Are More and More Hubbers Huggers?

And by that I mean “tree huggers” in the most positive sense of the word. It was not too long ago that I became aware of and started writing for this website. Within this short time period it is pleasing to see that there appears to be an upward trend of articles about pollution, renewable energy, awareness and in general topics about a greener society. And I don’t exclude myself from this fact. For me, the prevailing reason is pretty straight forward, as my professional background and personal interest both lie within renewable energy and natural sciences. I think if somebody writes about a subject, they should have a certain amount of knowledge, either through experience, education, or gained by means of a lot of research (or altogether).

Another one of the main reasons is that areas such as environmental awareness and alternative energy are fast evolving and are thus bound to be rich sources of ever new topics. Daily headlines about new developments in solar technologies, new wind farm and geothermal projects, electric vehicles, etc. are far from inspiring science and technology articles only. This leads me to the next reason I assume the popularity of this matter is growing – its almost endless versatility.

It fits into almost any category as there is the consistent need (or doubt thereof), which is present in every aspect of our life. It can spawn insights and discussions about the political and socioeconomic aspects. How much green do we really need to afford? Who should pay for it? What company or politic party is buying what poll and study? What about the others? It gives great material for the educational and parenting side of the spectrum. Be it tips for getting energy grants and healthy meals for your school, finding green outdoor activities and toys for toddlers or thoughts about how to explain sustainability and recycling to kids – it should spark initiative in those who educate. I found great suggestions about eco travel and green cooking, from getting food from the farmers market to preparing it in an environmentally friendly way. There are gardening and home improvement ideas, not to mention stories about the benefits and making of natural beauty products.

No matter in what category an article falls, I think it is valuable to get views from the most different backgrounds and angles. It shows on the one hand that more and more people care about the future of our planet; they want to share how to contribute. They research any field not yet being written about, and maybe they stumble across something they didn’t know and that can help the cause. Even if, realistically, not many people are that altruistic and whatever the motivation for creating a green article may be on the other hand, I welcome their increasing popularity. And if nothing else, it might give another author an idea of what to write about next.

Under the assumption that the author community is to a certain extent representative of our society, is it reasonable to say that our whole society tends to shift priorities towards conserving our living environment? Maybe slowly, little by little - so please keep on writing!