Hubris

I started this post a couple of weeks ago but have been sitting on it 1) to put a little time between inspiring events and posting to make sure my points are still relevant (to me, anyway) and 2) ‘cause I wasn’t sure whether it was even appropriate for this blog as it has little to do with the rehab. as much as general (albeit related) thoughts.

BUT…then I thought, “screw it”. It’s my blog and I can rant if I want to (sung to the classic Lesley Gore tune).

I can’t stand “holier-than-thou” people…of any variety. In a similar vein (and stemming from my “rock-star scene” days) I can’t stand “cooler-than-thou” people either. I can’t stand competitiveness in general…despite the level of passion behind it. Perhaps that’s why I’ve never had any interest in competitive sports: I’ve never been able to understand the value of a bunch of people going out onto a field, kicking the snot out of one another, some win some lose, everyone goes home only to get up the next day to do it all over again. OK, I know I over-simplifying this…that there is skill and drama and a sense of human triumph in these exercises. I’ve just never felt any connection to any of it.

So when I experience competitiveness and hubris in an arena that I DO feel passionately about, one in which each individual can take part in a measurable sense, one that can, ultimately, affect the entire human race and, as such, SHOULD be inherently inclusive (arguably to be at all effective), I feel downright offended.

Many people are VERY protective of their work, their accomplishments, their intellectual creativeness and all the accolades (existing or potential) that may result. I kinda understand this. If one works their ass off and makes sacrifices to achieve something it can be hard to share how they achieved their success. What if someone it’s shared with easily takes this hard-won knowledge, co-opts it, and then surpasses in success the one who did the work? I kinda understand this fear. This scenario is the reason for the existence of patents, copyright and non-disclosure agreements, just to name a few.

The “green movement”, specifically as it relates to building, resource consumption, etc. - and all the organizations, affiliations, certifications, guidelines, directives, regulations etc. – has a bit of a “Wild Wild West” feel to it. Everyone involved, at his or her core, knows that the more information is disseminated and applied, the greater and more measurable impact this information can make. But to work SO HARD for something…just to “give it away”…can be monumentally unpalatable.

So now an entire cottage industry is being created around resource-building, training, informing and certifying people with this shared passion. I recently earned my EcoBroker designation and was gonna go for NARGreen next…I imagine it’s a lot of the same stuff. But, while I’ve been busy with the house, it seems all these other designations/certifications (that I should, presumably, pursue to garner any “cred” in this arena) have cropped-up. They all sound good, they all sound relevant to my pursuits and worth spending time on in an attempt to learn something new or gain new perspective. But more and more I am beginning to wonder: where do I draw the line? Do I just go for ALL of them? At which point does spending the time on gaining personal experience trump study and designation/certification? Which designations/certifications will provide content that will ACTUALLY inform me in a functional sense rather than just provide me with more (and arguably unrecognizable and inconsequential) letters on my new business cards? I COULD spend a good chunk of our regreen budget on all this training…but what will I get for the return on this investment? And why do I constantly gravitate towards spending the time and money required to earn these designation/certifications?

Honestly, I think it’s because I – like SO many in the “Wild Wild West” of the green movement – am trying to establish a place in it. But the reality is that WE ALL have a “place” in this movement. There are SO many things that we ALL can do to become a little “greener” every day…and it doesn’t HAVE to go as far as what WE’RE choosing (and spending a decent amount of $$$) to do. The internet is loaded with ideas, checklists, guides, guidelines, etc. delineating ways we can ALL participate in reducing our collective carbon footprint…and save ourselves some $$$ in energy costs to boot. So this whole “greener-than-thou” attitude (like “holier-than-thou” and “cooler-than-thou”) is simply a load of crap imposed by someone who is self-conscious about THEIR OWN place is this movement…and probably in the world, too. We all choose to live “on the grid” in some way (if you didn’t you wouldn’t be reading this). So unless a person decides to run off into the woods a la Timothy Treadwell, taking a “greener-than-thou” attitude is merely hypocrisy.

But, more likely, it’s because I have not yet figured out my role in all this in terms of how I am going to apply any training or personal experience into a way that will help me make a living. Unlike being a Real Estate broker, there are no actual professional regulations for “green” trade or consulting per se. Even the building and inspection trades – which ARE regulated – only have designations for “green practices”. None of this stuff has been incorporated into any law yet. EVERYTHING anyone does in this is voluntary and market-driven (and, especially in this economy, there is very little market).

So, for now, I will live it as best I can, concentrate on personal experience…this house…and hope that a lightbulb-moment (CFL, of course) will present itself. And if it doesn’t, that’s OK too. I’m doing this to be as “green” as I can be, despite my own limitations. Hopefully, in the meantime, I’ll inspire others to do the same.