Small steps are not enough, especially if not everyone is taking them

     Michael Maniates opinion piece titled, Going Green? Easy doesn't do it, mentions the question that it is often asked by many, What else can I do? As he argues, there is a strong campaign for conservation and recycling that many citizens are following either through guides in books or simply by listening to what others are doing. They are advertised to be "simple" and "easy" steps that may guarantee a more sustainable future. Yet are consumer choices a strong enough force to make a significant difference in the already damaged Earth?
    Indeed, there are many Americans that are more aware of the condition of our environment and of the implications that come in hand with the current state of the Earth's natural resources. Many people are now adapting more "eco-friendly" activities and practices. And as Maniates argues, some people are even willing to go further and are asking more advise on what to do next. Yet, how many Americans are actually thinking this way? Not as many as we hope to see, and even if all do our part, Is this enough?
    Us, consumers can only go so far, if we really aspire to change the direction of climate change in the future, in addition to more sustainable practices, we must advocate for and encourage more strict regulations and policies for environmental protection. Maniates is highly optimistic in his idea that Americans are willing to take more action. This might be true compared to other societies, but just us won't do it.
     The reality of this argument is that the majority of us have by now heard of the degraded condition of our environment, yet not all of us are doing anything about this. We might feel encourage to take these "easy" steps, but to be able to actually make a difference, we must first start by changing a lot of our consumer habits and in a country based on consumerism, this will take a revolution in the mindset of many. It seems that the day we will see more evident changes will be when it directly affect us more harshly.