Fears about global warming coupled with an increasing desire to preserve the world for future generations have always been at the heart of the push to go green. Conservation and concern for the environment have turned from background issues to front row issues. Still, the reality is that the planet is nowhere near where it needs to be in terms of truly going green and reducing each person’s carbon footprint.

Doing more with less
Going green is about switching to the use of renewable energy sources rather than depleting the finite ones; it’s also about cutting down usage and the responsible use of available energy. People have to be conscious about doing more with less although it requires extra effort. Not only does it take effort, it also takes education.

Financial Incentives
The major way legislatures on the national level seem to be encouraging consumers to go green whenever possible is to offer financial incentives for doing so. This encourages people to choose green without forcing them. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Stimulus package offered some pretty nice monetary incentives to Americans who decided to become more focused on energy conservation. This allowed tax breaks for those who took on green home-improvement projects. Between the two programs listed above, homeowners could get tax credits on everything from installing Energy Star appliances to putting solar panels on their roof.

The reality is that as long as going green is only encouraged and not enforced in many instances, things will likely remain the same as long as there is a choice available. Some people will get on board and educate themselves about what going green can do for the planet and their wallet. Others will simply stick with the path of least resistance.

A Step in the right direction
There have been some examples where more forceful green laws have been put in place. San Francisco is a good example. Today, any new construction or renovation that is done in the city must be built up to green standards. And there are other municipalities across the country which have adopted similar legislation. So, while legislative bodies may not have the complete impact they need to move consumers toward adopting a greener lifestyle, they are taking definite steps in that direction.

At the end of the day it is up to legislative bodies to get the information out to the masses about what green technology is available. The focus on going green should be directed not only toward everyday individuals who inhabit Middle America; it needs to also focus on big business as well.

Confucius once said, “Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.” The issue at hand may be that society as a whole doesn’t possess enough knowledge about green living to truly understand its importance to life on this planet. This knowledge level increase needs to take place with the everyday citizens, but it is also important that elected officials and legislative bodies get up to speed as well and become more forceful.

For now, it seems the green movement revolution will continue to move along at a speed that could be a little faster but is at least headed in the right direction.

Jamey Wisneski is a service technician and in his spare time is a freelance blogger for broadbandcomparison.org, a site he often recommends as a great resource to compare broadband deals.  check their site for more details.