Accents
Green Green Green
Remember the days when somebody would tell a joke that verged on the salacious side, and how we listeners would snicker and shout, Green! Green! Green! The spinster of a teacher would rebuke us, and as she turned her back, quickly we would make fun of old ma’am with whispers of Prude! Prude! Prude!
The off-color content of “green” jokes was normal fare in our youth—us high-schoolers to whom the phrase global warming was far, far away in the horizon. And how we teenagers of long ago were annoyed being called “green” because that would mean being naïve, immature, inexperienced. Mom’s ever darling li’l boy and li’l girl, not yet weaned from mother’s milk. The vernacular expression for this is very picturesque: Wala pa malutas.
“You’re so green.” Half a century ago, that meant you were the laughing stock of the group—more or less, the butt of the joke. That view belonged to the ancient past. Today, when people say, “You’re so green,” they are paying you a compliment. That means you rate high in the ecology scorecard. Now when “Titser” tells boys and girls to “Go green,” she’s telling them to take care of the environment.
Green has assumed a wide spectrum of meanings with the ravages wrought on Mother Earth. The burgeoning population has endangered species of both flora and fauna for its consumption. Exploding beyond sustainability in many parts of the world (think Calcutta), humans have created a huge carbon footprint resulting in dramatic climate change. (Catastrophic Frank and Ondoy bear witness.) Thus it behooves everyone to go green. The imperative: abate the coming of the apocalypse, or be damned. Apocalypse Now is only a movie title.
How green are you? has become a down-to-earth question which is asking how environmentally friendly you can be—when thoughts and words are translated in concrete deeds. Never mind about being a tyro, a freshman/woman in some school, occupation or vocation. The demand of the times from all inhabitants of Mother Earth is how each one can do his/her share for the environment.
Toward becoming more green, I’d like to refresh everyone with The Earth’s Ten Commandments I included in a column two years ago:
- You shall love and honor the earth for it blesses your life and governs your survival.
- You shall keep each day sacred to the earth and celebrate the turning of its seasons.
- You shall not hold yourself above other living things nor drive them to extinction.
- You shall give thanks for your food to the creatures and the planets that nourish you.
- You shall limit your offspring for multitudes of people are a burden unto the earth.
- You shall not kill or waste earth’s riches upon weapons of war.
- You shall not pursue profit at the earth’s expense but strive to restore its damaged majesty.
- You shall not hide from yourself or others the consequences of your actions upon the earth.
- You shall not steal from future generations by impoverishing or poisoning the earth.
- You shall consume material goods in moderation so all may share earth’s bounty.
OBEY is the operative word for all ten. “For the sake of our children’s children.” The stereotype has never been more crucial. It is high time for everyone to cast off all indifference. Progressives—many with their willy-nilly attitude—need to be consistent in their observance. Environmental activists posit these to all and sundry as obligatory. In judicial-speak, the hubby says, the commandments are final and executory. The decision has been handed down. The last step is implementation. (To be continued)
(Email: lagoc@hargray.com)
