Getting Started...
In recent years epecially the intensity and concern over environmental problems has
risen to an enormous degree. Issues such as climate change, the melting of ice, the rise
of water and the contamination of air are discussed daily in both the media and politics. Green activists constantly bombard the populace with images of hapless polar bears, or mountians of trash. It has become clear that action must be taken to stop the destruction of our plant.
For most people however, being green does not mean protesting fracking, or attending huge environmental conventions. It starts at home, with seemly simple–yet deceptively powerful–decisons.
So, after reading extensively from environmental activists starting as far back as the
1900's and thoughroughly discussing present day issues, we were given the task of looking for environmentalism in our own backyard: Saratoga Springs. That's how we ended up, sitting down on a rainy afternoon to talk with Karen Totino in her
store Green Concience off of Broadway.
Hearing what she had to say was important for us in two ways. Firstly, we got a great look at how she started and now runs her own busniness, and what exactally green home furinishings really are. Secondly, we got a chance to hear her opinion about all that we've studied from a modern female environmentalist perspective. We asked about what types of literature had inspired her, where she draws her motivation from, and how she feels the issues surrounding the environment should be tackled. As seen on our upcoming pages she had some wonderful insights, that were both suprising and educational for us. Hearing Karen's side of the story truly did help to give this universal question of how literature has an effect on environmental issues, more dimension.