Author: Douglas Melzer

So, what does conservation and “Living a Green lifestyle” really mean anyway?  Green living is a lifestyle that tries in as many ways as it can to bring into balance the conservation and preservation of the Earth’s natural resources, habitats, and biodiversity with human culture and communities. Knowing this, what steps are being taken to create a better world for our children when they are the same age as we are today?  On a large scale, society has made tremendous strides toward the funding, designing, and implementation of alternative energy.  Private equity firms invested $3.8 billion in green energy, primarily the wind and solar power, in 2010. However, they were soon pushed out by pension and general funds that started financing green projects, thereby reducing venture capitalists’ profits.  According to Zelkova Ventures, figures from 2016 suggest that the push has come to an end and adventurous venture firms will keep investing in the green tech industry well into the future.  This should cultivate into being farsighted and continued overall growth……….Ok, that was really boring – sorry, enough of the finance talk.  To put this in layman’s terms, humanity is steadily moving towards alternative sustainable living – period.

To be clear, I am in no way suggesting you grab your family each morning for a group hug around the large tree in the front yard.  Nor am I suggesting you begin capturing rain water in large pails to bathe.  BUT, I am suggesting we all listen a little more clearly to what our children’s generation is shouting out. While on the phone recently, my 20-year-old son Casey, made me consider how valuable and important simply sustainability could be.  Guess what, it could not be more simple – living green and sustainable means creating a lifestyle that works with yourself and nature, instead of against it, and does “zero” long-term or irreversible damage to any part of the environment.  Living “large & in charge” in old news.  Living “smart & simple” is well, SMART!

 As a parent that has attempted to teach his children the X’s & O’s of life, it is so gratifying to know that I can learn a few things from them. I could not be more proud that my son is majoring in Sustainable Design & Architecture at the University of Texas.  If he one day chooses to live in a sustainable designed tiny house with his family, I will be blessed to have taken a small part in raising such a good and caring human being.

My family tree is clearly starting to bloom  🙂