Chevron ads flash so creatively on the TV reminding to conserve, help the environment, and prepare for a revitalized future of energy. If you walk through Newark airport, IBM ads span entire walls, some with stats such as how many billion gallons of water are wasted, a suitable ad placed next to the bathroom, a large consumer of water. Is this a sign of a general trend that cities and people are growing conscious of the environment? Conserving and protecting environment has always been on the Washington agenda, but I feel there are more signs that stand out reminding me that it is happening. Conservation and greening is happening around us. Everyone should jump on this boat. One city is different from the other. I return to NYC where progress happened when Penn Station finally separated paper waste from regular trash. I think cans are still being thrown with regular trash. I am hopeful that one city at a time will jump on the green boat and stress the need of conservation.