Maniates is right when he says that the small efforts by the individual will not be all it takes. I kind of realized this myself after I started working for Dunkin Donuts during High School. The amount of waste that DD accumulated in one day probably outstripped the waste that I accumulate in one month. So you have to think, what difference does the individual consumer make when producers, offices, and other projects are producing waste at a much greater rate that individuals and their homes. Maniates is right in saying that large-scale projects targeted at eco-footprint reduction will have a greater and more lasting impact than the small things.
I disagree with Maniates when he says it’s the leaders fault and that they sell us short. They ask us as individuals to do our part which is limited and easy. I feel that both are at fault. The leaders for not convincing people that more needs to be done, and individuals for not pressuring the government to partake in more large-scale changes that can make more of a difference. The individual alone cannot create, organize and implement large-scale projects. The majority of our days we are living our normal lives and the “easy” things are all we have time/the ability to do. Also, these “easy things,” Maniates admits, do make a difference by slowing down the growth of environmental damage and therefore we should continue to chip in ourselves and ask others to do their part. It is the government, NGO’s, IGO’s and businesses that can make the real difference when it comes to saving the environment. We are the ones who need to put more pressure on them to do something. And part of the reason we don't put enough pressure on them is that the leaders don't inform us on what really needs to be done. It's really a two way street.
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